Two Dance Companies Offer Something Old and Something New to Begin 2010

Davis Contemporary Dance Company, founded and directed by Terrell Davis, and Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre, founded by David Reuille and Heidi Nichter, are presenting a jam packed concert of five complete works - some from repertory and some premiers - in the Federal Heights' (just North of Denver, CO) Performing Arts Complex (Pinnacle) this weekend - January 8 and 9, 2010. Both companies are relatively new (this is Davis' third season), and both have an array of competent dancers, with some of those dancers best described as "new and emerging." That "new and emerging" aspect is manifested when difficult choreography - especially Davis' - pushes them past their current limits. Knowing Davis the difficulty will not diminish, and one hopes his dancers cope and progress.

"Pushed Past the Line" is one example of dancer challenges. It opens with a long duet by Davis and an excellent, "newer" dancer, Kali Hess. Hess, has amazing dance presence and abilities. But, Davis' movement choices and how they are performed severely push her past some limits, with concurrent struggles with balance, and with positions not normally reached by her body being forced by hand holds activated by her, or Davis. In the second section of that work, and in the opening section of another work - "Life According to Annie" - Davis presents large ensembles that use all of horizontal and vertical space in stunning ways. "Life ..." also includes lovely sequences set on and around a long bench, on which lovers connect, and from which they depart. One danced by Aubrey Klinger uses all of the bench and the space before in movement set to music and lyrics about not being forgiven. Often such approaches are lost in audience expectations set by the words, but in this case Klinger's stunning movement abilities and arresting presence, along with Davis' strong choreography, that speaks well without resorting to mime, make her solo best described as wonderful. The same happens in a tender duet using that same bench set on Theresa Patton-Sanchez and Vittoiro Luciano, where Davis' movement choices and the dancers abilities to embody them give tenderness new meaning.

Davis' solo, "Acceptance of Change, Loss, and Moving On," which is dedicated to his departed parents, is moving and a wonderful example of the dance abilities inherent in him.

Apex's major work, "Women's Work," choreographed by David Reuille, is competently performed and well worth watching, but at times struggles with mime like embodiment of rather trite and overworked character types, as well as movement - especially ensemble movemement - that exceeds performance life. Of special note is a section titled "Factory/The Race is On," in which Aubrey Klinger gives life to high energy dancing in ways that seem to infect the entire cast.

Davis' "Static Interruption" provides a wonderful concert closer with lots of kick ass dance to high energy "techno type" music performed by Justice and Mark Isham. It is obviously a work Davis' dancers love to perform, and the work reads well largely for that reason.

Davis Contemporary Dance Company, like few other companies, has a wealth of male dance talent that adds much to it's performance. Realize that both Davis' company and Apex now join a phalanx of hard working, struggling, minimally funded dance companies in Front Range Colorado. Help them if you can.

Donald K. Atwood MFA. Ph.D.

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