from los angeles, i am tavis smiley. tonight a conversation with robert battle and alicia graf mack. together they are real energizing the acclaimed company, building on past triumphs. for a glad you joined us conversation coming up right now. king had that said there is right thing. i try to live my life every day by doing the right thing. we know that we are only halfway and we have work to do. fighting hunger in the u.s. as we work together, we can stamp hunger out.

you. thank you. >> it is a tricky balance honoring the past while making sure the dance theater continues to be influential. that is exactly what they are doing. it is one of the most important events companies out there. -- dems companies out there. they are now on a 21-city tour.

petite mort. little death. ♪ tavis: eileen in during that clip and ask, is it just me, or are you pretty tall? >> i am very tall for a dancer, but i am lucky because they have

a history of call dancers. tavis: i asked does it matter who you put her with for the height? a brother can be intimidated. how do you do that? >> it is all in the cast. luckily we have tall men who are able to handle that and not be hidden behind her. she is a trailblazer. because of her height people did not look to that, so alvin ailey celebrated that. tavis: he had the body of an athlete. >> that is how it started out. i believe in 1949 the great im so itntroduced hammon

started here. take that, new york. this does not surprise me. it does not surprise me that three minutes into the conversation i asked a question, and her name has come up three times. it goes to show the impact she had on the company. just been named director. i am going to ask a leash of this question and have you plugged your years. you get to go first. doing?ou think you're >> i think i am doing good, and jameson things i am doing an excellent job. having a lot of fun. i think audiences and critics have been showing up.

i think it is an example of what we are doing, taking the company into the future while celebrating the past. hasn't been intimidating at any point from the time it was announced until now? >> i would not have said it last year, but i have to say yes. ailey is the legacy, so i knew i would be ok. i centered myself with faith in the people who have gone before, so here i am. a slightly different twist.

inevitable, but growth is optional. talk to me about the change the company has undergone and about the growth under the leadership. >> there has been some change. has his own unique vision about where he would like to see the company. it seems like we are pushing to the future. i think that is most important. chosen some excellent and push me to test my boundaries and see what i am capable of doing. done contemporary. we have done hip-hop. for me it has been incredible.

they pushed me as well. tavis: why do they push you to be so a collective -- a eclectic -- eclectic? that me the notion is anything is possible. we are only limited by our imagination. we have so many people who have exemplified universal -- universality, so i think that exemplified on stage. there is the notion of lead dancers.

you do not have principles. is there a difference? >> it is not applicable. some dancers fit better into other roles. as a modern dance company, we do not use that kind of structure for dancers. the notion is that we all have .n opportunity to do well,

trying to get at the similarities between a dancer and an athlete. you were able to come back to or three times. there is hope. to me about what you had to endure and the love that kept bringing you back. >> i have definitely suffered devastating injuries and the discovery that i have an auto immune disorder, so that can be very difficult. was 21st time i left i years old. i was getting at the peak of my career, and one was injured and not able to come back, i was completely devastated. i was studying and trying to

and i life of myself, realized i am a dancer, and that is what i wanted to do. that is what i have been brought on this earth to do. it is my calling. kinda similar to the story where ailey into the world of dance, she saw me during our rehearsal, and she said, you can do anything later, but let's get the talent you have. never promised. i audition, and that is how my career started. your tourl me about schedule. >> a lot of it stays the same.

it changes in that way. you can speak to that as well. >> i definitely live outside of a suitcase. >> it is wonderful. we touch people's lives when we perform, and it is tangible. our audiences are incredible. to thise look forward every year. they wait in line to come see you guys here. >> we love it.

tavis: talk about the difficult time you have had financing. cut isst thing to get the arts. first you have to fight to get in in the first place. give me some sense of hamas they have been doing in a tight economy. -- of how they have been doing in the tight economy. she was tremendous. she was there for over 20 years. she wanted the administrative side to be as creative and make sure she was

always a step ahead, so we have a tradition of that, and the executive director is carrying it forward. they have a strong board of directors. i have to say that is a part of it, making sure we are thinking ahead of the game. we stay strong in the face of economic turmoil. tavis: what you make of the fact that here is a company with african-american dancers started by an african-american man has made inroads where there are people of all races and creeds to support the work you do? is -- i love this quote.

inn you the gun revelations 90 -- when you look at revelations in 1960's did not just appeal to the black church but to people all over the world who have never met someone who happens to be of color. of theversal language , soer reflects the company' that is the strength of the company and why we are still relevant. >> this other question i want to ask -- my mother would slap me if i asked you. how much money do you make? the love.ack for the love on display for but as one make a living doing this?

talk to me about the living and you make and whether it justifies the sacrifice. are protected by union, so we live a very small life. we have all the benefits most infessionals who have risen their craft have the opportunity wanted, so i have never for anything. i have definitely have enough money to do the things i wanted been ano it has never issue for me, where we have a strong board and such wonderful people who support us and support the company, and i have never had to think about money, to be honest.

idea of whate an you think you want your legacy to be. >> for me it is very simple. given my life such meaning. from the moment i saw a student performance, and look at what happened to me. i know it is about inspiration. me, andany inspired with the inspiration, there is nothing i cannot do. i would hope when it is said and done somebody says the same thing. livehing inspired them to of full lives. -- to live a full life. >> can you speak about the kinds of things pushing the company?

>> i go by what i like. i am already to push, but i also liked the element of surprise. that is the fun but also the thrill of it. within that, to me it is about past, present, and future, and finding work that represents that. but i can dream of ideas, when i have the answers to contribute something unique and thatal about themselves, is the answer for how i am going

to move into the future. as long as i have this to work with, we are going to be fine. just because he likes it does not mean it is going to be good. happens when the artistic director introduces someone. i am sure there is a collaborative process. the director wants to do something does not mean everyone buys into it. ne in your careered where the artistic director gives you something and you are like, this is not working? >> in every job you have to do

something that does not sit comfortably with you or you do my job isbut part of to make it ring true. sure i amob to make enjoying every minute of this horrible work. that is what i am asked to do. my work has been a pleasure. i have not been asked to do anything i do not enjoy. something introduce outside of the box? >> some things i like i do not think would fit nicely into the company's repertoire.

maybe it is something i have to build into a very good so for me it is how to push buttons but not push people into the lobby before the performance end. just what tonowing choose the would sound the alarm and this is something different. i see the way it connects to the past. i see the influence in how they got where they are. i try to choose work that is reflective of the past. the production and always seems serious. it occurs to me someone took the time to sequences just right.

a lot of people spend some time trying to sequence id. -- it. what is the process? >> part of it is the associate director. he does a lot of that. is what ii say, this want to do, but some of it is what you're hearing and seeing where we will start with a large group and work back up to revelations at the end. ofre is a thought process how the entire evening is. tavis: no matter how many pieces you do in a particular is waiting onone

stage, and you feel that. can you feel the energy and the audience? the time people will start clapping. the first moment they hear the first section and, people are already clapping. all you can do is give yourself up to the audience and make sure you give them a good show. whether have asked there is ever a time when you get tired of playing the same song. no matter what you have put now on the sequence, they want to hear this. they want to see this. her feelelations of old to you? revelations is the piece i

wanted to dance to as a kid. a lot of people say they saw that image and wanted to work with alvin ailey at some point. it is more than a dance. it is always new or fresh every time we can be able to perform in. samenot always have the part. sometimes i do the umbrella. sometimes i do the core roles. the energy is different. you : does it matter to whether or not there is a signature piece?

>> it will not. the company is thriving, this is not a sprint. it is a marathon. think i have another take on it. it is not the old. i think that represents a part of our american history, that it is the same song, but we know if we forget the song we will go back to it in a way that it is not good.

in never gets old for me. they come our way at least once a year. one of my dreams as to when they have a stage big enough where i can do an interview with you and the entire company and not dancing. the entire company dancing. i am going to work on that. it was good to see you. thanks for coming. we will see you next time. until then, keep the faith. >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org. tavis: hi, i'm tavis smiley. join me next time for a conversation with harrison ford about his new movie. and that is next time.

we will see you then. >> there is a saying that dr. king had that said there is always the right time to do the right thing. i try to live my life every day by doing the right thing. we know that we are only halfway to completely eliminating hunger and we have work to do. walmart committed $2 billion to fighting hunger in the u.s. as we work together, we can stamp hunger out. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> be more. pbs.