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Monday, July 21, 2003

By Jane Vranish, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Pittsburgh Black Theatre Dance Ensemble rode a tidal wave of emotion onto the stage at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater in its long-awaited renaissance last weekend.

The group had closed its operations in 1983 for lack of economic support. Now 20 years later and trumpeting its new motto, "Recapturing a Dream," it tapped the apparently unquenchable spirit of deceased founder Bob Johnson to once again display the enormous theatrical vitality of his African-American vision.

Opening night on Saturday had the air of an event where standing ovations were de rigueur. Past dancers and associates were in attendance, from emcee Lamon Rutcker to Johnson's widow, Stephanie, to newly appointed artistic director and performer Greer Reed.

It began appropriately enough with Johnson's poem, "I am the original dance machine," read by Nathan James. That was followed by Reed's solo, "Tribute to Bob," a passionate stream of movement that drew its initial strength from Johnson's larger-than-life image on the back screen, and its primary impact from Reed's powerful stage presence.

Then, with the dancers like racehorses out of the starting gate, the tempo quickly escalated in Mouminatou Camara's thundering "Sorsonet," in which six grinning women drew their dancing power and percussive rhythms from a matching drum corps at their backs.

Cast in the traditional African style, this was a pure shot of adrenaline and a piece where the repetitive phrasing was neatly amplified by interweaving cascades of dancers.

Philadanco's noted assistant artistic director Kim Bears-Bailey brought in "Fast and Furious," a nifty dance-'til-you-drop number for the ensemble's modern contingent that not only had enormous appeal, but a satisfying and structured groove.

The program took a reflective turn in the second half, resurrecting Johnson's signature work, "Dambala." Named for the Haitian voodoo snake god, similar snake gods can be found in any number of cultures from the ancient Greeks to Japanese. With its flowing tropical white costumes, Johnson's piece could be Haitian or Creole, focusing, as it did, on the hypnotic elements of mysticism or voodoo.

The original company, headed by Johnson as the snake god himself, performed it with unbridled fervor, capitalizing on his spontaneity. This reconstruction was toned down, centering on the soothing and wise elements of Dambala, located in the never-ending stream of undulations that infused the choreography.

Daniel Marshall continued the meditative mood with "Unspoken Truth," an abstract series of duets and solos that had a sleek structure, but seemed more like a series of movement studies.

Lastly, choreographer Terence Greene turned to "Faith." Usually operating on high octane, Greene opted for intense reflection before turning his dancers loose in a finale right out of Alvin Ailey's masterwork, "Reflections."

Reed has obviously got the goods, expertly instilling the essentials of technique, confidence, artistry and, above all, good discipline in her young company. This first performance drew from an amazingly broad and generous network of highly respected artists at Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Philadanco, Urban Dance Collective (Cleveland), D UNDERBELLY (Chicago) and Kankouran West African Dance Company (Washington, D.C.).

Reed and friends could not have imagined a better start, but it will take a great deal of work to underwrite the future of this talented and hungry company. Certainly others have come and gone over the years, and it can be a lonely road.

So the question remains -- will this community's immense financial and admininstrative resources step forward, join hands and take Pittsburgh Black Theater Dance Ensemble to the next level?

Jane Vranish can be reached at jvranish@post-gazette.com.