With broad shoulders, their bodies become instruments under a beaming blue light. The phrase “poetry in motion” quickly comes to mind and a story begins to unfold as piano chords and violin strings provide a soothing, yet layered ambiance.

The scene, performed by the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, comes as an artistic homage to Barry Jenkins’ film Moonlight, which won a Golden Globe during the 74th annual ceremony for ‘Best Picture” and is in the running for an Oscar, with eight nominations.

Titled, Moonlight x Ailey, the short dance film, choreographed by Artistic Director Robert Battle, channels the essence of the motion picture with representations of manhood in three prominent stages of life: childhood, adolescence and adulthood.

Included in the expressive tribute are Jamar Roberts, a dancer with the prominent company; and The Ailey School students, Christopher Taylor and Jeremy T. Villas.

Currently on a coast-to-coast U.S. tour, Ailey’s dancers are looking forward to bringing their artistry to the stage of the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami from February 23-26 with works that shine a spotlight on society. For more information, visit alvinailey.org.


LaToya “Toi” Cross is the Senior Editor of Entertainment and Culture for EBONY’s Print and Digital brand. You can catch this laughing creative sharing work, art and capturing life on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.