Connect with us

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

on

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:
Continue Reading
Advertisement
26 Comments

26 Comments

  1. Crimson Lotus1122

    November 5, 2019 at 11:31 pm

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

    Reply

  2. Sandie Beach

    November 5, 2019 at 11:34 pm

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

    Reply

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Christina Suchon

    November 6, 2019 at 12:29 am

    I needed this

    Reply

  6. 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

  7. Richard Comeau

    November 6, 2019 at 12:32 am

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

    Reply

  8. Luisa

    November 6, 2019 at 1:04 am

    Immediately I was into this

    Reply

  9. ali faris

    November 6, 2019 at 1:31 am

    شكرا لكم ترجموا لنا الفيديو إلى اللغة العربية

    Reply

  10. Lynchie

    November 6, 2019 at 2:02 am

    fantastic performances!

    Reply

  11. 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

  12. Chinese Handwriting

    November 6, 2019 at 2:14 am

    I wish I know how to dance…

    Reply

  13. 曾Hao

    November 6, 2019 at 2:26 am

    cool

    Reply

  14. BRIGHT MINDS

    November 6, 2019 at 2:33 am

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

    Reply

  15. vidya kakaiya

    November 6, 2019 at 2:54 am

    ????

    Reply

  16. Mr Rejaul Karim

    November 6, 2019 at 3:10 am

    Good

    Reply

  17. 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

  18. Miss Honeydew

    November 6, 2019 at 6:16 am

    Awesome! Inspiring ????????

    Reply

  19. Kongolox

    November 6, 2019 at 1:16 pm

    No.

    Reply

  20. 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

  21. 山河

    November 6, 2019 at 2:49 pm

    Dance show me the energy ,alive and spirit.

    Reply

  22. あか16

    November 6, 2019 at 3:21 pm

    これテッドかよwww

    Reply

  23. reda'h MEG

    November 6, 2019 at 8:31 pm

    Traduction arabe plz

    Reply

  24. reda'h MEG

    November 6, 2019 at 8:31 pm

    Arabe

    Reply

  25. 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

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

People & Blogs

I Thought I Was Lazy. Turns Out I Had a Sleep Disorder | Lindsay Scola | TED

For more than two decades, sleep health educator Lindsay Scola attributed her never-ending exhaustion to long hours and demanding jobs. When she was diagnosed with narcolepsy, she finally got the wake-up call that transformed her life. In this rousing talk, she discusses the epidemic of undiagnosed sleep disorders and encourages you to ask yourself: Is…

Published

1 day ago

on

October 18, 2026

By

For more than two decades, sleep health educator Lindsay Scola attributed her never-ending exhaustion to long hours and demanding jobs. When she was diagnosed with narcolepsy, she finally got the wake-up call that transformed her life. In this rousing talk, she discusses the epidemic of undiagnosed sleep disorders and encourages you to ask yourself: Is your tiredness different? (Recorded at TEDxSonomaCounty on March 7, 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 #Health

Continue Reading

People & Blogs

Campaigns Spend Millions to Influence Voters. This Works Better | Katie Paris | TED

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

2 days ago

on

October 17, 2026

By

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 dollars can buy. (Recorded at TED Democracy Philadelphia on June 13, 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 #Community

Continue Reading

People & Blogs

AI and the End of Loneliness | Paul Bloom | TED

AI companions may soon cure loneliness, says psychologist Paul Bloom: a gift for the isolated and the elderly, but a danger for the young, who need to experience the hard work of real relationships. So what happens to a generation raised on chatbots that never need an apology or get bored of a story? Bloom…

Published

3 days ago

on

October 16, 2026

By

AI companions may soon cure loneliness, says psychologist Paul Bloom: a gift for the isolated and the elderly, but a danger for the young, who need to experience the hard work of real relationships. So what happens to a generation raised on chatbots that never need an apology or get bored of a story? Bloom pitches a stranger, more hopeful solution, one that lets us lean on AI without ever losing our humanity. (Recorded at TED2026 on April 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 #AI

Continue Reading

Trending