NORWICH – Ailey II, the company universally renowned for merging the spirit and energy of the country’s best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s emerging choreographers, will perform at 7 p.m. on Jan. 31 in Norwich at the Martin W. Kappel Theater at the Chenango County Council of the Arts. Considered among the most talented of their generation, these young dancers always captivate audiences with their technique, grace and beauty. Due to growing popularity, this year’s tour to over 45 cities will take the company throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Virgin Islands.

“The future of American dance is safe in the hands of today’s young dancers,” said The New York Times after Ailey II’s participation in the 1.2.3 Festival at New York’s Joyce Theater this past May.

Under the artistic direction of Sylvia Waters’s since 1974, Ailey II’s repertory includes a diverse array of ballets by today’s up-and-coming choreographers, dance veterans and Alvin Ailey’s timeless classics, including his masterpiece Revelations. This season will see the addition of world premieres by Jessica Lang, Abdel Salaam and Darrell Grand Moultrie, who previously treated Ailey II audiences to his jazzy Aspects of a Vibe in 2001. The company also welcomes seven new dancers this season, all of whom have trained extensively at the prestigious Ailey School in New York.