User:Aefmra/Evaluate an Article

Which article are you evaluating?
Alvin Ailey

Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?
I chose this article because I am a dance teacher and find the history of ballet and other forms of dance very interesting. I think it is important because within my own formal dance history education Alvin Ailey was not taught to the same degree as white choreographers who lived in the same era, like Balanchine for instance. This is a common theme among dance education and I believe learning the histories and legacies of non-white choreographers should be encouraged. I enjoyed learning more about Alvin Ailey and found the Wiki article quite informative.

Evaluate the article
I am not entirely impressed by this article. Within the lead section there is a mention in the second paragraph that describes Alvin Ailey's style of choreography as blending primitive dance with other techniques. There is no follow-up mention about his primitive influences later on in the article whereas all other influences are explored further. Primitive is a term that specifically describes ancient or prehistoric so without explanation and citation for this supposed influence I would deem this comment irrelevant and perhaps even inaccurate. Furthermore, considering the legacy of the undermining and undervaluing of Black dancers' and choreographers' contributions to the dance world I believe that the use of the word primitive, without further citation, has the potential of being laden with bias and negative stereotypes. I see in the Talk Page that some users have noted he had African Dance influences, if this is the "primitive" influence then those specifics should be cited and the word primitive would be incorrect. The rest of the article has some citation issues as well. In the AAADT section, there is no citation in paragraph 2 when referencing that poor relationship with Ailey's company and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Nor is there direct citation for the 30 curtain calls in Russia in paragraph 3. Overall this article is a good read and offers a great array of sources and opinions, however there is room for improvement.