The work of US dance icon Alvin Ailey (1931-1989) is being celebrated for the first time with a major show at the Whitney Museum in New York. Ailey was a “true icon” and the exhibition is a “fantastic composition,” said curator Adrienne Edwards, of the show that celebrates the life, dances, influences and legacy of the visionary artist and choreographer. Ailey, who founded an ensemble named after him in New York that continues to dance today, is one of the most influential and important dancers and choreographers in the history of modern dance. The multidisciplinary New York show features scul…