Repertoire 

repertoire noun

rep·​er·​toire | \ ˈre-pər-ˌtwär  , ˈre-pə-\

Definition of repertoire:

 a supply of skills, devices, or expedients, a list or supply of capabilities

From the Late Latin noun repertorium, meaning “list,” has given us two words that can be used to speak of the broad range of things that someone or something can do. One is repertory. Repertoire, which comes from repertorium via French, meant the same thing as repertory but later came to refer to the range of skills that a person has under his or her belt. – Webster’s Dictionary

By: DeoVonte “Deo” Means

As I sat in the Auditorium theater and viewed Alvin Ailey’s performance for my tenth season as an ambassador, something was a bit different this time. I was prepared for the special, but this was more profound. Friday evening was Communique C – “Timeless Ailey- Midwest Premiere- This special 60th Anniversary Classics program brings together over a dozen treasures from Alvin Ailey’s wonderfully rich body of work, including highlights of seldom-seen gems like Mary Lou’s Mass and The Lark Ascending, as well as perennial favorites like Memoria, Night Creature, and Cry.”  As my accompaniment and I sat on the edges of our seats and beheld the captivating beauty of classics such as Pas de Duke (1976) and Love Songs (1972), the vision to me was wrote and made clear! True excellence is not merely the ability to produce in the present/future. Immaculate personification is the ability to produce a repertoire of past yet timeless and provocative moments; in which masterful execution of craft is illustrated. In celebration of Ailey’s 60th anniversary, I decided to reflect on the past experiences I’ve had with the company during their visits here in Chicago. I’m honored by the many blissful evenings we’ve spent in intimate settings, enjoying their time here. Yet, I’m more privileged to witness how each time they visit, they bring a sense of unity and pride among both the young and aged upwardly mobile. The inspiration is their message that there is indeed a sense of excellence, culture and class within our community. Perhaps as the Cultural Ambassadors of the World this is indeed their endowment. After all, they’ve danced before kings, queens, presidents, potentates and heads-of-states!  Enjoy…Deo