Troy Powell facts for kids

Troy Powell (born January 27, 1969, in Brooklyn) is an American dancer, choreographer, and director. He was a main dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. He also led Ailey 2, which is the second dance company of AAADT.

Early Life and Dance Beginnings

Troy Powell grew up in Brooklyn. When he was nine, he met the famous dancer Alvin Ailey. Ailey visited Troy's school to teach a special dance class. This class was actually an audition for a scholarship. It was for the first children's dance program at The Ailey School.

Even though Troy had not trained in dance before, Alvin Ailey chose him for the program. Ailey became a mentor and a father figure to Troy. In 1987, Troy finished high school at LaGuardia High School of The Performing Arts. He focused on dance there. The next year, Sylvia Waters invited him to join Ailey 2. This group was then called the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble.

While in Ailey 2, Troy danced in many ballets. These were created by Ailey and other choreographers. A dance critic named Jennifer Dunning wrote about Troy. She said he danced as if he was "filled with the dance." She also noted his "infectious though private look of delight."

Dancing with Alvin Ailey

In 1991, Judith Jamison asked Troy Powell to join the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She had become the artistic director after Ailey passed away. Troy danced with this main company all over the world. He performed important roles in many famous ballets. Some of these were Ailey's Revelations and The River. He also danced in Episodes by Ulysses Dove.

In 1996, Troy showed his own dance piece called Passages. It was at the Ailey Gala event. After this, he was asked to create a ballet for the main company. This new piece, Ascension, came out in 1998. Troy dedicated it to his mother. He thanked Judith Jamison for giving chances to dancers of color. She helped them create and show their art.

While dancing with Ailey, Troy also performed with other groups. He danced with Complexions Contemporary Ballet. This company was started by his friends from Ailey. He was also a main guest dancer with Batsheva Dance Company.

Leading Ailey 2

In 2001, Troy Powell left the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. He had danced there for ten years. He then joined The Ailey School. He became a master teacher of the Horton dance technique. He also became the main choreographer for Ailey 2.

Troy created many ballets for Ailey 2. Some of his works include The Tyner Project and External Knot. In 2003, he became the associate director of Ailey 2. When Sylvia Waters retired in 2012, Troy became the artistic director. He was only the second person to lead the company in its history. In 2015, Troy led Ailey 2 in its first solo season at the Joyce Theatre.

In 2019, the Ailey School celebrated its 50th anniversary. For this event, Troy choreographed a special ballet called Testimony. It told the story of his own journey through the Ailey organization. He used students from the school, dancers from Ailey 2, and members of the main company. Solomon Dumas, a main dancer, played the adult Troy Powell. Troy said their stories were similar. Dumas was the first person from AileyCamp to join the main company. Troy dedicated Testimony to Alvin Ailey. He called Ailey "a lifesaver" who "gave me these two feet that I’m standing on."

TV Appearances

Troy Powell appeared on season 14 of America's Next Top Model. In the episode Let's Dance, he was a guest coach. He taught the models how to pose in different dance styles. In 2012, he was also on the Polish version of So You Think You Can Dance. He was a guest choreographer and taught contestants his dance moves from External Knot.