Open to Interpretation: Allegory and Code-meshing in Ellington and Ailey’s Ballet the River with Kimberly Hannon Teal

This presentation examines the 1970 ballet The River by Duke Ellington and Alvin Ailey in the context of Vershawn Ashanti Young's concept of code-meshing. Both music and choreography blend elements of European-derived classical style with African American elements and an open-ended allegorical narrative to make a broadly accessible work.