Spirited ‘Watts’ Tries Bringing Home a Powerful Message

Timing is everything. Especially for dancers. In a program of old and new works at Luckman Theatre on Saturday night, Lula Washington Dance Theatre presented the West Coast premiere of “What About Watts,” set to the music of recently slain rapper Tupac Shakur (among others) and inspired by the shooting death of the choreographer’s nephew.

“Watts” may benefit from its currency, but its attempt at a full-blown suite suffers from repetition and its being overdone: Subtleties fly out the window in this portrait of addicts, criminals, gangsters and despairing adults.

Just as today’s issues are reduced to sound bites, Washington’s episodic work bursts with MTV-like dance bites: Tamica Washington leads the Bloods; Shameika Hines the Crips. They walk the walk. They also brandish scars, crack, guns, ‘do-rags, spray paint and major attitude.

Joining the fray are Kim Bargaro, Shari Washington, Mataji Booker, Nabachwa Ssensalo and Andre Fuentes. The energy is high, the pants baggy. There is no dearth of fly-girl twirls, one-arm handstands, somersaults, pushing, shoving and gesturing.

It’s spirited with braids a-flying. But is it art?

Washington takes the stage at the end, espousing peace and respect, while beating time on a bowl. The “sistas” band together in this mostly superficial commentary on violence that leaves one saddened but not satisfied.

The Washington ensemble also presented Ron Brown’s world premiere “Just-Us/Personal Property,” an all-male work dealing with justice and the alleged CIA-crack cocaine conspiracy in South-Central that plays to a series of verbal tape loops counterpointed with Kronos Quartet string work.

Dancers Carl Burkley, Ronaldo Bowins, Pablo Milan, Ken Morris and Tim Ford maneuver around wooden chairs, whiten themselves with “cocaine” that drops from above and perform shooting death rituals. Yes, there are also powerful leaps and spins, but a bow-tied speaker (Monti Ellison) bleats out obvious rhetoric that dates this piece, again frustrating the viewer.

Dancing is sometimes best left to dancers.