Dance Reviews

Mar 14, 2007 - The Alvin Ailey II dances its exuberant dances at Reno's Pioneer Center

By By Jack Neal

Before a near capacity audience the twelve remarkable dancers of the Alvin Ailey II dance company thrilled Sunday night (3/11/07) at Reno's Pioneer Center in a program of rare intensity and stunning exuberance.

Building from the Alvin Ailey choreography of "Streams," a work created in 1970, to "Revelations," a series of spiritual dances created by Ailey in 1960 – and most certainly the company's signature dances, this celebrated dance troupe, their marvelous dances, gorgeous costumes, radiant lighting and transfixing music handsome in every way touched the soul just like "Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham" has always touched the souls of the oppressed but never vanquished.

It was quite a night.

Frankly, I found "Streams," although beautifully danced, to be the least attractive portion of the program. That may have been the plan. Control – magnificent control – is the name of the "Streams" game. From that point of cool discipline, the program pushed dramatically on.

"The Calling" from "Splendid Isolation II," a gorgeous solo piece choreographed by Jessica Lang and set to the music of Gustave Mahler, is a luxuriant study in white and elegant movement. As danced by the superb Dominique O. Rosales it is as breathtakingly serene as it is elegant.

"Bitter Suite," a series of jazz episodes including "Sex Mob Does Bond," epitomizes the company's penchant for thrashingly stylized movement that is entirely fulfilling in its dance-on-the-wild-side explosion of earthy contortions. Credit dance artists Constance Stamatiou, Tyrell V. Rolle, Anica C. Scott-Garrell, Kevin Petite, Alicia Lundgren, Nicholas Daum, Rachael McLaren and Ephraim M. Sykes for bringing such snap and zest to Scott Rink's fabulous lay-it-on-the-line choreography.

Then finally there's the return to the company's roots with its moving three-part "Revelations" ("Pilgrim of Sorrow," "Take Me to the Water," "Move, Members, Move") that separates the merely gifted from the inspired. Prayerful, reverential, and passionately spiritual the Alvin Ailey II lets dance sing from the heart to the hearts of all who are fortunate enough to experience this superb American dance troupe.

Not mentioned elsewhere in this notice, dancers Rosita Adamo, Jermaine Terry and Yannick Lebrun are nonetheless no less spectacular as artists than their compatriots. The company's lighting designers, Jason Lyons, Nicola Cernovitch, Al Crawford, and Chenault Spence, are top-flight in their craft in every way. The costumes by A. Christina Giannini, Elena Comendador, Ves Harper and Barbara Forbes are drop-dead right or exquisite depending on the dance. The music, in addition to Mahler, credit Miloslav Kabelac ("Streams"), Trio Mediaeval ("Splendid Isolation II"), John Barry and Steven Bersnstein ("Bitter Suite"), for what is in all cases a perfect match for a perfect program of dance.

The Alvin Ailey II was presented in Reno under the sponsorship of Reno's Artown festival. Artown's main series of events are presented in July. For information call 775-322-1358.