AguaLuna’s Formula for Folklorico Is Disciplined But Aimless

“Dancing in the Shadow of Amalia” could be the subtitle of all Mexican ballet folklorico concerts, so much do they owe to Amalia Hernandez, who invented the form and whose company in Mexico City still sets a high standard.

Gustavo Gonzalez’s AguaLuna Dance Company exists very much within the Hernandez tradition, with its identically costumed men who steal kisses and maidens who sashay in unison with their water jugs. When the women swirl their skirts of edible colors or lacy white, and stride in circles wearing brilliant white-and-gold cowgirl outfits, they stir an instant, vocal response from the audience, which comes to partake of various Mexican rhythms and iconic identities.

To an enthusiastic crowd at the Ford Amphitheatre Friday night, AguaLuna’s program “Reflejos/Reflections” alternated dance suites with solo singers and contributions from Mariachi Los Trovadores. Amplification difficulties plagued the live music and taped accompaniment (used for most dances and some songs), but ballads from Joe Ponce and Marissa Gaeta made an impression, as did the first two singers (unnamed on the program) from Mariachi Los Trovadores.

AguaLuna looked most secure in numbers such as “Flor de Mexico,” “Melodias Tabasquenas” and “Tierra, Mujer y Canto.” In “Ritmos de Costa,” with its authoritative shoulder-tossing and conventional charm, the company showed itself to be the most disciplined folklorico troupe in the Southland.

Yet the pieces often looked aimless, with multiple entrances and exits standing in for choreographic development. And reaching into less-explored territory proved tricky. Opening the program, a heartfelt but painfully underdeveloped work by company member Patricia Maloy exposed technical weaknesses of dancers who, elsewhere, usually looked more confident. All other choreography was by Gonzalez.

The new “Danzoneras” featured the eight beautiful company women, who wore shimmering black-and-silver cocktail dresses and tried to create a mood in which their feet kept the Cuban-inspired beat while they shifted into minimalist patterns like models who don’t want to disturb their makeup. It set an interestingly dramatic tone, but a bit more polish would have completed the picture.

With so many directions open to Gonzalez in the post-Amalia Hernandez century, he has taken only baby steps to move ballet folklorico out of formulaic atmospheres and into a new age.