High-voltage electricity was felt throughout the White House East Room Tuesday evening as dancers sashayed through a cosmos of movements, each more brilliant than the next, competing against each other in a contest of supremacy -- ballet, contemporary, hip-hop -- and all in celebration of American dance.
First Lady Michelle Obama hosted her first series of dance performances as part of an event honoring Alvin Ailey's iconic artistic director, Judith Jameson (pictured left), who will be stepping down after a solid 20-year run.
Not only did the legendary Alvin Ailey dancers perform, but also on hand were members of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, the Washington Ballet, the New York City Ballet and Super Cr3w from MTV's 'America's Best Dance Crew,' who all showered Jamison with heartfelt emotion.
The first lady was accompanied by her daughters and mother. Obama was observed clapping after each performance but literally leaped to her feet after Broadway's Dayton Tavares (top right) strutted his stuff on stage as one of the high-flying Billy Elliots.
The tearjerker portion of the evening was when the Alvin Ailey troupe gave a riveting modern-dance interpretation of a signature piece called 'Revelations,' which was a tribute to Jamison, the company's 67-year-old leader.
After all was said and done, Obama called Jamison "an amazing, phenomenal, fly woman." According to the Associated Press, she went on to say, "Let me tell you, your picture in 'Cry' was the only piece of art in our house."
'Cry,' is a grand and poignant 15-minute solo that made Jamison famous in her dancing years, and an excerpt of it was performed by company member Linda Celeste Sims (pictured in white dress).
Last weekend, Jamison spoke to the AP about being honored at the White House by the Obamas:
"What a rare opportunity, to be invited by your country's first lady to be honored like this," Jamison said. "This event is totally unique. It's so terribly important to recognize this art form and to understand how important it is to the fabric of this country. This will be another clarion call to people: Pay attention to your arts!" said the grand dame of dance.
02-Sep-10 - Hip-hop zillionaire 50 Cent, who is no stranger to drug arrest, offered fellow rapper T.I. and his wife, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, some advice on how to best deal with the recent felony charge that they're facing for possession of a controlled substance.
02-Sep-10 - Hip-hop zillionaire 50 Cent, who is no stranger to drug arrest, offered fellow rapper T.I. and his wife, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, some advice on how to best deal with the recent felony charge that they're facing for possession of a controlled substance.
02-Sep-10 - Iconic rapper T.I., 29, and his new bride, Tameka Cottle, 35, a TV reality star, were arrested Wednesday night in West Hollywood and booked on felony possession of a controlled substance charge.
31-Aug-10 - The eldest of John McCain's four children, Meghan has now publicly revealed her feelings about Sarah Palin in her new book, 'Dirty Sexy Politics.'
27-Aug-10 - Alveda King's decision to join forces with Fox News host Glenn Beck during his bogus March on Washington is likely one of the most shocking and extraordinary political events in recent months.
25-Aug-10 - According to TMZ, superstar producer Timbaland, whose real name is Timothy Zachery Mosley, was the subject of a manhunt on Tuesday, after his family believed he was in danger of pulling a Fantasia and committing suicide.
24-Aug-10 - Aid workers in the Congo reported that 200 women and baby boys were gang raped over a four-day period not far from a United Nation's peacekeepers base near a mining district.
23-Aug-10 - Brenda Chaney, a nursing assistant, was not allowed to help the woman up, primarily because she'd left instructions stating that only white aid workers should be able to work with her.
23-Aug-10 - The Associated Press is reporting that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is considering hiring translators to help agents understand the language of drug dealers.
Not interested. I told you the only time you see black people at the white house is if they are entertaining people: singing, dancing, playing musical instruments. Where are we represented where it really matters? Where the real power lays? This has been the case since the obamas moved into the white house. screw them.
Rastafanta I understand what your saying but also we are overdue a party at the whitehouse, we are 500 years to late for that party, remember are slave ancestors help build the place, not to worry i know that man has run from us and he is disengeous most mixed race people 9/10 will be more for the white man than for the black man, we already know he is know MLK we just have to live with it.
Spin as you wish. The Obamas worked before the White House and continue to do so. More importantly, they do nothing different than the past whites who lived there. In fact they do alot less differently and better. I recall Laura Bush purchasing 25 Xmas trees and having a dining room renovated and decorated for "The Queen Mum.". As for you go back under your rock and do not EVER return.
I dont get how people want to bash the obamas i mean its silly when we voted for the man he said the road would be tough and rough and here you are bashing him that has never happened in the white house if they didnt do it it would have never been done why not be grateful for what hes trying to do and going the cause in stead of hating thats one thing i reconzed about blacks we tend to hate and talk bad about our people but white they seem to stick together no matter what thats why they get ahaed and we are always left behind until we decide as a people to stop downing eachother and lifting each other up we will always be in the same place we are
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After all was said and done, Obama called Jamison "an amazing, phenomenal, fly woman." According to the Associated Press, she went on to say, "Let me tell you, your picture in 'Cry' was the only piece of art in our house." 
Comments: (16)
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By: Sarahbar@gmail.com on 9/08/2010 2:19PM
Beautiful photographs!
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By: rasfanta on 9/08/2010 2:35PM
Not interested. I told you the only time you see black people at the white house is if they are entertaining people: singing, dancing, playing musical instruments. Where are we represented where it really matters? Where the real power lays? This has been the case since the obamas moved into the white house. screw them.
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By: gmb on 9/08/2010 2:58PM
Oh please spare us!
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By: Garlene on 9/08/2010 9:04PM
LOL!!! smh Another crab in a barrel.
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By: rightorwrong on 9/09/2010 6:47AM
Rastafanta I understand what your saying but also we are overdue a party at the whitehouse, we are 500 years to late for that party, remember are slave ancestors help build the place, not to worry i know that man has run from us and he is disengeous most mixed race people 9/10 will be more for the white man than for the black man, we already know he is know MLK we just have to live with it.
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By: dmazz on 9/09/2010 9:08AM
@rightorwrong nonsense victim mentality BS.
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By: Little Dickie Dydoe on 9/08/2010 4:25PM
How much did this party cost taxpayers? Oh that's right, they're the Obamas and money is no object as long as it's not their money.
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By: LDD on 9/09/2010 12:43AM
Hopefully they took it out of your welfare check.
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By: rasil on 9/09/2010 7:07AM
Spin as you wish. The Obamas worked before the White House and continue to do so. More importantly, they do nothing different than the past whites who lived there. In fact they do alot less differently and better. I recall Laura Bush purchasing 25 Xmas trees and having a dining room renovated and decorated for "The Queen Mum.". As for you go back under your rock and do not EVER return.
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By: k2thaz on 9/13/2010 1:46PM
I dont get how people want to bash the obamas i mean its silly when we voted for the man he said the road would be tough and rough and here you are bashing him that has never happened in the white house if they didnt do it it would have never been done why not be grateful for what hes trying to do and going the cause in stead of hating thats one thing i reconzed about blacks we tend to hate and talk bad about our people but white they seem to stick together no matter what thats why they get ahaed and we are always left behind until we decide as a people to stop downing eachother and lifting each other up we will always be in the same place we are
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