DANCE REVIEW : 2 FOLK COMPANIES SHARE PROGRAM AT THE CENTER

The Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa had an auspicious baptism in the folk arts Tuesday when Avaz International Dance Theatre and the Karpatok Hungarian Folk Ensemble shared a program on the stage at Segerstrom Hall.

The program, incidentally, also represented the Orange County Philharmonic Society’s first venture in presenting dance in its 33 seasons of sponsoring concerts in the area.

The two Los Angeles-based dance companies actually began sharing programs less than a year ago but have had mixed success. Since then, Karpatok, directed by Tibor Toghia, seems to have moved significantly closer to achieving viable theatrical professionalism.

Occasional problems still evident on Tuesday involved maintaining uncluttered spacing on stage, achieving unity in vocal attacks and sustaining dance focus. But compensating qualities were the company’s vigor and liveliness, maintaining its connections to the everyday origins of the music and dance.

And there was no need for apologies when the Karpatok men began flashy boot-slapping and crisp heel-clicking in an improvised dance from a region of Transylvania. The resulting rhythms and surprising syncopations suggested flamenco-like complexity.

These effects were amplified, but not surpassed, when the two companies--approximately 60 people--together danced a fast czardas to close the first part of the program.

Problems on the Avaz side were familiar, too. The women still had trouble being persuasive in the demanding, sensual body movements required in a dance from Saudi Arabia.

In addition, only some of them managed to create the almost impossible illusion of floating on air required in a dance from the region of Azerbaijan.

But elsewhere, in suites from Bulgaria and Appalachia, the company danced with its customary authority and spirit.

Both groups also needed time to adjust instrumental and vocal efforts to the dampening acoustics of the hall. In particular, the wonderfully plangent Avaz choral sound, for instance, seemed particularly subdued. But after some amplification adjustments, the wide spaces of the 3,000-seat facility were bridged.

Spoken introductions to the dances were given alternately by Avaz artistic director Anthony Shay and Katalin Christopher, representing Karpatok.