SZA, Spike Lee and Tonya Lee to chair Alvin Ailey gala built around Luther Vandross premiere
SZA, Spike Lee and Tonya Lee will serve as honorary chairs of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Opening Night Gala on 2 December in New York.
The gala opens the company's 2026-27 season, according to details reported by Billboard. The evening launches a five-week holiday season at New York City Center that runs through 3 January 2027.
Proceeds support the Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation. That money funds new dances and student scholarships.
The centrepiece is a one-night-only world premiere, meaning a first performance anywhere. It is called Power of Love and honours singer Luther Vandross.
The piece was choreographed by Jamar Roberts. It was created with Primary Wave Music and The Luther Vandross Estate.
The tribute draws on four well-known Vandross songs: Never Too Much, Here and Now, Dance With My Father and A House Is Not a Home. Bassist Marcus Miller and executive Ron Gilyard developed the dance and music tribute in partnership with Reginald Hudlin.
The timing links dance to pop history. Vandross is due to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on 14 November in Los Angeles, just weeks before the premiere.
The gala programme also includes an excerpt from Hymn. The work is Judith Jamison's Emmy Award-winning tribute to company founder Alvin Ailey.
That showing brings Hymn back to the Ailey repertory, the stock of works the company performs, after almost 15 years.
The wider honorary committee brings together names from music, film and broadcasting. It includes Cynthia Erivo, LL Cool J, Samara Joy, Gayle King and Audra McDonald.
Last year's gala, which featured Ciara as an honorary chair, opened Alicia Graf Mack's first season as artistic director, as reported by Vogue.
What makes this stand out is the mix. A fundraising night for modern dance will turn on a soul catalogue and a short return for a company classic. For fans, this means one chance to see the Vandross piece on opening night before the season moves on.
