The New York dance community is mourning the loss of a Giant in the industry following the death of former Alvin Ailey Dance Theater performer and director Judith Jamison.
She died this weekend at the age of 81 .
On Monday, the mood was heavy inside company headquarters, yet there was a sense of gratitude among dancers and leadership, knowing they crossed paths with greatness.
“Her deep, deep faith really gave her wings and it also gave her roots and provided that for all of us,” Rehearsal Director Ronni Favors said.
Former Ailey dancer and current rehearsal director, Favors first met Jamison in 1976 while performing at Lincoln Center.
“I ran off stage and she said, ‘Brava!’ And that was my introduction to Judith Jamison,” Favors said.
Jamison joined the world-renowned dance company in 1965 and become one its most celebrated members.
After Mr. Ailey died in 1989, Jamison felt it was her duty to carry out his mission to educate, entertain and uplift.
“At the end of a performance when people go crazy and they’re applauding or they’re just, they’re stunned, that’s when I get you,” Jamison said, in a November 2023 interview .