Today, led by Artistic Director, Judith Jamison, AAADT has gone on to perform for an estimated 23 million people in 48 states and in 71 countries on six continents, including two historic residencies in South Africa. The company has earned a reputation as one of the most acclaimed international ambassadors of American culture, promoting the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance.
1958 Alvin Ailey and a group of young black modern dancers perform for the first time as members of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at New York's 92nd Street YM-YWHA.
1958 - 1960 The Company travels on what Alvin Ailey calls "the station wagon tours" in a vehicle driven by a longtime friend of the Company, Mickey Bord.
1960 AAADT becomes a resident company of the 51st Street YWCA's Clark Center for the Performing Arts–the Company's first official residence.Alvin Ailey choreographs his classic masterpiece Revelations, which brings the Company international acclaim.
1962 AAADT is chosen to go on an extensive tour to the Far East, Southeast Asia and Australia as part of President John F. Kennedy's progressive "President's Special International Program for Cultural Presentations."
1963 AAADT performs in a Chicago program entitled "My People: First Negro Centennial," a collaboration between Duke Ellington and Talley Beatty.Judith Jamison sees Alvin Ailey perform for the first time with the Company in Philadelphia.
AAADT performs at the Rio de Janeiro International Arts Festival.
1965 Judith Jamison dances with AAADT for the first time. She will be one of the most recognized and lauded members of the Ailey Company throughout her 15 year career as a dancer. 
1966 AAADT participates in first Negro Arts Festival in Dakar, Senegal. Alvin Ailey choreographs Antony and Cleopatra for Leontyne Price at Lincoln Center.
1967 AAADT appears in a television dance special directed by Lars Egler called "Riedaglia." The piece features Ailey's choreography set to music by George Reidel. Ailey immediately wins the Grand Prix Italia, a prestigious television production award.AAADT embarks on a 2½ month, 10 country African Tour for the State Department.
1968 Alvin Ailey sets Revelations on Ballet Folklorico for the Opening Ceremonies of the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. This becomes the only performance of Revelations by a company other than AAADT. AAADT receives its first grant from the Rockefeller Foundation.
AAADT performs at the White House for President Johnson.
1969 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater moves to Brooklyn Academy of Music. Alvin Ailey establishes a school.AAADT's first season in Manhattan at the Billy Rose Theater.
1970 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the school relocate to 229 East 59th Street in Manhattan to share a renovated church building with Pearl Lang. AAADT and the Pearl Lang Dance Company share rehearsal space while Alvin Ailey and Pearl Lang co-direct their joint school, the American Dance Center, in the three available studios.AAADT's second State Department - sponsored tour of North Africa and Europe.
APRIL
Affected by a financial crisis common to all dance companies in America, Alvin Ailey issues a statement that the Company may be dissolved because of insufficient funds to keep its dancers employed for "a reasonable amount of time each year."
MAY
Dance Theater Foundation, Inc., a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, is created to help seek sustaining funds for the Company.
AAADT goes on a six-week tour of USSR– the first for an American modern dance company since the days of Isadora Duncan. The Washington Post reports that the Company was kept onstage for 20 minutes of curtain calls after a sold-out opening night performance at Moscow's Variety Theater.
Alvin Ailey choreographs The River for American Ballet Theatre.
Alvin Ailey is awarded the Gold Star at the 1970 International Dance Festival for Best Modern Dance Company and Best Modern Dance Choreographer.
1971 AAADT appears for the first time at New York's City Center. The Company is such a smashing success that it is invited to perform there again three months later.
Alvin Ailey choreographs Cry for Judith Jamison as a birthday present to his mother. Cry becomes an instant hit, bringing even more popularity to Alvin Ailey as a brilliant choreographer and Judith Jamison as an extraordinary dancer.
AAADT participates in the inaugural gala performance of Leonard Bernstein's Mass at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
1972 Alvin Ailey is awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree from Princeton University.
Masazumi Chaya joins AAADT as a dancer.
Judith Jamison receives the distinguished Dance Magazine Award.
Judith Jamison becomes a presidential appointee to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Alvin Ailey choreographs Carmen for the Metropolitan Opera House.
AAADT becomes City Center's first resident modern dance company.
1974
MAY 6
"Memories and Visions," a television special produced by Ellis Haizlip, is broadcast on PBS.
Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble–a professional dance company with a full touring schedule–is created in order to help the most talented students from Alvin Ailey American Dance Center make the leap from studio to stage.
CBS airs "Ailey Celebrates Ellington," Alvin Ailey's dance tribute to the American jazz legend.
1975 Alvin Ailey receives the Dance Magazine Award.
The Company performs at the Duke Ellington Festival at Lincoln Center with the Ellington Orchestra.
The Board of New York Friends of Alvin Ailey is formed.
1976 Alvin Ailey choreographs Pas de Duke for Judith Jamison and Mikhail Baryshnikov and they receive keys to New York City.
The NAACP awards Alvin Ailey the prestigious Springarn Medal.
1977 JANUARY
AAADT performs at the Jimmy Carter inaugural gala at the White House.
APRIL 26
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs at the opening night of Studio 54.
1978 AAADT celebrates its 20th Anniversary.
NOVEMBER 15
AAADT gives a special performance for President Jimmy Carter at the White House.
DECEMBER 31
AAADT gives its fabled "midnight performance" for the Crown Prince of Morocco. Yielding to the Crown Prince's insistence that the Company celebrate the New Year with him, the dancers do not actually perform until 3 a.m., following a full New Year Moroccan feast!
1979 Alvin Ailey receives the Capezio Award for his contributions to dance.
The Company moves into its new home at 1515 Broadway.
Ulysses Dove creates his first ballet entitled Inside for AAADT and Judith Jamison.
2005 Seen by an estimated 21,000,000 fans in 48 states and 68 countries on six continents, AAADT continues to be a trail-blazing leader in concert dance whose "phenomenal popularity is unmatched by any other company in the world" (Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times).
The Ailey organization celebrates the official opening and public dedication of its new home, The Joan Weill Center for Dance, from March 2-5. The ribbon-cutting ceremony features a processional around the building with music performed by Wyclef Gordon and Ella Mitchell; speeches from Artistic Director Judith Jamison, Chairman Joan Weill and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; and a performance by members of AAADT and Ailey II.
In April 2005, the Ailey organization launchs The Ailey Extension, an exciting new dance and fitness program for the general public offering classes in hip-hop, ballroom, West African, Pilates, OM yoga, Capoeira, Horton technique, ballet and more.
On May 8, the legendary dancer Dudley Williams gives his final performance with AAADT after 41 years in the Company. Mr. Williams helped define the artistry of an Ailey dancer and originated leading roles in numerous ballets.
Ailey II celebrates its 30th anniversary season with engagements in more than 40 cities around the country, performing and conducting outreach activities for more than 65,000 people. The Company also presents its New York season at the world-famous Apollo Theater.
The National Black Sports & Entertainment Hall of Fame (NBS&EHF) inducts Alvin Ailey. Judith Jamison accepts the award on behalf of Mr. Ailey and the Ailey organization.
AAADT returns to Russia after an absence of 15 years as the only American company to perform in the Stars of the White Nights Festival. The engagement marks the first time a modern dance company is presented at the legendary Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.
AAADT embarks on its first-ever tour of the United Kingdom. Following a sold-out return engagement to Sadler�s Wells in London, the Company makes stops in Birmingham, Bradford, Nottingham, Newcastle and Salford, England as well as Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland.
Judith Jamison is among three members of the dance community elected to the 225th Class of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The Academy celebrates the achievements of leaders in the fields of scholarship, business, the arts and public affairs.
The Arts & Business Council of New York awards Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Morgan Stanley the Arts and Business Partnership Award. This award recognizes outstanding collaboration and creativity during Morgan Stanley�s National Sponsorship of AAADT's 2004 United States tour.
2006 On February 8th, the Library of Congress announces the donation of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Archives during a ceremony in the Coolidge Auditorium of the Thomas Jefferson Building.
Renee Robinson celebrates her 25th anniversary with the Company, making her the first woman to achieve such a milestone.
On June 21st, Beyond the Steps: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater premieres as a Dance in America special on Thirteen/WNET New York's Great Performances on PBS.
July 3rd, the Company embarks on a three-week run in Paris at the Le Etes de la danse de Paris. It is the Company's first time at the theater. Receiving splendid reviews, the Company's engagement is extended to three additional performances
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