Matthew Rushing was a dancer with Alvin Ailey for nearly three decades before being named associate artistic director in January.
New Alvin Ailey director Matthew Rushing talks the message of dance beyond the stage RICH LOPEZ | Contributing Writerrichlopezwrites@gmail.com The dance world changed forever when Alvin Ailey — a gay black man in Jim Crow America — created his titular company with a troupe of young dancers (all African-American) in 1958.