The Alvin Ailey website describes Revelations as a work that “explores the places of deepest grief and holiest joy in the soul.” Memories of Ailey’s southern roots in Texas greatly inform the work’s themes, movements, and sound. Ailey’s singular recollections of black spiritual life intersects with musical expressions that testify to despair, redemption, and joy heard in the “African American spirituals, song-sermons, gospel songs and holy blues.”
Judith Jameson, the featured dancer in Revelations for 15 years, conveys the triumph of the work when she asserts that “it set a tone for what is human in all of us, no matter where you come from.”
In Reverie Blog 
I saw this work years ago and it was amazing. The lines, the color, the music, the dance, so beautiful, so brilliant.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Revelations certainly leaves an impression. My son is four now and I’m looking forward to the day when he’ll be able to appreciate the performance. Ailey just left Atlanta and we thought our son to young to sit for the performance. We took him to the circus around the time Ailey was here and he was more impressed with the toys they were hawking than the show…but maybe appreciation doesn’t just happen with age, we might need to teach him that skill. I tried to get him engaged during the circus and when I did, it mattered. Who knows, we might be able to take Miles to see Ailey sooner than I thought 🙂
Yes, just keep exposing him. I’ve been taking my now 8 year old to the theater since he was two. I started taking him to international children’s theater and he has worked his way to more sophisticated experiences. We saw the Dance Theatre of Harlem last year. Sometimes you have to sit near the aisle to leave if you have to. And sometimes they surprise you: http://wp.me/pNODY-I5. I have enjoyed watching him grow up participating in art.
Miles is a lucky boy to have you exposing him to everything from the thought of Ailey to the bright and colorful circus. It really is all art isn’t it. And let’s not underestimate how play, the draw of the toys from vendors draw him in to the magic, the festive spirit all around him. Just exposing him is enough. He will grow into what he loves and before you know it, he will be weaving in and out of arts and cultural experiences with you and one day on his own. 🙂
Seeing Mason on the edge of his seat like that is inspiring! I will definitely follow your example. Thank you for your kind words…and your suggestion that we sit near the aisle 🙂
My pleasure. I love sharing what I’ve learned as a parent about how to expose our children to the arts. I know that Miles can look forward to having more arts experiences as he grows. I hope you too share what you learn. Take care!