Spago Swings With Dancers

The scene: Houstonians heartened by Hollywood hurrahs at a party at Spago after the first appearance of the Houston Ballet at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Wednesday night. The company performed a mixed program that included the West Coast premiere of Paul Taylor’s unusual “Company B,” a sort of ballet-jitterbug number danced to songs of the Andrews Sisters.

Spago gridlock: While the late-night dinner crowd, including floppy-hatted director Henry Jaglom at a highly esteemed window table, finished off their desserts, the balletomanes stormed in. The Texans were the last to arrive since they didn’t know the way. About 400 people (250 more than expected) clogged the parking valets, pursued pizza slices, grabbed tables and draped themselves over the kitchen counter for lack of anywhere else to prop themselves. The ballet company was so impressed by the waiters and kitchen staff that they invited them to be their guests at a performance.

Who was there: Maxine Andrews (her sister Patty attended the premiere but was nowhere to be found at the party), Shirley MacLaine, Patrick Swayze, Alexis Smith and Craig Stevens, Estelle Getty, Betty White, Jane Wyatt, Jack Klugman, Esther Williams, Dick Van Patten, costume designer Nolan Miller, composer Peter Matz, restaurateur Lynn von Kersting and Barbara Rush withbangs.

Dating yourself: People either clearly recalled hearing the harmonies of the wartime sister act, vaguely remembered the sound from their babyhood or flatly stated that the sound was way before their time unless you count Bette Midler updates. For example, one woman offered, “It reminded me of my childhood, not my youth.” Someone else said vehemently, “I’m 28. Do you think I would know an Andrew (sic) Sister if it fell from a tree?”

Quoted: “There were a couple of songs that really tear me up. Songs do to the artists the same thing they do to the public--take you back to a period, a time,” said Maxine Andrews.

Reviewing the audience reviews: “L.A.’s a tough dance town, but they’re very enthusiastic when they like something here,” said Gary Dunning, the company’s executive director, of the rhapsodic reception.

Overheard: “You have to eat the pizza,” Jane (“Father Knows Best”) Wyatt advised two corps members.

Chow: Spago provided the right tastes--from prosciutto pizza to Chinese duck sandwiches--but not the plates. Little white cocktail napkins had to do.

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