Adji Ngathe kebeYesterday a friend of mine told me everyday can be a new year. I didn’t have to wait until the new year for a fresh start. It left me with much to think about. There’s something profound about a day dedicated to fresh starts. It’s as if one’s pessimism has been removed from the eye like a cataract. A day in which for just a moment we are suspended in all the possibilities the future brings. I love new years. I love to celebrate it. Every year, I used to bring in the new year with a party. I love to dance and I thought if I brought in the new year this way, then I’m setting up the rest of my year to be joyous. I had seen advertisements for Alvin Ailey and thought it would be a great way to bring in the new year. I wanted something cozy, intimate, and surrounded by good company. I planned on partying afterwards, but I genuinely didn’t have the energy. The show was amazing and it had to me thinking of possible creative projects.
The show was held at New York City Center. I missed the first 20 minutes because the D train was delayed. The rest of the show made up my disappointment. I was mesmerized, dazzled, and delighted. The dancers were so beautiful and gifted. Their bodies were sculpted like clay. You can see every muscle as they danced. It made me have a greater understanding of the strength it took for them to leap and glide on that stage in arabesques and soutenus. There were tender moments in which they held each other mid air or spun each other across the stage. My attention was held captive and my imagination suspended to the moment at hand. The audience looked like Harlem or Brooklyn in the summer. Black people glistening like treasured jewels. It was my first Alvin Ailey show, but definitely not my last. It was a wonderful way to usher in the new year and I’m grateful. 2025 is going to be one of the best years ahead. There’s too much to look forward to. Happy New Year!
