TRIBUTE TO CAREER OF CRUZ LUNA

“A Tribute to Cruz Luna” featured some very good Spanish dancing but lacked focus as a celebration of the work of this well-established local dancer/teacher/former company director. No background on Luna was presented in Lola Montes’ short welcoming speech Sunday at Pasadena City College or in the printed program, and no explicit connection was drawn to Luna’s style or repertory.

But if the afternoon fell short as a tribute to his career, it succeeded as a stirring tribute to his courage when Luna--who is afflicted with AIDS--crowned the finale by coming on stage for a brief solo and then leading the triumphant procession off stage.

Flamenco dominated the program and, in a general way, that art form always serves as a tribute to individuality. More specifically, the afternoon could be construed as a tribute to superb male dancing, as embodied by Juan Talavera and Roberto Amaral.

In “Por Solea” the suave, commanding Talavera fairly sailed through demanding footwork and just as smoothly partnered Maria Bermudez (also excellent) through the unison and counterpoised rhythms of their beautifully paced duet. Then Amaral brought down the house in his electrifying solo, “Romera.”

If Talavera danced like an angel, Amaral danced like a demon--or at least like a man possessed. But even at top speed, his movement had great clarity and definition. Completely in control, he punctuated a passage of furious footwork with a perfectly executed double pirouette en attitude .

The women were represented admirably by the fiery “Canastera” of Irene Heredia, Valeria Pico and Isabel Campos (choreography by Amaral), and the elegant, sinuous “Seguiriya” solos of Yaelisa and Linda Vega (whose varied footwork and all-out back-bent exit were splendid). Vocals and guitar were fine, though sporadically over-amplified, as was the tinny piano.