The renowned company, founded by famed American dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey, has been working its own special magic on viewers for the past 48 years.

After Ailey died in 1989, the organization’s reins passed to artistic director Judith Jamison, who since that time has not only expanded the influences of Ailey, but continued to bring measured success to the company. Recently, this beloved ensemble of talented performers graced the stage of the Paramount Theatre for one brief weekend.

The house was packed with people eager to be a part of one of the most unique experiences in the performing arts and expectations ran high.

The program opened with “Love Stories,” a high octane number choreographed by Jamison, in collaboration with hip-hop innovator Rennie Harris and choreographer Michael Battle. Set to several songs by Stevie Wonder, “Love Stories” is based upon the Akan word Sankofa, which when translated means,

“We don’t know where we are going unless we know where we have been.”

The piece is a tribute to Ailey’s legacy and the African-American dance heritage and includes use of several eclectic and exciting dance styles, including Caribbean, West African and urban street moves. It is a colorful celebration of love and community and the performers dance with joyous abandon and athletic grace. The magnetic appeal of this terrific number was felt by the audience, who enthusiastically voiced their approval throughout the number and then roared with praise at its conclusion.

“Love Stories” was followed by two shorter pieces. Choreographed by Ailey and performed to a special recording sung by Jessye Norman, “Witness” leads a female soloist (the gifted Renee Robinson) on a poignant journey that ultimately reaches a joyous peace. “Solo,” by Dutch choreographer Hans van Manen, made an effective counterpoint.

Clifton Brown, Glenn Allen Sims and Matthew Rushing duel in a contest of one-upmanship that spotlights the technical demands of the number and the incredible prowess of these performers. The complexity and feverish pace of Bach’s Violin Suite sends the dancers, jumping, soaring and spinning across the stage like whirling dervishes, as they attempt to keep up with the pace and intensity of the music. The result is a burst of explosive physicality and wit that leaves the audience breathless and exhilarated.

The show closed with “Revelations,” Ailey’s classic masterpiece and most prized signature work. First presented in 1960 as a tribute to Ailey’s boyhood Baptist background, the number continues to have an overwhelming impact on people, many of who have seen it performed multiple times. This aesthetically appealing piece is comprised of a suite of dances, set to traditional black spiritual music that seeks to explore reverence. In one section, men run from their sins against a background of hellfire, while in another, women in their Sunday finery gather together in a hot, airless church to celebrate their religious beliefs.

“Revelations” ends with “Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham,” a rousing finale that has the audience swaying and clapping in unison to this soul-stirring celebration of universal faith. All are sent home with a smile.