Kyle Abraham

Kyle Abraham
Kyle Abraham
Born	August 14, 1977 (age 49); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Choreographer, dance artist
Years active	2006–present
Known for	Founder of A.I.M by Kyle Abraham; choreography for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, New York City Ballet, The Royal Ballet

Kyle Abraham (born August 14, 1977) is a distinguished American choreographer and dance artist. In 2006, he established A.I.M by Kyle Abraham (initially known as Abraham.In.Motion) in New York City. His original productions include The Radio Show (2010), Absent Matter (2015), Pavement (2012), Dearest Home (2017), Drive (2017), INDY (2018), Studies on Farewell (2019), and An Untitled Love (2021). Abraham has been commissioned by prominent international dance companies, creating works such as Untitled America (2016) for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, New York City Ballet’s The Runaway (2018), The Bystander (2019) for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Only The Lonely (2019) for Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Ash (2019).

Early life and career

Hailing from Lincoln-Larimer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Abraham began his dance training at the Civic Light Opera Academy and later attended the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from SUNY Purchase and a Master of Fine Arts from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Additionally, he received an honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Washington & Jefferson College. After completing his studies, Abraham performed with several companies including those led by David Dorfman, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, The Kevin Wynn Collective, Nathan Trice/Rituals, Dance Alloy, and Attack Theatre.

A.I.M by Kyle Abraham

Established in 2006, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham focuses on crafting dance pieces deeply influenced by Black culture and history. Abraham’s choreographic approach is rooted in personal narratives, addressing themes related to Black identity, emotional expression, and the convergence of visual art, music, and dance.

A.I.M has toured extensively throughout the United States, performing at prestigious venues such as the Fall for Dance Festival at New York City Center, Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Joyce Theater, The Los Angeles Music Center, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Harlem Stage, among others. Their international engagements include appearances at Théâtre de la Ville, Sadler's Wells, Maison de la Danse, Tanz Im August, Dublin’s Project Arts Center, and The Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum in Japan.

Works for A.I.M by Kyle Abraham

Abraham’s inaugural choreography for A.I.M was Fading into Something Tangible, which debuted in Pittsburgh in 2006. In 2010, he developed The Radio Show, an abstract narrative exploring themes of identity and personal history through the lens of lost communication, blending genres such as classic soul, hip-hop, and contemporary classical music.

Other significant works include A Ramp to Paradise, Op. 1, and Live! The Realest MC, as well as Pavement. Commissioned by THPAC, A Ramp to Paradise depicts the story of Paradise Garage, a black gay underground club prominent in 1970s-80s New York City. Drawing inspiration from photographer Eadweard Muybridge, Op. 1 offers a unique perspective on movement. Live! The Realest MC, supported by venues like The Kitchen and The Kelly Strayhorn Theater, incorporates elements inspired by Walt Disney’s Pinocchio alongside hip hop karaoke. Premiering at Harlem Stage in 2012, Pavement channels influences from the film Boyz n the Hood, featuring an eclectic soundtrack ranging from Bach to Sam Cooke while addressing violence, love, and communal challenges.

During his tenure as Resident Commissioned Artist at New York Live Arts from 2012 to 2014, Abraham created two notable pieces: The Watershed (2014), which included scenic design by Glenn Ligon and a musical score combining contemporary cello with Otis Redding’s work; and When the Wolves Came In (2014), featuring compositions by Max Roach and Robert Glasper.

In 2017, Abraham choreographed Drive for New York City Center’s Fall for Dance Festival; this piece remains a staple in A.I.M’s touring repertoire. The following year saw the creation of the solo piece Show Pony, set to Jlin’s "Hatshepsut," which explores the stresses associated with performance.

Commissioned by The Joyce Theater in 2018, INDY was Abraham’s first full-length solo in nearly ten years. It features original compositions by Jerome Begin alongside visual contributions from Abigail DeVille. In 2019, he introduced another solo work titled Cocoon, merging contemporary dance with hip-hop influences supported by live vocalists.

That same year, Abraham developed Studies On A Farewell, commissioned through The Joyce Theater Foundation’s Artist Residency Center. This poignant ensemble piece involves nine dancers performing to music by Nico Muhly, Sebastian Bartmann, and Beethoven.

Between 2016 and 2021, Abraham held a visiting professorship at UCLA within the World Arts Cultures in Dance program. In 2021, he was appointed to the Claude and Alfred Mann Endowed Professorship at USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. Additionally, he contributes to advisory boards for both Dance Magazine and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago.

In 2021, Abraham premiered the evening-length production An Untitled Love, shaped through residencies at Jacob's Pillow, Pittsburgh’s August Wilson African American Cultural Center, and the University of Akron’s National Center for Choreography. This work draws upon Grammy-winning R&B artist D’Angelo’s repertoire to celebrate themes of self-love and Black cultural identity.

That same year featured his collaboration with EDM artist Jlin on Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth, a reinterpretation of Mozart's Requiem that delves into concepts of death, folklore, and reincarnation.

Commissions Beyond A.I.M by Kyle Abraham

Outside of his own company, Abraham has crafted commissioned pieces for prestigious dance institutions such as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, New York City Ballet, and The Royal Ballet. His work Another Night, created for Alvin Ailey, debuted at New York's City Center in December 2012. Vogue highlighted Abraham’s innovative and politically conscious approach, which merges a variety of stylistic influences. He also contributed choreography for Beyoncé’s 2013 cover shoot with British Vogue and partnered with NYCB principal Wendy Whelan on the duet The Serpent and the Smoke, which premiered at Jacob's Pillow in 2013 and toured in 2016. In 2016, he presented a trilogy titled Untitled America for Alvin Ailey.

Abraham expanded into film choreography with the 2017 movie The Book of Henry. His ballet The Runaway, nominated for a Bessie Award, premiered during NYCB’s 2018 Fall Fashion Gala and was recognized by The New York Times as one of the "Best Dance of 2018."

In 2019, he created Ash for Misty Copeland, Principal at American Ballet Theatre (ABT); choreographed Paul Taylor’s final commissioned piece, Only The Lonely, for his company; and developed The Bystander for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Abraham reunited with Copeland in 2020 for A.I.M’s Virtual Homecoming Gala. That same year, he premiered to be seen, a solo work for ABT Principal Calvin Royal III at the virtual Fall For Dance Festival; collaborated on the commissioned solo Ces noms que nous portons with NYCB principal Taylor Stanley; choreographed the music video for Sufjan Stevens’ "Sugar"; and created Unto The End We Meet for the National Ballet of Cuba. His third commission for NYCB, titled When We Fell, premiered in 2021.

For the 2021–2022 season, The Royal Ballet commissioned Abraham twice: first with Optional Family, a divertissement (May 2021) as part of their 21st Century Choreographers initiative, followed by the full-length ballet The Weathering (March 2022), both receiving strong critical praise.

In 2022, Abraham returned to NYCB to premiere Love Letter (on shuffle), set to music by James Blake, at the Fall Fashion Gala. This work became a regular feature in NYCB’s repertoire throughout 2023 and into 2024. For ABT’s Fall 2024 season, he introduced Mercurial Son, accompanied by music from German electronic composer Grischa Lichtenberger.

Selected works

2006 Inventing Pookie Jenkins – Kyle Abraham
2006 Fading Into Something Tangible – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2007 Another Building Dancing # Quarantine (Short Film) – Danz Isa
2010 The Radio Show – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2010 Op. 1 – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2010 The Corner – Ailey II
2011 Live! The Realest MC – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2011 The Quiet Dance – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2011 Addition Incorporated (Documentary) – Acapella Pictures, Dune Road Films
2012 Pavement – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2012 Another Night – Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
2012 A Ramp to Paradise – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2012 Continuous Relation – Second Avenue Dance Company
2012 Outsider – Kyle Abraham, Liv O'Donoghue, Ryan O'Neill, Philip Connaughton, Rebecca Reilly
2013 The Serpent and the Smoke – Kyle Abraham and Wendy Whelan
2013 Hallowed – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2013 Kollide – BODYTRAFFIC
2013 New Media Collaboration with Carrie Schneider: Blood on the Leaves, Voyeur, Our Love Comes Back, among others
2013 When We Take Flight – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2014 The Watershed – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2014 When the Wolves Came In – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2014 The Gettin' – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2014 Lamentation Variation – Martha Graham Dance Company
2014 Frail – Kyle Abraham
2014 Counterpoint – Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
2015 Absent Matter – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2015 Non sequitur paramour – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2015 Feature Film: The Book of Henry – Naomi Watts, Lee Pace, Jacob Tremblay
2015 Play: Elevada – Yale Repertory Theatre
2016 Untitled America – Ailey American Dance Theater
2016 Documentary: Restless Creature – Wendy Whelan
2016 Candle – TU Dance
2016 Wire and Grey – Karli Scott, Marcella Lewis, Purchase College
2017 Drive, Dearest Home – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
2018 Show Pony, Meditation: A Silent Prayer, and INDY – A.I.M by Kyle Abraham and solo works
2018 The Runaway – New York City Ballet
2018 Chapter Song – L.A. Dance Project
2019 Works including: Ash (performed by Misty Copeland, American Ballet Theatre), Big Rings, and others for A.I.M and various companies
2020 Collaborations with New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, and music video for Sufjan Stevens's "Sugar"
2021 Multiple works for A.I.M, New York City Ballet, Royal Ballet, and National Ballet of Cuba including film project If We Were a Love Song
2022 Untitled One-Act for Royal Ballet and "Are You in Your Feelings?" for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

Critical acclaim

Kyle Abraham’s distinguished career is marked by numerous high-profile accolades that acknowledge his groundbreaking choreography and visionary leadership within dance. In 2009, Dance Magazine listed him among their "25 to Watch," commending his fusion of strength and elegance. His work ‘’The Radio Show’’ earned him a Bessie Award in addition to a Princess Grace Award for Choreography in 2010. OUT Magazine recognized him as one of New York City's foremost creative figures during the Obama administration.

In 2012, he was honored with the Jacob's Pillow Dance Award and a USA Ford Fellowship while serving as Resident Commissioned Artist at New York Live Arts from that year through to 2014. The MacArthur Fellowship followed in 2013, affirming his significant contributions to contemporary dance. Washington & Jefferson College conferred upon him an Honorary Doctorate in 2014, and he was appointed Choreographer in Residence at New York City Center in the subsequent year. Additional distinctions include a Princess Grace Special Project Award (2015), Doris Duke Performing Artist Award (2016), and his hometown Pittsburgh declaring November 10 as Kyle Abraham Day (2017).

In recognition of his achievements in dance, he received the Princess Grace Statue Award in 2018; that same year his ballet ‘’The Runaway,’’ presented at New York City Ballet’s Fall Fashion Gala, was named among The New York Times' Best Dances. His virtual performance at the Fall For Dance Festival in 2020 garnered praise for its seamless integration of ballet with hip-hop and West African movement traditions. That year also marked his role as Dance Magazine’s inaugural Guest Editor. Further acknowledging his cultural impact, he was selected as a founding member of the Black Genius Brain Trust and recognized among the Kennedy Center’s Next Fifty Cultural Leaders in 2022.

Awards and Recognition

2010, New York Dance and Performance "Bessie" Award
2010, Fellowship in Choreography from the Princess Grace Foundation-USA
2012, Fellowship from United States Artists
2012, Dance Award presented by Jacob's Pillow
2012, Creative Residency Artist at the Joyce Theater
2013, Recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship
2013, Awarded by Creative Capital
2014, Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts conferred by Washington & Jefferson College
2015, Appointed Choreographer in Residence at New York City Center
2016, Doris Duke Performing Artist Award recipient
2017, November 10 officially designated "Kyle Abraham Day" in Pittsburgh, Abraham's hometown
2017–2018, Served as Creative Residency Artist at the Joyce Theater
2018, Received the Princess Grace Statue Award
2020, Honored with the White Bird Barney Commissioning Prize

External links