DANCE REVIEW : Taylor Dance Troupe Offers Familiar Favorites at Irvine

There were no surprises on the Paul Taylor Dance Company program Thursday night at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Those who knew the 41-year-old company at all saw familiar favorites, and newcomers were introduced to a world where dancers float lyrically one moment and paw the ground the next in “Cloven Kingdom” (1976), pop like corn in “Syzygy” (1987) and smile or sigh through the original playground version of Bach, “Esplanade” (1975).

On the level of the exuberant phrase and inventive patterns, Taylor’s work is always strong, and his current dancers generally inhabit the repertory beautifully. They were fiercely committed to each mood change, excelling in the kind of lightning-quick, bouncy streaking across the floor that’s so often required. Occasionally, moodier moments did not work as well. In “Esplanade,” when timing and motivation weren’t dead-on, there seemed to be a lot of self-conscious frolicking and strolling.

No such problems plagued “Syzygy.” Although a syzygy actually has to do with astrological correlations, the title describes the movement mainly in terms of sound. To a percolating taped synthesizer score by Donald York, dancers seemed to sizzle like bacon and scatter like water splashed on the griddle. Arm and legs darted, heads bobbed and suddenly they looked more like cheerleaders who were way past their coffee limit. Standing out in nimble solo moments were Hernando Cortez, Lisa Viola and Mary Cochran.

Cochran was featured most strongly in “Syzygy,” but was hard to miss in the other two pieces as well. It’s not just that she has red hair and a puckish frame, or that her swift articulations and slow-motion drifting were impeccable, but that she also seemed genuinely delighted to be dancing. It’s a quality that never goes astray, but in Taylor’s frequent celebratory moods, it’s an absolute blessing.