Question

When Alvin Ailey began dancing professionally, modern dance was not very popular and Ailey was among very few African American dancers. His dedication to the art increased its popularity around the world. Additionally, Ailey's hard work opened doors and created opportunities for dancers of all races.

2 Ailey was born in rural Texas on January 5, 1931. An only child, he was raised by his mother, who worked hard to give him every opportunity she could. When he was 12, he and his mother moved to Los Angeles. He did well in school and participated in sports, but it was a junior high field trip to the ballet that inspired Ailey to dance.

3 Ailey began to study and perform under Lester Horton, who had one of the first dance schools in the United States that welcomed students of all races. When Horton suddenly died a year later, Ailey was chosen to become director of the dance company. In addition to directing shows, he began creating original choreography. Some of Ailey's early choreographed works received poor reviews, leading to the breakup of the dance troupe. In spite of this disappointing setback, Ailey knew he would continue to pursue his career as a dancer and choreographer.In 1954, he danced for the first time on Broadway. Living in New York and following his dream, Ailey studied and danced in shows on and off Broadway. He decided to form his own dance company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. His small group of African American dancers was soon performing for audiences.

5 As director, he choreographed many pieces. One of his most famous was Revelations. Set to gospel and blues music, this dance tells the story of African Americans in the South. Ailey explained that he drew on his childhood experiences in Texas, attending Saturday night dances and services at the local African American church, to create this piece. Today, this dance remains the company’s most popular performance and has been seen by more than 23 million people in 71 different countries.

6 Ailey’s dance company began touring internationally and became extremely popular. Although he stopped dancing in the 1960s, Ailey continued to put his energy into choreography. He created 79 ballets and was often recognized with awards and honors. Most famously, his work earned him the United Nations Peace Medal and a Kennedy Center Honor for his lifetime contributions to the arts.Ailey died in 1989 at the age of 58. Although his life was short, he made great strides for modern dance and African American dancers in the United States. His legacy lives on in his dance company and many of his dances, which are still performed around the world.Which sentence from Passage 1 best describes Ailey’s dedication to his work?
A. "When Horton suddenly died a year later, Ailey was chosen to become director of the dance company." (paragraph 3)
B. "In spite of this disappointing setback, Ailey knew he would continue to pursue his career as a dancer and choreographer." (paragraph 3)
C. "In 1954, he danced for the first time on Broadway." (paragraph 4)
D. "Today, this dance remains the company's most popular performance and has been seen by more than 23 million people in 71 different countries." (paragraph 5)

Answer 1

B. "In spite of this disappointing setback, Ailey knew he would continue to pursue his career as a dancer and choreographer." This sentence directly shows his persistence and commitment to his work.