The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is one of the most popular and phenomenal dance companies on the global touring circuit. They’ve earned quite a reputation as international ambassadors of American culture performing in 71 countries on six continents, including two historic residencies in South Africa. Among the members of the vibrant troupe is a lovely couple, soul mates, who have been best friends for more than a decade. Glenn and Linda Sims share their love story and reveal their favorite dances on the current tour.
Share with us what you were thinking when you first met Linda.
Glenn: I first laid eyes on her in June 1997, when I joined the Ailey Company. It was my first day of rehearsals. Watching her, I thought she was an amazing dancer and a beautiful young lady. Her dancing was powerful, passionate and dynamic. Those big brown eyes and those legs … very powerful calves on a such a small frame.
How did you connect and become an item?
Linda: We connected right away; we had mutual friends. We have always been really good friends. He became someone that I trusted and cared about. He is my best friend … being on the road with him now is the same as it was in 1997. We were married on January 5, 2001. We just celebrated nine years.
Tell us about the proposal.
Glenn: On Christmas Eve in 2000, I bought two dozen roses. When she woke up on Christmas morning, there was a trail of rose petals that led to the bathroom filled with champagne and strawberry-scented candles and a bubble bath waiting for her. I read poetry to her. I selected a single rose from the bunch, the one that had the perfect bud, and I placed the ring in it. Later that evening, we had dinner at Windows on the World at the World Trade Center.
Why did you say yes? Linda: He’s a romantic. We knew we wanted to live the rest of our lives together and needed to be spiritually connected. 
One last question, what is you favorite ballet from the Ailey repertoire that you are performing on the tour?
Glenn: ‘Uptown,’ it is a brand-new piece choreographed by one of my colleagues, Matthew Rushing. His research of the Harlem Renaissance led to my discovery of so many people I had never heard of.
Linda: ‘Revelations,’ I like a lot of Alvin’s [Ailey] works. I love doing it. It is a spiritual connection. It is one of those that we do all of the time, but you can never get sick of it because it is so deep. It takes your mind and your body to a different place. It touches people and it touches us.
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will perform at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre Feb.18–21, 2010. The 20-city North American tour is celebrating Judith Jamison’s 20th anniversary as artistic director. –yvette caslin
Visit FoxTheatre.org for show times.
(photo caption: (top) AAADT troupe in scene from “Hymn”; (bottom) Linda and Glenn Sims in scene from “Revelations,” photo by Andrew Eccles)
