Judith Jamison

Biography

Judith Jamison was born in 1943 to Tessie Brown Jamison and John Jamison Sr. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She began dance training at Judimar School of Dance at six, studying classical ballet and modern dance under Marion Cuyjet. In 1964, she joined American Ballet Theatre, then later became a muse and key dancer for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, leading the company as artistic director from 1989 to 2011 before retiring as emerita.