There are few images more indelible in the history of American dance: Judith Jamison, regal and passionate in white leotard and long ruffled skirt, punching the air in “Cry” — Alvin Ailey’s piercing solo about Black womanhood.

Judith Jamison, a graceful, long-limbed dancer who rose to international stardom in the 1970s, succeeded Alvin Ailey as the leader of his namesake troupe and helped sustain the company as a barrier-breaking force in modern dance,

Judith Jamison, an award winning dancer and former artistic director of the historic Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, has died at 81.