TED Talks

Revelations from a lifetime of dance | Judith Jamison and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized Talk recommendations and more. “Dance can elevate our human experience beyond words,” says Judith Jamison, artistic director emerita of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In between performances of excerpts from Alvin Ailey’s classic works “Revelations” and “Cry,” Jamison reflects on the enduring…

Published

7 years ago

November 5, 2019

CYBER TECH TV

Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized Talk recommendations and more.

“Dance can elevate our human experience beyond words,” says Judith Jamison, artistic director emerita of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In between performances of excerpts from Alvin Ailey’s classic works “Revelations” and “Cry,” Jamison reflects on the enduring power of dance to transform history into art that thrills audiences around the world. (Performances by Solomon Dumas, Samantha Figgins and Constance Stamatiou)

The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You’re welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know. For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), submit a Media Request here:

Related Topics:featured

Up Next

How nanoparticles could change the way we treat cancer | Joy Wolfram

Don't Miss

After billions of years of monotony, the universe is waking up | David Deutsch

26 Comments

Crimson Lotus1122

November 5, 2019 at 11:31 pm

What a beautiful display! Bravo on the dancers ????????❤????????‍♀️

Reply
Sandie Beach

November 5, 2019 at 11:34 pm

Revelations is always new each time you see it performed. ????

Reply
Randomness 101

November 5, 2019 at 11:56 pm

Im so early no one has liked anyone’s comment. And there’s only 24

Reply
Susan Doerr

November 6, 2019 at 12:11 am

Dance can be a wonderful healthy spiritual experience or not. Thank you for sharing. I dance at home to all types of music from all over the world if I like it.

Reply
Christina Suchon

November 6, 2019 at 12:29 am

I needed this

Reply
Kira Kjear

November 6, 2019 at 12:31 am

Dance is how I share my soul with the world. No other form of communication quite like it ????????????

Reply
- Vierotchka
  
  November 6, 2019 at 2:12 pm
  
  Likewise music which is a global language. 🙂
  
  Reply
Richard Comeau

November 6, 2019 at 12:32 am

@TED thank you for your service. It is invaluable.

Reply
Luisa

November 6, 2019 at 1:04 am

Immediately I was into this

Reply
ali faris

November 6, 2019 at 1:31 am

شكرا لكم ترجموا لنا الفيديو إلى اللغة العربية

Reply
Lynchie

November 6, 2019 at 2:02 am

fantastic performances!

Reply
Kimberyote3

November 6, 2019 at 2:10 am

Yep. That’s all black people are able to do is dance. They can’t build a civilization. But they CAN dance! Got it! Awesome!

Reply
Chinese Handwriting

November 6, 2019 at 2:14 am

I wish I know how to dance…

Reply
曾Hao

November 6, 2019 at 2:26 am

cool

Reply
BRIGHT MINDS

November 6, 2019 at 2:33 am

Don’t live in the past, just learn from it.

Reply
vidya kakaiya

November 6, 2019 at 2:54 am

????

Reply
Mr Rejaul Karim

November 6, 2019 at 3:10 am

Good

Reply
Blue Moon

November 6, 2019 at 5:04 am

… seeing Judith Jamison decades ago with the Alvin Ailey Dance Troupe in the Houston Jones Hall was one of the most inspiring moments for me as a dancer myself… another favorite was Sea Shadow by Robert Joffrey Ballet Company …

Reply
Miss Honeydew

November 6, 2019 at 6:16 am

Awesome! Inspiring ????????

Reply
Kongolox

November 6, 2019 at 1:16 pm

No.

Reply
Cynthia Smitherman

November 6, 2019 at 1:58 pm

That is one of the best I’ve seen. I love how the dance tells a story

Reply
山河

November 6, 2019 at 2:49 pm

Dance show me the energy ,alive and spirit.

Reply
あか16

November 6, 2019 at 3:21 pm

これテッドかよwww

Reply
reda'h MEG

November 6, 2019 at 8:31 pm

Traduction arabe plz

Reply
reda'h MEG

November 6, 2019 at 8:31 pm

Arabe

Reply
Annmarie Emmanuel

November 8, 2019 at 7:06 am

I miss NYC and the Alvin Ailey Dance Co….Thanks for all those wonderful performances!

Reply

People & Blogs

Turns out, your group chat might be more powerful than you think. #TEDTalks

Katie Paris quit her career in Washington, DC, to figure out how to make politics feel less like strangers shouting at each other and more like friends looking out for each other. In this practical talk, she reveals why conversations between real people can have a bigger impact on elections than anything millions of campaign…

Published

23 hours ago

November 13, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

People & Blogs

Inside Venezuela’s Uncertain Path to Freedom | Leopoldo López | TED

Published

1 day ago

November 13, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

Activist Leopoldo López learned the true value of freedom in a solitary confinement cell, when someone else decided if he would eat or see sunlight. In this searching conversation, he explains why democracy is losing ground across the globe, the state of Venezuela’s transition after Maduro’s capture and the 2026 earthquakes — and why he founded the World Liberty Congress to unite activists in the fight against autocracies. (This conversation, hosted by TED’s Whitney Pennington Rogers, was part of an exclusive TED Membership event. TED Membership is the best way to support and engage with the big ideas you love from TED. To learn more, visit ted.com/membership.) (Recorded at TED Membership on September 16, 2026)

Join us in person at a TED conference:
Become a TED Member to support our mission:
Subscribe to a TED newsletter:

Follow TED!
Instagram:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:
Facebook:
X:

The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less) — plus originals, podcasts and exclusive content. Look for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design as well as science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit for our entire library, transcripts, translations and personalized recommendations.

Watch more:

TED videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with the TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), submit a request at

#TED #TEDTalks #Democracy

People & Blogs

How Would You Design Your Dream City? | James Rojas | TED

Urban planner James Rojas has led hundreds of workshops where participants creatively design their ideal communities with small objects — and he’s noticed that people of every age, income and background build strikingly similar places. Through play and storytelling, he shows how we can use our childhood memories and imaginations to shape the places we…

Published

2 days ago

November 12, 2026

CYBER TECH TV

Join us in person at a TED conference:
Become a TED Member to support our mission:
Subscribe to a TED newsletter:

Follow TED!
Instagram:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:
Facebook:
X:

The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less) — plus originals, podcasts and exclusive content. Look for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design as well as science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit for our entire library, transcripts, translations and personalized recommendations.

Watch more:

#TED #TEDTalks #Storytelling