Contrived ‘Spirit of the Dance’ Unleashes Energetic Choreography

Does the world really need another fog-shrouded, sequin-swinging, high-kicking cousin of “Riverdance,” the theatrical phenomenon that brought Irish step-dancing to stages, television screens and dentist offices everywhere? Apparently so, if Tuesday night’s rabid audience for “Spirit of the Dance,” a true jumble of blarney at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, was any indication.

When a show’s producer--in this case David King--is also its composer, there is bound to be trouble, and “Spirit” has its share: Weaving two hours of “storytelling”--a ballerina searches the globe for her true love--around a melody that is reminiscent of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s theme for “Phantom of the Opera,” this contrived concoction features bastardizations of “Danny Boy” (as if sung by Darth Vader), back-bending fiddlers scratching out “Turkey in the Straw,” and what amounts to Irish karaoke, with microphone-wearing performers crooning over the uber-schmaltz taped musical score.

And the dancers? There is plenty of energetic shuffling, but with their glazed-eye, plastered-smile looks, the troupe of 30 has a mechanized, soulless style in need of a beating heart. Patricia Murray is the lead Irish stepper, flying across the stage with vacuous, if technically precise, aplomb; Claire Holding, dancing Janet Lewis’ Vegas-style choreography, is the gyrating ballerina; and Kirk Taylor stomps up a storm, in addition to vocalizing on the relentlessly manipulative series of “Spirit” songs.

Not wanting to leave many steps unturned, Alan Harding’s choreography includes arm-flailing tap, scissor-kicking jazz, partner-swirling swing, passionless flamenco and the requisite precision of straight-backed Irish dancing (although there was one minor collision between several women on opening night). All in all, a stew of shameless strutting.

* “Spirit of the Dance,” Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., tonight through Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m. (805) 583-8700. $14.75-$38.50.