The Alvin Ailey Dance Theater will return to the Fox Theatre from Feb. 11-15, bringing premieres and classics alike.
The return marks the inaugural season from Artistic Director Alicia Graf Mack, who took over the position on July 1, 2025. Caroline Dartey is one of the dancers who will be performing with the company in Atlanta.
Born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland, Dartey was a rhythmic gymnastics champion before she moved onto dancing around the age of 14. She then began dancing at the Conservatoire Populaire de Musique, Danse et Théâtre of Geneva.
Towards the end of high school, Dartey knew she wanted to leave Geneva, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to continue on in dance or do something else. Her teacher in Geneva introduced her to The Ailey School in New York City.
“I think what the school was offering and how big of an organization it is caught my eye,” Dartey said. “And how diverse it is, also, in many aspects. I think that’s maybe something I was looking for at home in Switzerland that I couldn’t find at that time there.”
Dartey trained at The Ailey School and was a member of the Ailey II dance company from 2018-2020, touring through the U.S. and Europe.
“My first tour was just the best thing,” Dartey said. “Exploring the world – that’s really what I wanted, at that point.”
During the pandemic, Dartey went back home to Switzerland. Then, at the end of 2021, she got a call asking if she wanted to join back up with Alvin Ailey. The answer was a no-brainer, and Dartey is now in her fifth season with the company.
This Alvin Ailey run in Atlanta will include the world premieres of “Embrace” by Fredrick Earl Mosley and “Song of the Anchorite” by Jamar Roberts. “Blink of an Eye” by Medhi Walerski will have its company premiere, and there will be a new production of Judith Jamison’s “A Case of You.” Alvin Ailey’s calling card, “Revelations,” will end the show.
Dartey had a hard time nailing down a favorite moment in the show, but she said she loves performing “Blink of an Eye.”
“The dancers are kind of playing with each other’s dynamics, and also with the dynamics of the music – which is fast violin, and then it goes into slow, and then very fast violin again,” Dartey said. “I just love to play with that, trying to make it different every time I perform it, just to keep it exciting.”
She also loves “A Case of You,” which is an intimate duet. And, of course, she loves “Revelations.”
“I mean, ‘Revelations,’ duh,” she said, laughing. “The best closer.”
Tickets for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Fox are on sale at the Fox’s website.