Unusual Pairing Taps Into Indonesian Tradition

The sound of an Indonesian gamelan is like a celestial conversation of gongs, chimes and drums that thrum like rain, descending to earth with a kind of divinely ordained syncopation and heartbeat-steady repetition. It probably isn’t necessary to say that tap dancing isn’t usually part of the equation, but at the Japan America Theatre on Saturday night, Rhapsody in Taps proved it’s a viable idea by joining forces with members of the CalArts Balinese gamelan, Burat Wangi, under the direction of I Nyoman Wenten.

Choreographed by artistic director Linda Sohl-Donnell, the collaboration was aptly called “Nusantara,” which means “Bridge Between Islands.” The tappers, clad in traditional velvet and gold brocade bodices over trousers and tap shoes, had assimilated elements of traditional Indonesian movement--the quicksilver darting, wavelike fluctuations and extended, bent-back hands. They also became part of the soundscape somewhat seamlessly, altering their usual “it’s show time” tap personalities in ways that added dimension to the form.

Capturing some of the elegant lines and vibrating stillness of Indonesian classical dance, Pauline Hagino, Fred Strickler and Rashida Khan began the piece as a kind of pantheon of “tap gods.” And in a mesmerizing duet, a masked Sohl-Donnell floated like smoke and seemed to fascinate Wenten, who enhanced his own beautiful score by circling her with a purer strain of traditional dancing.

The rest of the program was more standard fare, often sparkling: In “Ol’ Soul Cole,” Strickler dexterously skittered, like a man with relentlessly fast patter; “Entropy” was Jimmy Fisher’s lickety-smack solo (agile rebounds meet weighted limbs); and master tapper Buster Brown gave us more agile footwork than an 86-year-old should legally be allowed, laced with wry, witty attitude.

Providing spirited onstage backup for the non-gamelan portion of the evening were the Rhapsody in Taps musicians--Gildo Mahones, Rusty Higgins, Jardine Wilson, Fritz Wise and Bob Fernandez.