DANCE : Choreographer Teams With Architect to Build on an Idea

Sushi’s mandate for Neofest is to present “diverse and challenging works that exemplify new performances of the ‘80s.”

As a result, when San Diego dancer/choreographer Patricia Sandback shows her wares at Sushi Gallery this weekend (Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m.), some Sandback fans might do a double take.

“We really feel that Pat Sandback is one of San Diego’s strongest choreographers,” said Sushi director Lynn Schuette. “But we wanted to push her a little bit. And, hopefully, by giving her a commission, we thought we could make her do something interdisciplinary. She’s won awards for her work, but she’s never choreographed anything for Neofest.”

Sandback accepted the challenge. Teaming up with local architect Tom Grondona, an award-winner himself for the design of a pocket-size bakery in Horton Plaza, Sandback created an artistic fusion in the best Neofest tradition.

“It’s a risk,” Sandback said over a cup of soup recently, “but the commission specified an interdisciplinary piece. I’ve never worked with an architect before. I’ve never even worked with anyone on a set. It’s been a very collaborative experience.”

Sandback conceived the seminal idea for the collaboration, cryptically titled “Gallery Dance 2: Exit Dance 1,” then tossed the ball to Grondona.

“I knew the effect I wanted,” Sandback said, “and he knew how it could be achieved. His design, a facade, is integral to the dance, and it creates a strong punch line.”

What kind of punch line?

“It’s a secret,” Sandback said. “If I tell, it won’t work. You’ll just have to see it.”

Sandback allowed the collaborative spirit to extend to her five performers as well.

“I relied a lot more on my dancers’ input in this piece,” she said. “I’d say, ‘Take any combinations you’d like. Just figure out how to get there in eight counts.’ ”

Since there are no permanent wings in Sushi’s studio space, Sandback decided to forgo her favorite design devices and keep her dancers on stage for the entire piece.

“I like to do entrances and exits a lot,” she said, “but this time there’s no place to go and rest. The dancers will be on the whole time. Performing at Sushi means you already start with limitations. I tried to design the gallery pieces so they would work well in that setting.”

“Gallery Dance” is not the only commissioned work in Sandback’s “New, Used and Improved Dances” concert this weekend.

“I’m doing another piece that was commissioned by an art gallery to complement a jewelry display,” she said. “Jewelry designer Arline Fisch created an object--it’s not really a sculpture--and Jon Szanto did the score.”

Working with Szanto, a percussionist for the San Diego Symphony, is not a new experience for Sandback. She has collaborated with him on some of her most successful pieces.

“Cathy Mullins did some slides for ‘Gallery Dance 3,’ and I’m working with a new lighting designer, Craig Wolf, who recently came to SDSU,” she said.

Sandback won’t disappoint devotees of her “Toward Stillness” solo, a work that evolved as a requiem for her late father. It will feature the choreographer in her only major appearance at the concert.

“I’m repeating ‘Stillness,’ but that’s the only repeat in about 55 minutes of dance,” she said. “I’m excited about doing this, but it’s taken its toll. I didn’t realize it would be so much work.”

Dance enthusiasts will have another choice of style and venue this weekend. American Ballet Ensemble, the brainchild of ex-New York City Ballet principal Lynda Yourth, will give three performances (at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Saturday).

The concerts will take place at City College Theater, and this time the accent will be on ballet--with a cast of characters that range from princesses and monsters to the Mayan Indians.

Choreographer Mieczyslaw (Misha) Morawski has created a new ballet, “Night of the Mayas,” which will make its debut. And Yourth is elated with the look of the piece.

“It’s very contemporary,” she said, “and you know Misha works beautifully in that medium.”

Yourth’s dance designs will be on display as well. Her interpretation of “The Firebird,” set to the stunning score by Igor Stravinsky, will be the well-dressed curtain-raiser.

Guest artist Mark Carlson, an instructor with the company this spring, will dance the role of Prince Ivan to Laura Taber’s Firebird. Belgium-born Rita Bertels, another guest artist with the troupe this year, will appear as the Princess in the evening performances.

Choreographer Clarissa Boeriu is in town to set part of the “Friends” dance from “Coppelia.”

“Clarissa is a ballet coach from Romania, so that’s a real break for our dancers,” said Yourth.

Yourth herself was less fortunate in her recent plans to visit China to teach and choreograph.

“Our trip was called off--temporarily,” she said. “There were some political problems, but it had nothing to do with us. They still want me over there. It will just have to wait a few months.”

Yourth has built her small, home-grown troupe up to an ensemble of 30, which, as she put it, “means we’ve got more and more good dancers to do more ambitious things.”

Nevertheless, don’t expect to see the troupe’s twice-a-year concert schedule increase--at least not for a while.

“The more you do, the more you dilute it and the less chance you have to maintain the quality,” she said. “You have to move slowly. There’s a little fuzzy line between keeping the quality up here and training the dancers to go out and make good somewhere else.

“Sure, if they’re mediocre enough, and no one else wants them, the dancers will stay in San Diego to work,” Yourth said. “But the good dancers are ultimately going to find someplace to go, especially now that there are so many more regional ballet companies. And it’s our job to help them get ahead, although sometimes we’d like to keep them all.”