DANCE REVIEW : San Francisco Ballet Makes a Strong Finish in Costa Mesa

San Francisco Ballet closed its run at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa over the weekend with a program that made a surprising point. The further away it got from classical vocabulary, the better it looked.

In ascending order of impact, the company offered artistic director Helgi Tomasson’s new “Handel--A Celebration”; the athletic follies and competitions of Jerome Robbins’ “Interplay” (1945), and the hyperkinetic Expressionism of Jiri Kylian’s “Forgotten Land” (1981).

The ghost of Balanchine hovered over Tomasson’s 10-part, neoclassical homage to Handel (to a compiled score) but the results, though never in bad taste, proved uninspired and unmusical.

Tomasson tended to rely upon rote symmetrical groupings, occasionally skewering formal patterns and classical vocabulary, though often apparently, arbitrarily so. Two pas de deux dropped the neoclassic look altogether and boldly ventured into romantic idioms.

He also occasionally dug from the cliche pile--such as juxtaposing a lyric and a hectic pas de deux to the same music. But the primary problem was the threadbare, poverty of movement. You waited for the choreography to fill out the music, but it never happened.

Some choices were unfortunate. He cast the superb, Kirov-trained Ludmila Lopukhova against type, requiring her to execute speedy, slinky-distorted moves a la Balanchine. Though fully capably of fast dancing, Lopukhova, on Friday and at the Saturday matinee, only looked badly utilized and was further subjected to the indignity of being turned head over feet in the air by the corps of eight men.

Making a cautious first appearance with the company at the Saturday matinee was Yuri Zhukov, the Kirov corps member who joined the San Franciscans for a nine-month guest stint right after the Leningrad-based company danced in Orange County in August.

Zhukov seemed distant, uninvolved. He had a bad landing in his otherwise secure variation and partnered a vivid, sweet Sabina Allemann with patrician restraint. But at least he didn’t smugly court the audience as did his Friday counterpart, Anthony Randazzo.

The company looked better in Robbins’ high-spirited “Interplay” (set to Morton Gould’s “American Concertette”). Christopher Stowell excelled with airy lightness--holding shapes in the air, bounding from textbook correct position and tossing off the step-over, hopping turns with virtuosic security.

In contrast, a good-natured David Justin at the matinee seemed underpowered and overly careful in his preparations. But he also made some fine airy corkscrew turns and clean landings.

A coolish Elizabeth Loscavio and a supportive Alexi Zubiria danced the pas de deux on Friday; a secure Grace Maduell and an overtaxed Barton Parker II on Saturday.

Both casts in “Forgotten Land” (to Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem) brought riveting commitment and energy to Kylian’s abstract, whirlwind depiction of communal calamity, grief and transcendence.

Evelyn Cisneros showed slashing power and nonstop dramatic momentum Friday in the first pas de deux; Jamie Zimmerman, with her limpid port de bras, evoked more poignancy Saturday. Each was partnered by the noble, technically strong Lawrence Pech.

Jo Ellen Arntz and Andre Reyes were the shot-from-guns duo in the demonic Scherzo on Friday; Joanna Berman and Stowell took over the roles with equal power on Saturday.

A radiant Alaina Albertson was partnered by Randazzo (Friday) and Edward Ellison (Saturday). Both men proved strong.

Denis de Coteau conducted a sometimes ragged Pacific Symphony with deep sympathy for Britten’s score and few insights into Handel’s music. Roy Bogas was the expert piano soloist in Gould’s “American Concertette.”