When visiting the "Edges of Ailey" exhibition at The Whitney, don’t just expect paintings on the walls. Prepare to be enveloped in the vibrant world of Alvin Ailey, the groundbreaking dancer, choreographer and activist.

“There have been a lot of exhibitions made in art museums recently about dance and I just kept thinking, ‘Well why not Ailey?'” said senior curator Adrienne Edwards.

She noted that this is the first large-scale exhibition dedicated to Ailey, whom she calls not only an "incredibly important choreographer," but also a "cultural figure.”

The exhibition features more than 80 artists, including renowned names like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Geoffrey Holder, a fellow dancer and choreographer.

Visitors will also find Ailey’s personal notes from his Texas upbringing, along with his teaching guidance. One standout quote reads: “We teach people to feel, to own their own feelings.”

Edwards said that Ailey's materials reveal numerous references to visual arts.

“Though Ailey, because of the way he approached creativity, we end up having in this exhibition, an entire cultural history unfolds,” she said.

The exhibit includes a performance program by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, featuring new commissions and educational workshops. Edwards said her hope is that visitors will gain a deeper understanding of Ailey’s work and legacy.

"I just was on the elevator I went to get coffee and when I came up there a group of women who has obviously come to visit the museum not necessarily this show, and the doors opened and they went wow, that's what we want," said Edwards.

The "Edges of Ailey" exhibition runs through Feb. 9, 2025. For more information and to plan your visit, go to whitney.org.