Jamison, Judith [key], 1944–, American dancer and choreographer, b. Philadelphia. She studied ballet, tap, jazz, and modern dance, and made her debut with the American Ballet Theatre in 1964. She is best known for her work with Alvin Ailey's company, where she danced from 1965 to 1980. Tall, elegant, and long-limbed, with a leonine grace, she performed in a sensitive yet sinuous style that became emblematic of the company. Among the many parts choreographed for her by Ailey were the solo in Cry (1971) and featured roles in Revelations (1960), The Lark Ascending (1972), and The Mooch (1975). After Ailey's death in 1989, Jamison became (1990–2011) the director of his company. She has choreographed a number of works for the company, including Divining (1984), Forgotten Time (1989), Hymn (1993), Echo: Far from Home (1998), and Double Exposure (2000).
See her autobiography (with H. Kaplan), Dancing Spirit (1993).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Dance: Biographies
