RIRIE-WOODBURY DANCE COMPANY in concert. Capitol Theatre, Oct. 27 and 28 at 8 p.m.
No major projects, no grand plan, no big stars, no overriding theme; just entertaining dances, performed by expert dancers, with a laugh here and a nod of admiration there. That was the format for Ririe-Woodbury's fall show, which opened its 26th season.Now is not really the time for brave new worlds to conquer or the sort of fine-tuned rapid-fire coordination and dare-devil artistry that Ririe-Woodbury often does, what with two new men to be absorbed into the company. But the two fit in admirably and appear to be assimilating the style quickly and effectively.
Choreographic honors go to Susan McLain-Smith for "A Woman's Influence," a clean, sharply-focused piece that shows a man's reaction to woman as mother, lover and business rival. McLain-Smith's training with Martha Graham shows, clearly another language than we experience around here frequently, but tinctured with humor and distilled into her own inimitable style.
This piece owed much to Keith Johnson, who was brilliant as a fellow who grows from child to self-conscious adolescent to driven yuppy. He was folded into fetal position, as Karin Ramos (the mother) circled him making little spasmodic dives, sometimes nagging, angry, worried, hovering; other times nurturing him to stand on his own feet.
He was fine as a self-conscious sun-bather attracted by a brazen flirt on the beach (Caren Carino). And finally he played out the love-hate relationship with Janice Haws, who wanted to succeed in business but also wanted to give in.
Loa M. Clawson's "Encircled Embrace," inspired by paintings of Klimt and others, was another interesting repeat - a layering of sinuous duos and ensembles, as gently curving as its seductive Merideth Monk music. It's an uneven work, but with enough beauty and charm to keep the audience engaged.
There's a faintly Oriental or Middle Eastern atmosphere, especially when the dancers are clothed in draperies or manipulating yards of cloth, as when Janice Haws stepped into the silken backdrop like a skirt, bouncing and swaying romantically; or in the final scene where somehow the women kept yards of apricot-colored cloth under control.
Greg Lizenbery, a former member of RDT, was guest artist in two short dances from his show, "Men Dancing." Especially intriguing was "I Love You Dearly" (a cryptic title), a Mark Morris piece that showed his command of every nuance of movement that the music suggests, and suggests that Morris has more to say in one vignette than most choreographers say all evening. Lizenbery made himself comfortable in the skipping skimming gaits, the easy control of unusual muscles and the arch sincerity of Morris's style.
In "Strange Hero" by Daniel Nagrin, Lizenbery did more walking than dancing, showing off his superb reflexes as a zoot-suit style gangster, a sort of updated "Billy the Kid."
Aside from the opening and closing tableaux, guest choreographer Claudia Melrose's "Night Flight" didn't really get off the ground. One saw little that suggested flight, but much that suggested astronauts, jumping weightless, landing lightly. There was some pretty movement, but more of the hopping variety than soaring.
Melrose's "O Coffee Never Tasted So Good" pokes zany fun at an 18th century drawing room where dancers in pink knickers drink coffee in unison and tap their cups, roll on the floor and finally cavort in a frenzy of addiction. With an elaborate Bach aria in the background, it's a cute piece.