DANCE REVIEW : ‘Kaleidoscope’ Fest Opens at Cal State L.A.

Midway through what’s being called the Year of the Woman in American politics, the annual “Dance Kaleidoscope” festival opened with a world-dance evening strongly focused on expressions of female identity. Probably sheer coincidence, but the multifaceted, eight-part program danced at Cal State Los Angeles on Saturday kept returning to the question of what traditional cultures prize in their women.

In Muslim Mindanao, for instance, the ideal woman must walk a gauntlet of crisscrossed bamboo poles as they’re slammed together at high speed--without even momentarily compromising her drop-dead hauteur. At least that’s the impression transmitted by Silayan Philippine-American Dance Company in its skillful performance of the spectacular “Singkil.”

Artistic director Dulce Capadocia exuded regal elegance and a sense of glamorous mystery too, with a pair of white fans in her hands that suddenly fluttered powerfully from time to time as if they had a life of their own.

Folk dances from Iranian cultures celebrated great dexterity of movement within a sense of perfect balance. In both Avaz Dance Theatre’s three-part “Tajikistan Suite” (choreographed by Carolyn Krueger) and Robyn Friend’s Persian classical solo for the Bahari Ensemble, you saw extreme mobility of wrists, necks and shoulders, the graceful manipulation of scarves and quick, darting turns that always took you by surprise.

Unifying these movement effects: the same kind of mercurial vivacity and sense of a woman being unshakably centered that you could find in the classical South Indian “Thillana” by Ramya Harishankar and her Arpana Dance Company. For all the intricate formal demands of the Bharata Natyam idiom, Harishankar’s performance celebrated a lively intelligence as much as any other quality.

The flamenco segments by Linda Vega Danzas de Espana and Yaelisa’s Solera Flamenco Dance Company shared vocalist Antonio de Jerez but otherwise could not have been more different in their interpretation of Spanish womanhood. Vega’s “Tientos” solo proved rough in technique but irresistible in its gutsy and even raunchy passion. Indeed, in her bold cruise of the front rows, Vega seemed nothing less than the Mae West of flamenco.

In contrast, Yaelisa’s “Tierra de Luz-Cadiz” solo emphasized noble restraint, with a definition of personal freedom subtly emerging from the fast, sustained heelwork, molten line and expressive sophistication of her performance. Very definitely a lady--but with red shoes under all those satin ruffles.

Male prowess dominated only one segment of the program: the flamenco solo “Zapateado del Tambor” by Juan Talavera. Here a severely formal showcase of intricate heelwork eventually yielded to a spirited collaboration with drummer Patric Halago marked by exciting rhythmic interplay and call/response challenges.

The Mexican polka party of “Arriba el Norte” put the men and women of Ballet Folklorico del Sur de California on an equal footing. Choreographers Deanna and Ramon Nunez emphasized the stomp of 24 boots on a wooden floor, as well as twisty social-dance maneuvers staged for maximum spatial variety.

Live accompaniment proved a consistent pleasure in this opening “Kaleidoscope” program: Halago in all three flamenco segments, for example, plus guitarists Benito Palacios and Antonio Triana II in both the Talavera and Vega performances. The Silayan and Avaz selections also offered fine musicianship, but no dancer or musician created a greater sensation Saturday than Bahari drummer Siamak Pouian with fingering mastery similar to a keyboard virtuoso’s in brilliant, independent control.

A showcase of Southern California excellence and diversity, “Dance Kaleidoscope” continues with two bills emphasizing modern dance and ballet, Friday evening through Sunday afternoon.