It is the mission of ALYO to maintain a youth-based
performing arts-in-education institution. We offer performance
and training in dance, song, and rhythm of the African Diaspora/world
community. At ALYO, there is a high expectation regarding energy,
enthusiasm and strength of character. ALYO performers and audiences
experience a threefold cultural exchange-mental, physical, and
spiritual--when participating in the drama of African dance theatre.
ALYO Children’s Dance Theatre began in 1984 as
a pilot project in African dance and percussion instruction. Formally
incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 1989, the group
took its name and inspiration from the founder and artistic director
of Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago, the late Alyo Tolbert. Fostered
by the enthusiasm and commitment of the students aged 4-17 and
their families, ALYO has more than tripled its enrollment in the
years since its inception.
ALYO is dedicated to preserving the link between
the traditions and values of African culture and the African-American
experience. ALYO’s curriculum has expanded to include five dance
classes and two percussion classes, as well as the training of
the touring company, students, and apprentices. This integrated
approach to arts-in-education with an Afrocentric perspective
provides direction and a point of focus for the children of ALYO.
Through their industry, the youth of ALYO uplift their minds,
bodies, and spirits while advancing the traditions of African
culture and enriching the multicultural community.
ALYO has received funding from the John D. and
Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Department of Cultural
Affairs’ City Arts Program, and the Illinois Arts Council, a state
agency. ALYO is a member of the African-American Arts Alliance
Chicago Dance Coalition and a participant of Arts Bridge, the
nation’s first business incubator for the arts.
