Mommy & Me Night

Self,

Last Wednesday (April 13, 2011), my mother and I went to see Alvin Ailey American Dance Company.  She had heard they would be in town and before my grandfather passed we purchased tickets.  I had agreed to go because I figured it would be a little escape from him being in the hospital at that time. Now that he has passed away, it was even more important to give her something enjoyable to take her mind off things.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Ailey classic ballet Revelations.  Of course, this is probably my mom's main reason for wanting to attend the performance, that in connection with the fact this is Judith Jamison's last season as artistic director.  That night I found out that my mom first saw the dance company back when she was in college.  Which now that I think about it says a lot about the the small liberal arts college in the '70s.  But then again that might be something we should expect for the college that is the Alma Mater to the first African-american President of the United States of America.

Seeing how much my mom enjoyed the show....it made me wonder if my mom is a repressed ballerina.  I mean maybe she saw the Ailey company and wanted to dance, but the pressure of being the first of the family to go to college, made her think in more practicul terms.  I mean even now I know that dancers struggle for their craft and art because they love it....not because the pay is great.  My grandfather as wonderful of a man he was...I don't think he would have went for her attending school to major in dance, but for her to graduate as a teacher was....something he would have understood.

I'll have to ask her at some point.

Sincerely,
Pharoah