DANCER
Alvin Ailey
1931 - 1989

Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey Jr. (January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989) was an American dancer, director, choreographer, and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). He created AAADT and its affiliated Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (later Ailey School) as havens for nurturing Black artists and expressing the universality of the African-American experience through dance. Ailey's work fused theater, modern dance, ballet, and jazz with Black vernacular, creating hope-fueled choreography that is credited with spreading global awareness of Black life in America. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Alvin Ailey is the 73rd most popular dancer (down from 58th in 2019), the 6,638th most popular biography from United States (down from 4,450th in 2019) and the 9th most popular American Dancer.
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Among DANCERS
Among dancers, Alvin Ailey ranks 73 out of 116. Before him are Tamara Khanum, Vladimir Vasiliev, Lydia Lopokova, Maria Tallchief, Vera Karalli, and Marie Rambert. After him are Sylvie Guillem, Alicia Markova, Olga Spessivtseva, Kenneth MacMillan, Birgit Cullberg, and Frankie Manning.
Most Popular Dancers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsTamara Khanum
1906 - 1991
HPI: 57.62
Rank: 67
Vladimir Vasiliev
1940 - Present
HPI: 57.47
Rank: 68
Lydia Lopokova
1892 - 1981
HPI: 57.22
Rank: 69
Maria Tallchief
1925 - 2013
HPI: 57.21
Rank: 70
Vera Karalli
1889 - 1972
HPI: 57.01
Rank: 71
Marie Rambert
1888 - 1982
HPI: 56.93
Rank: 72
Alvin Ailey
1931 - 1989
HPI: 56.90
Rank: 73
Sylvie Guillem
1965 - Present
HPI: 56.83
Rank: 74
Alicia Markova
1910 - 2004
HPI: 56.34
Rank: 75
Olga Spessivtseva
1895 - 1991
HPI: 56.07
Rank: 76
Kenneth MacMillan
1929 - 1992
HPI: 55.96
Rank: 77
Birgit Cullberg
1908 - 1999
HPI: 55.64
Rank: 78
Frankie Manning
1914 - 2009
HPI: 55.09
Rank: 79
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1931, Alvin Ailey ranks 344. Before him are George Maxwell Richards, Arne Selmosson, Ichirō Nagai, Alfred Swift, Mady Mesplé, and Ivan Toplak. After him are Yuriy Voynov, Cemal Süreya, František Šafránek, Marino Morettini, Kenny Burrell, and Yoshiko Kuga. Among people deceased in 1989, Alvin Ailey ranks 195. Before him are José Augusto Brandão, René Petit, Robert Körner, Richard Quine, George C. Homans, and Antonio Janigro. After him are Chico Landi, Yasushi Akutagawa, Luiz Luz, Ronald Syme, Edgar Sanabria, and Helga Haase.
Others Born in 1931
Go to all RankingsGeorge Maxwell Richards
POLITICIAN
1931 - 2018
HPI: 57.11
Rank: 338
Arne Selmosson
SOCCER PLAYER
1931 - 2002
HPI: 57.07
Rank: 339
Ichirō Nagai
ACTOR
1931 - 2014
HPI: 57.07
Rank: 340
Alfred Swift
CYCLIST
1931 - 2009
HPI: 56.98
Rank: 341
Mady Mesplé
SINGER
1931 - 2020
HPI: 56.94
Rank: 342
Ivan Toplak
SOCCER PLAYER
1931 - 2021
HPI: 56.90
Rank: 343
Alvin Ailey
DANCER
1931 - 1989
HPI: 56.90
Rank: 344
Yuriy Voynov
SOCCER PLAYER
1931 - 2003
HPI: 56.88
Rank: 345
Cemal Süreya
WRITER
1931 - 1990
HPI: 56.87
Rank: 346
František Šafránek
SOCCER PLAYER
1931 - 1987
HPI: 56.81
Rank: 347
Marino Morettini
CYCLIST
1931 - 1990
HPI: 56.81
Rank: 348
Kenny Burrell
MUSICIAN
1931 - Present
HPI: 56.79
Rank: 349
Yoshiko Kuga
ACTOR
1931 - 2024
HPI: 56.78
Rank: 350
Others Deceased in 1989
Go to all RankingsJosé Augusto Brandão
SOCCER PLAYER
1911 - 1989
HPI: 57.15
Rank: 189
René Petit
SOCCER PLAYER
1899 - 1989
HPI: 57.14
Rank: 190
Robert Körner
SOCCER PLAYER
1924 - 1989
HPI: 57.08
Rank: 191
Richard Quine
ACTOR
1920 - 1989
HPI: 57.04
Rank: 192
George C. Homans
SOCIOLOGIST
1910 - 1989
HPI: 56.99
Rank: 193
Antonio Janigro
MUSICIAN
1918 - 1989
HPI: 56.95
Rank: 194
Alvin Ailey
DANCER
1931 - 1989
HPI: 56.90
Rank: 195
Chico Landi
RACING DRIVER
1907 - 1989
HPI: 56.85
Rank: 196
Yasushi Akutagawa
COMPOSER
1925 - 1989
HPI: 56.85
Rank: 197
Luiz Luz
SOCCER PLAYER
1909 - 1989
HPI: 56.81
Rank: 198
Ronald Syme
HISTORIAN
1903 - 1989
HPI: 56.75
Rank: 199
Edgar Sanabria
POLITICIAN
1911 - 1989
HPI: 56.75
Rank: 200
Helga Haase
SKATER
1934 - 1989
HPI: 56.56
Rank: 201
In United States
Among people born in United States, Alvin Ailey ranks 6,639 out of 20,380. Before him are Jeff Corey (1914), Mary Ellen Trainor (1952), Stephen Schneider (1945), Charles Bacon (1885), Arnie Robinson (1948), and Lloyd Alexander (1924). After him are Nancy Kovack (1935), Clarence Clark (1859), Dr. John (1941), Gates McFadden (1949), Johnny Tillotson (1938), and Frankie Laine (1913).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsJeff Corey
ACTOR
1914 - 2002
HPI: 56.91
Rank: 6,633
Mary Ellen Trainor
ACTOR
1952 - 2015
HPI: 56.91
Rank: 6,634
Stephen Schneider
BIOLOGIST
1945 - 2010
HPI: 56.91
Rank: 6,635
Charles Bacon
ATHLETE
1885 - 1968
HPI: 56.91
Rank: 6,636
Arnie Robinson
ATHLETE
1948 - 2020
HPI: 56.91
Rank: 6,637
Lloyd Alexander
WRITER
1924 - 2007
HPI: 56.90
Rank: 6,638
Alvin Ailey
DANCER
1931 - 1989
HPI: 56.90
Rank: 6,639
Nancy Kovack
ACTOR
1935 - Present
HPI: 56.90
Rank: 6,640
Clarence Clark
TENNIS PLAYER
1859 - 1937
HPI: 56.90
Rank: 6,641
Dr. John
SINGER
1941 - 2019
HPI: 56.89
Rank: 6,642
Gates McFadden
ACTOR
1949 - Present
HPI: 56.89
Rank: 6,643
Johnny Tillotson
SINGER
1938 - 2025
HPI: 56.89
Rank: 6,644
Frankie Laine
MUSICIAN
1913 - 2007
HPI: 56.89
Rank: 6,645
Among DANCERS In United States
Among dancers born in United States, Alvin Ailey ranks 9. Before him are Martha Graham (1894), Merce Cunningham (1919), William Forsythe (1949), John Neumeier (1939), Adam Darius (1930), and Maria Tallchief (1925). After him are Frankie Manning (1914), Katherine Dunham (1909), Yvonne Rainer (1934), Doris Humphrey (1895), Twyla Tharp (1941), and Rachel Brice (1972).
Martha Graham
1894 - 1991
HPI: 68.48
Rank: 3
Merce Cunningham
1919 - 2009
HPI: 62.15
Rank: 4
William Forsythe
1949 - Present
HPI: 60.06
Rank: 5
John Neumeier
1939 - Present
HPI: 59.83
Rank: 6
Adam Darius
1930 - 2017
HPI: 58.05
Rank: 7
Maria Tallchief
1925 - 2013
HPI: 57.21
Rank: 8
Alvin Ailey
1931 - 1989
HPI: 56.90
Rank: 9
Frankie Manning
1914 - 2009
HPI: 55.09
Rank: 10
Katherine Dunham
1909 - 2006
HPI: 54.51
Rank: 11
Yvonne Rainer
1934 - Present
HPI: 54.49
Rank: 12
Doris Humphrey
1895 - 1958
HPI: 54.36
Rank: 13
Twyla Tharp
1941 - Present
HPI: 50.27
Rank: 14
Rachel Brice
1972 - Present
HPI: 50.02
Rank: 15