In the turbulent year of 1968, then Celebrity Series Executive Director Walter Pierce took a chance with a single night engagement of a dynamic, emerging, African-American dance company at Boston’s John Hancock Hall. The success of the Boston debut of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has led to a 50-year relationship between this iconic dance company and the city of Boston. Through decades of brilliant performances and educational outreach, the partnership between Celebrity Series and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has had a deep and lasting impact on the Greater Boston Community. We celebrate this anniversary as a milestone of the performing arts in our city.