A magical trip to Atlanta’s Fox Theatre changed Christopher Wilson’s life.
He was only 11 as he watched the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performers bring to life an art form that was only a hobby to him at the time.
“I just remember seeing superheroes on stage,” said Wilson, a 2013 John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School graduate, who will return to Atlanta’s Fox Theatre with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Feb. 12-16. “There was one piece called ‘The Golden Section’ by Twyla Tharp. Everyone is in gold – leg warmers, leotards, biker shorts, workout gear. To my 11-year-old brain, they looked like superheroes, jumping and running and lifting and throwing each other around. That image got burned into my brain. I wanted to be a superhero.”
The hobbies of basketball, cello and golf fell by the wayside as dance came into focus. He took ballet at Colton Ballet Company and ballet and modern dance classes at Davidson with a career in dance as his goal.
After Davidson, he attended the Ailey School at Fordham University, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He started with the Ailey company in 2018 and has performed at locations all around the globe.
One of his favorite international trips was to Greece.
Wilson said he has always been fascinated with Greek culture and its mythology. Visiting the places he’d only read about was a memorable experience.
Another favorite place is the one where it all began – Atlanta. Ailey will bring several pieces to the Fox Theatre, and each show will feature different selections.
Credit Photo: ©Paul Kolnik
The tour doesn’t have a title, but Wilson said it could best be described as one that honors the company’s legacy.
Judith Jamison, who danced with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1965 to 1980, was the company’s artistic director from 1989 until 2011 and its artistic director emerita, died in November 2024.
“There is a weight of legacy on this season,” he said. “There’s an emotional weight of having lost Ms. Jamison.”
Each of the choreographers featured have direct ties to the company’s founder, Alvin Ailey.
Wilson said that dancing with company of Ailey’s caliber is an honor filled with responsibility.
“It’s a dream come true. You’ve made it in a way, but there’s a legacy you have to uphold, so there’s the weight and pressure,” he said.
In Atlanta, Wilson will perform in several works including “Revelations,” one of the company’s signature pieces, “Sacred Songs” by Matthew Rushing, “Al-Andalus Blues,” by Jamar Roberts and “Grace” by Ronald K. Brown.
And one special role he’ll perform is as the emcee for the student performances Feb.14. It will truly be a full circle moment speaking to students seated where he once sat.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years and is a Georgia Press Association award winner. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
