Alvin Ailey Begins National Tour Next Month

(New York) — Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Ailey’s Official Vehicle Partner, is providing support to bring Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s inspiring performances to audiences in 20 cities through June. In combination with the tour, Toyota’s redesigned 2011 Avalon will welcome audiences at theaters in Richmond, VA; Jacksonville, FL; Miami, FL; and New York City at Brooklyn Academy of Music from June 10^th – 20^th and at Ailey at the Apollo!, a special benefit evening on May 4^th at Harlem’s world famous Apollo Theater, “where stars are born and legends are made.”

"Toyota's renewed partnership supports Ailey's mission to inspire, enlighten and unite people of all backgrounds," stated Sharon Gersten Luckman, Ailey Executive Director. "We applaud Toyota for their significant backing of Ailey and their ongoing efforts to bring artistic excellence to communities across the U.S."

Recognized by U.S. Congress as a vital “American Cultural Ambassador to the World,” Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater celebrates the human spirit with breathtaking artistry that uses the African-American cultural experience and the American modern dance tradition. “Alvin Ailey is a very special partner to Toyota and we are excited to team up for the second year with Avalon as the Official Vehicle for their 20-city U.S. Tour,” said Dionne Colvin, Toyota National Manager Advertising. “The boldly redesigned 2011 Toyota Avalon reflects the exceptional performance, dynamic style and timeless artistry that audiences experience in Ailey’s stunning performances.”

Audiences will be introduced to the redesigned 2011 Avalon and its core features through an interactive environment. As Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is the epitome of a lasting artistic expression, the art installation is entitled “Expression of Style” and will highlight key attributes of the Avalon while paying tribute to Ailey’s enduring artistry with large format performance images, iconic Ailey props and archival posters through different time frames that visually represent the Company’s history.

Toyota Avalon is the Official Vehicle Partner of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

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ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER - 2010 U.S. TOUR

VENUES SPOTLIGHTING THE REDESIGNED 2011 TOYOTA AVALON

APRIL 8 - Richmond, VA

Modlin Ctr, U. of Richmond - 804-289-8980 / www.modlin.richmond.edu

MAY 18 - Jacksonville, FL

Times Union Center - 904-353-3309 / www.artistseries.fccj.org

May 4 - AILEY AT THE APOLLO! GALA BENEFIT

(212) 405-9031 / www.alvinailey.org

MAY 20-23 - Miami, FL

Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County

305-949-6722/ www.arshtcenter.org

JUNE 10-20 - Brooklyn, NY

BAM Howard Gilman Opera House- 718-636-4100 / www.bam.org

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of more than 1,400 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers. Toyota directly employs over 36,000 people in the U.S. and sold more than 2.2 million vehicles in 2008. For more information about our company, please visit http://www.toyota.com/, http://www.lexus.com/ and http://www.scion.com/.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT), recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American “Cultural Ambassador to the World,” grew from a now fabled March 1958 performance in New York that changed forever the perception of American dance. Today, led by Judith Jamison, now celebrating her 20^th Anniversary as artistic director, AAADT has performed for an estimated 23 million people in 48 states and in 71 countries on 6 continents, including two historic residencies in South Africa, promoting the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance tradition. Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation, Inc. is the umbrella organization which includes Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Ailey II (1974) a second performing company of emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers; The Ailey School (1969), one of the most extensive and respected dance training programs in the world; Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs which brings dance into the classrooms, communities and lives of people of all ages; and The Ailey Extension (2005), a program offering dance and fitness classes to the general public that began with the opening of Ailey’s permanent home – the nation’s largest building dedicated to dance - named The Joan Weill Center for Dance, located at 55^th Street at 9^th Avenue in New York City.