Also this issue:

There's No Place Like Home
After two years in New Hope, a Tin Man finds the heart of the gallery scene in Philly.
-Juliet Fletcher

Ashes to Ashes
-Susan Hagen

Artsbeat
-Debra Auspitz

The Magic Fire
-Steve Cohen

The Golden Dreydl
-Mary Armstrong

Here's to the Ladies
-David Anthony Fox

Full Speed Ahead
-Toby Zinman

Good Boy Network
-David Anthony Fox

November 27-December 3, 2002

dance

Hometown Phavorites

by Deni Kasrel

It's been nearly a year since Philadanco moved to its new stage at the Perelman Theater, and if there was any question whether a) old fans would follow the troupe to Center City, or b) the high-brow Kimmel crowd would give the group a go, the answer is yes on both counts. Faithful fans were clearly in attendance last Friday at the Perelman -- they shouted props to ’danco members, calling them out by name. Attendees behind and beside me remarked that this was their first time seeing the company. Both sets of viewers received Philadelphia’s Philadanco Phavorites with palpable enthusiasm.

The evening kicked off with Suite Otis, choreographed by George Faison and set to music by Otis Redding. Featuring familiar tunes such as "Satisfaction" and "Try a Little Tenderness," the work showcased this ensemble's precision technique in a loose-limbed, soulful context. Suite Otis dates back to 1971, and its movement evokes popular dances of the day, including the boogaloo and the funky chicken. The frolicsome mood was balanced by sexy, sultry gestures meant to imply the complexity of romance.

Natural Flirt, a world premiere choreographed by Trey McIntyre performed to funky melodies by Ramsey Lewis, stepped up the pace up as the dancers, dressed in Day-Glo attire, pranced across the stage for a fast-paced jaunt that's like a scene straight out of a night club. Guys ogled gals as they strutted their stuff. Couples joined and then broke up in comical fashion. While the playful piece had its moments, Natural Flirt seemed disjointed. It felt like McIntyre was rushed for time in putting it together.

Surefootedness returned with Ronald K. Brown's Gatekeepers, where jazz steps merged with African-based ritual gesture -- both styles are staples of this corps. Artful lighting created bar shapes on the floor that offered the dual suggestion of confinement and passageways. Intricate choreography accentuated the company's taut yet supremely flexible bodies, which curled and unfurled with intense expression.

Christopher Huggins' Enemy Behind the Gates, featuring a driving percussive score by Steve Reich, set the dancers off in militaristic formations full of sharp angles and clean lines. With members starting march-like, then breaking out into swirls and scissor-legged extensions, their momentum gradually increased in rhythm to the music. Teeming with entrances and exits, the performance built to a frenzy for a bring-the-house-down finale.