Bingham’s Ambitious ‘Firebird’ Sets Sights High but Falls Short

As a dancer, Marla Bingham is possessed of a stunning line, unerring passion and an intense determination--qualities honed, no doubt, when she was with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. As choreographer and director of the locally based Marla Bingham Contemporary Ballet, founded in 1996, Bingham tries exceedingly hard but remains, unfortunately, in germination. All of these traits were apparent in Saturday evening’s three-part performance at Thousand Oaks’ Scherr Forum.

Bingham’s most ambitious work, her world premiere “Firebird,” with Stravinsky’s kinetic music, was given a Native American spin. Bingham, a Wampanoag Indian from Massachusetts’ Mashpee tribe, imbued her toe-shoed “Firebird” with heart-fluttering bravura and quivering vulnerability. Her decision to have Ivan Naranjo on stage narrating Andrew Roa’s homily-filled text, however, was exasperatingly simplistic.

There was much hip wiggling, wing flapping and fleet-footed leaping among the 20 dancers, all clad in Sheila Pace’s distracting, glitter-glam costumes. With Ray Garcia a leaden Warrior, Gregg Engel a frenzied Intruder and a host of ill-conceived Demons looking as if they’d escaped from a disco (Randy Rene, Michael Van Patten, Denny Newell), this work suffered from a choreographically hollow nucleus.

More successful was Bingham’s “Sanctuary,” a five-part suite highlighting women as caretakers. Besides the arresting Bingham, Pamela Pinkelton and Heather Lipson made use of beautiful arm gestures, all wielding shawls with back-arching grace. Completing the program: “And Now There’s Five.”

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* Marla Bingham Contemporary Ballet, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Scherr Forum, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Resumes Thursday, 3 p.m.; Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2:30 p.m. (213) 480-3232. $18-$30.