• 11 months ago
In May last year, the International Festival opened applications for a paid opportunity for Scotland-based dancers at the start of their career to train with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in the run up to the Festival in August, which culminated in performances with the company at the Festival Theatre.

The successful applicants were filmed during their training and the documentary goes live on our YouTube channel on the 23rd of January, follows the dancers as they prepare for their first professional appearance at the Festival.
Transcript
00:00 The Edinburgh International Festival, over seven decades, we have been at the forefront of presenting
00:05 international artists in front of this great city's audiences.
00:09 We are creating an opportunity for 25 dancers.
00:13 They will be performing side by side with the dancers of the preeminent modern dance company in the world.
00:19 The chance to work with Alvin Ailey Company and be on the same stage is just really phenomenal.
00:23 It is like a perfect pinch me moment, like you do just think like wow, I'm really doing this.
00:27 They will be rehearsing for two weeks, only two weeks to learn the piece.
00:32 Every day I'm sweating buckets, I'm exhausted and like I feel the work.
00:36 I feel like I've improved so much.
00:39 We're learning from such experienced people all the way from New York City.
00:43 They're just on the cusp of stepping out professionally and so you know the world is wide open before them.
00:49 [Music]
00:55 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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