NYC Honors the Late Dancer Judith Jamison, with a Proclamation and Her Own Day

The late Judith Jamison, a transformative figure in modern dance at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, was honored with a resolution designating May 10 as Judith Jamison Day, in recognition of her artistic brilliance, cultural impact, and leadership.

The date now stands as an annual tribute to a woman who reshaped the possibilities of performance and empowered generations of dancers after it was passed by the City Council on May 1.

As the troupe’s artistic director, Jamison played a key role in steering the city’s largest dance company into its new state-of-the-art home in 2005 at the 87,000-square-foot Joan Weill Center on the West Side. The center includes 12 dance studios, a flexible performance space with seating for up to 295 people, a costume shop, physical therapy facilities, lounges, and administrative offices.

In a nice twist, the company’s HQ in Hell’s Kitchen, at Ninth Avenue and West 55th Street, is on the site of the former WNET-TV studios, where the Ailey company’s first television appearance took place in the early 1960s.

Council Member Gale A. Brewer counted Jamison as a personal friend. “Judith was a force, beyond a force, really,” said Brewer. “On a personal note, she was a friend. We worked together on the street co-naming of Alvin Ailey Place, first on 61st Street between West End and Amsterdam, then at 55th Street and Ninth Avenue. To get the signs up was a challenge for whatever reason so she attended Community Board meetings with me and we got it done together.”

Brewer recalled that “Judith wore the most gorgeous sneakers after years of dancing had damaged her feet. I’ve been supporting Alvin Ailey for a very long time, more than 20 years, and saw Judith often at Alvin Ailey dinners, meetings, and celebrations. She is truly deserving of this honor.”

Downtown Council Member Carlina Rivera, who introduced the City Council resolution, was equally effusive, calling Jamison “a visionary artist and leader who left an indelible mark on our city and the world. Her commitment to excellence raised a new generation of brilliant artists and elevated modern dance to new heights.”

Bennett Rink, executive director of Ailey II, the company that grooms “the next generation of dance,” highlighted her leadership: “She picked up the torch from Mr. Ailey and carried it forward. . . . We are so grateful to the City Council for the resolution celebrating Judith Jamison Day annually on the birthday of one of New York’s greats.”

Born in Philadelphia in 1943, Jamison began dancing at a young age, encouraged by her parents. She trained at the Judimar School and the Philadelphia Dance Academy, building a strong foundation in both technique and expression.

In 1964, while working at the New York World’s Fair, the 21-year-old Jamison auditioned for a TV show. She was not selected, but Alvin Ailey witnessed her performance and soon invited her to join his company. She accepted, beginning a groundbreaking career in 1965.

Her performance in Cry, a solo dedicated “to all Black women everywhere, especially our mothers,” became a signature work. Its emotional depth and intensity helped establish Jamison as a commanding international presence in dance.

Following Ailey’s death in 1989, Jamison became the company’s artistic director. For 21 years, she expanded its global presence, supported new choreographers, and led the creation of the Joan Weill Center for Dance, Ailey’s permanent home in Manhattan. Through it all, she remained committed to celebrating the Black cultural experience through dance.

Her passing on Nov. 9, 2024, marked the end of an era—but her legacy lives on, not just in the performances she created or inspired, but now officially, in the heartbeat of the city that called her one of its own.