 At 18 years old, he was introduced by his good friend Carmen De Lavallade to dancer Lester Horton, who later became Ailey’s dance mentor.When Ailey joined Horton’s dance school at the age of 22, he was introduced to a wide range of dance styles.Ailey progressed greatly while studying at the school, and when Horton suddenly died in 1953, Ailey became the new artistic director of the company.