Judith Ann Jamison was known as one of the most influential African American dance figures of the late 20th century. She began her dance career at the age of ten and served as the Artistic Director at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1989 to 2011. Her efforts in the dance industry also opened the doors to many young aspiring women and African Americans.
Jamison was born May 10, 1943, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she attended Germantown High School. At the age of 21, she was discovered by noted choreographer Agnes de Mille in 1964 and recruited to the American Ballet Theatre in New York. Her American Ballet debut was “The Four Marys” later that year. Jamison then became a member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Ailey’s protégé, where she held leading roles in many of his productions. Jameson danced for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater until 1979.
In 1988, Jameson started her own company, The Jamison Project, which appeared on PBS. Through this project, she produced Judith Jamison: The Dancemaker, which aired nationally the same year.
After Alvin Ailey died in 1989, Jamison became the artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Under her direction and choreography, the company produced significant works such as Echo, Far from Home, and Sweet Release. During Jamison’s time as artistic director, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater produced 38 world premieres, 32 new productions, 20 company premieres, and choreographed 10 World Premieres. Jamison was also critical in establishing the company’s permanent home in 2004 with the construction of the 77,000-square-foot Joan Weill Center for Dance in New York City.
Throughout her career, Jamison received many accolades. In 1999, she received the Kennedy Center Honor, which recognized her lifetime contributions to American culture. In 2001, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts, which is the highest award given to an artist in the United States. Her other accolades include the Algur H Meadows Award from Southern Methodist University and The Making a Difference Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) ACT-SO.
In 2009, Jamison was named to the Time 100: The World’s Most Influential People and received the highest rank in The Order of Arts and Letters, a group recognized for contributing to the arts in France and the rest of the world. In 2010, she was honored by First Lady Michelle Obama with the first White House Dance Series: A Tribute to Judith Jamison.
In 1993, Jamison finished her autobiography entitled Dancing Spirit, which was edited by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and published by Doubleday.
The Women’s Choreography Initiative was established by Jamison in 1997 as part of her efforts to support and highlight female choreographers in the dance industry. In 1998, Jamison helped to establish the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program, a four-year joint program offering professional dance training at The Ailey School. She also introduced a multicultural curriculum to The Ailey School, which includes instruction of West African and South Indian dances. Her efforts remained crucial in furthering the arts in the United States. Jamison retired from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 2011.
After a brief illness, Judith Jamison passed away on November 9, 2024, in New York. She was 81 years old.
