Alicia Graf Mack is the Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and a former principal dancer with the world-renowned company. She returned to AILEY following a successful tenure at The Juilliard School, where she served as Dean and Director of the Dance Division from 2018 to 2025—becoming the first Black person and the youngest individual to hold the position.
Born in San Jose, California, and raised in Columbia, Maryland, Ms. Graf Mack began her professional career with Dance Theatre of Harlem under the direction of Arthur Mitchell. She quickly rose to prominence as a principal ballerina, later performing with Complexions Contemporary Ballet and making guest appearances with Alonzo King LINES Ballet.
A celebrated and versatile artist, she has collaborated with a wide range of luminaries including Beyoncé, John Legend, André 3000, Alicia Keys, and Jon Batiste. Her distinguished performance career includes appearances at major galas and festivals, tributes to icons such as Carmen de Lavallade at the 2017 Kennedy Center Honors, and memorials for Arthur Mitchell at Riverside Church and Jessye Norman at the Metropolitan Opera House.
Ms. Graf Mack holds a BA in History from Columbia University (magna cum laude, with honors) and an MA in Nonprofit Management from Washington University in St. Louis. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from The Juilliard School in 2025 and has received numerous accolades, including Smithsonian Magazine's American Innovator of the Arts and Sciences, Columbia University’s Medal of Excellence, the 2023 Dance Magazine Award, and the 2025 Columbia Black Alumni Heritage Award. She has also delivered keynote addresses at Columbia’s School of General Studies in both 2008 and 2025.
Prior to her roles at AILEY and Juilliard, Ms. Graf Mack was an assistant professor at Webster University and held adjunct teaching positions at the University of Houston and Washington University in St. Louis, MO.
Alicia is the host and co-producer of Moving Moments, a podcast spotlighting conversations with groundbreaking artists in the field of dance. Ms. Graf Mack will debut a children’s book in 2026, fulfilling a long-time dream of becoming a published author.
