Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in "Revelations". Photo by Christopher Duggan.

Ailey American Dance Theater continues its 10-performance run at the Auditorium Theatre this weekend. Here are 5 reasons you should go see them:

1. Two new programs that include contemporary European works (you may know for local Hubbard Street Dance Chicago‘s rep) Jirí Kylían’s Petite Mort and Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16. Even if you’ve seen these pieces before, watching the tautly muscled Ailey dancers perform them is something entirely new.

2. My non-dancer friend that I took with my to opening night said, “This is the best dance show I’ve seen!”

3. It’s at the Auditorium Theatre. Beautiful and historic, it is the perfect place to see this great American company.

4. The audience. Ailey audiences are the best! There will be whooping, hollering, clapping, yelling and, if my experiences serve me correctly, a standing ovation. I guarantee you will leave the theater feeling joyful.

5. Revelations! Revelations! Revelations! This iconic work created by Alvin Ailey in 1960 still stands the test of time. Set to traditional gospel music, like Wade in the Water and Sinner Man (my favorite!), this piece will have you jumping out of your seat and dancing out of the theater. I dare you to now leave with the high energy finale stuck in your head. I’ve seen this work at least 20 times (yes, I’m that old) and, truth be told, there was a time when I didn’t want to see it again, but now, I would go if it was the only thing on the program. This one dance is worth the price of your ticket.