Motion Tribe Photo by Jack Hartin

Two of the most prodigious masters of dance in Los Angeles are Jamie Nichols and her production manager, Eileen Cooley. For the fifth consecutive year, they have produced, arranged, and brought Celebrate Dance 2008 to Glendale's Alex Theatre on Saturday, March 15 to the delight of a sold-out audience of 1,400 people, including 150 high school students who were guests of the Alex. We were treated to the best performers from eight different dance groups who assembled for a ten to fifteen minute dance program. While these dancers' skills are not at either the Alvin Ailey or Hubbard Street level, their performances were greeted with rousing applause and gratitude from the satisfied audience. Each group brought a special something to the Alex's wide stage:

Ana Maria Alvarez's Contra-Tiempo got the festivities underway with Mundo Plastico, a premiere of a mélange of Apache, rhumba, samba, and salsa beats which started slowly and increased in tempo and beat, moment by moment. Their skill and enjoyment of each other on stage was easily evident to an appreciative audience.

Bodytraffic, the new kid on the block, is headed by Artistic Directors Lillian Barbeito and Tina Berkett. They offered Da Vinder, a premiere that had the dancers' shadows on the wall, with other dancers behind a screen. Emily Corwin, on cello, with music by Bach, played rapturously in time with the four dancers on the stage.

The Baker and Tarpaga Dance Project performed Dar es Salaam. In a premiere, they took us around the world, starting in Africa with a man babbling in a strange tongue. The performers wended their way around, behind, and in front of him, bouncing, jumping, and rolling to the African chant. A stupendous array of calisthenics were performed beautifully.

Closing out the first half was Metanoia, a premiere of the Lux Aeterna Dance Company. It consisted of five dancers, headed by Artistic Director and Choreographer Jacob "Kujo" Lyons, performing with a background of hymnal music, Credo by Arvo Part. This "balancing act", with the women supporting the men, was almost impossible to imagine, but there it was.

The Victor Kabaniaev & Dancers group returned again after last year's excellent performance with dancer Irene Liu. We traveled underwater with a swimmer/mermaid to a tune of gurgling bubbles. Her pain, discomfort, and writhing give way to a deserted island with chirping birds and some of the loveliest movements any ballerina has effected.

The sixth group was Method Contemporary Dance. Their Artistic Director and Choreographer was Bradley Michaud. In the premiere of Claudia, the three dancers rocked, rolled, spun, revolved and fell in a series of movements which caused laughter and much astonishment at their lithe, maneuverable bodies.

The Backhousdance group of eight dancers, under their coach choreographer and artistic director Jennifer Backhaus, charged onto the stage to the music of "Mogwai" and "Explosions in the Sky" and were literally hell-bent to amaze. Here, too, the women supported and held the men in poses impossible to describe in a piece called Arrive.

Motion Tribe presented a solo by Melissa Sandvig, who danced to the music of Ravel's "Adagio from the Concerto in G-Major." Unraveling herself from reams of bright red material wrapped around her, she first embraced and then climbed the curtain-rope, doing a series of jumps, swings, and ballet in mid-air--glorious, challenging, and remarkable. Bravo to her and artistic director and choreographer, Marie de la Palme.

Yes, it was a glorious celebration of dance and a sampling of the many different groups that revel in the art of dance and creativity. The last two groups were the audience favorites, for their machinations and design were superb. Nichols promises to come back for Celebrate Dance @009 Celebrate Dance 2008 Alex Theatre 216 N. Brand Blvd. Glendale 91208 Saturday, March 15 only To contact Producer Jamie Nichols, call 626-676-7185 www.celebratedance.org