Dreamland Welcomes Acclaimed Dance Company Ailey II For First-Ever Island Performance

The Dreamland is hosting Ailey II, an internationally acclaimed second company of the legendary Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

The company will perform on the Dreamland stage this Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. The show is already sold out. The engagement marks the first time Ailey II has ever performed on Nantucket, and it will be the official opening stop of the company's 2026–27 national touring season.

The performance "stands as one of the most significant cultural performances in the Dreamland's history as the island's year-round nonprofit film, performing arts and cultural center," the non-profit stated.

Few names in American dance carry the weight of Alvin Ailey. Ailey's choreography and vision reshaped modern dance and carried the richness of the African American cultural experience to stages around the world, rooted in his conviction that dance belongs to everyone and should always be given back to the people it came from. In 1974, Ailey founded a second company - originally the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble - to build a bridge between rigorous training and the professional stage. That company became Ailey II.

More than 50 years later, Ailey II carries that mission forward as one of the most celebrated companies in American dance, pairing the extraordinary energy of the nation's finest early-career dancers with the bold vision of today's most exciting emerging choreographers — a combination Dance Magazine has called “second to none,” and which The New York Times has described as an experience unlike any other in American dance. Under the direction of Artistic Director Francesca Harper, Ailey II continues to expand the bridge from the classroom to the world stage that Alvin Ailey first envisioned, propelling each new generation of dancers and choreographic voices forward.

“We are deeply honored to host Ailey II at the Dreamland,” said Alicia Carney, executive director of the Nantucket Dreamland. “Bringing a world-class cultural treasure of this caliber to our stage creates a profound connection for our island and regional community. By uniting Ailey's vision of dance for all people with our own nonprofit mission, we look forward to welcoming residents and visitors for an unforgettable evening of movement, passion, and artistic brilliance. To be the very first stop on their national tour is an extraordinary honor for our organization, and everything we strive to bring to this island.”

Beyond the evening performance, Ailey II's Nantucket performance includes an accessibility and education component for island students. On Monday, September 21, the Dreamland will present two master class workshops led by Ailey II company members, offered completely free of charge to students and will be held at The Dance Space.

The residency continues on Tuesday, September 22, at 9:00 a.m., with a special daytime school performance at the Dreamland, coordinated directly with Nantucket's public schools and open to students across the island. This performance gives young people the opportunity to experience a world-class professional dance company live, on their own island, during the school day.

Together, these education initiatives ensure that Ailey II's impact reaches far beyond a single evening performance, extending world-class training and inspiration directly to the next generation of Nantucket's students, and reinforcing the Dreamland's role as a year-round cultural and educational resource for the island.