Artful, eclectic tribute

The annual Jazz Dance L.A. showcase revised its sense of mission to incorporate modern dance achievement in a varied, artful program titled “Tribute to Distinguished L.A. Choreographers” Sunday at the Aratani/Japan America Theater.

Certainly Lester Horton’s intense 1953 character duet “Dedication to Jose Clemente Orozco” could never be classified as jazz dance. But Don Martin’s reconstruction and fine performances by Natasha Diamond-Walker and Leo Gallo made this portrayal of class solidarity and personal support the highlight of the nine-part program. Gallo in particular sustained a weighty authority while meticulously embodying his role’s alternating dominance and dependency.

The Lester Horton Dance Theater also presented Martin’s reconstruction of Horton’s “Sarong Paramaribo,” a 1952 essay in exotica danced by Kristina Berger, and Martin’s own “Odes and Homages,” a 2003 sextet unusual in its creative groupings and sinewy vocabulary.

The UCI Etude Ensemble honored Southland dance master Donald McKayle with vibrant interpretations of his 1951 “Games” (depicting coming of age on an urban playground) and 2002’s “Ash” (responding to the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in New York and suburban Washington, D.C.

Both pieces required a surety of character expression rare in modern dance these days, and “Ash,” especially, set its characterizations on the run -- in one brilliant series of short, overlapping solos, for example, each one as distinctive as a candid snapshot. Lindsey Carter and Jared Hanamaikai proved skillful and sympathetic in the final grieving duet, but the excellence of the work belonged to the Irvine ensemble as a whole.

Pitting a reckless male warrior against a swarming female kimono corps, Kenji Yamaguchi’s dance drama “Asura” confirmed its young choreographer’s growing ability to blend just about every idiom except ballet into a potent contemporary style. Unfortunately, his classical steps had no purpose except florid technical display, and his rambling plot gave the winsome Kana Miyamoto at least one suffering solo too many.

Outsiders came to grief in excerpts from Pat Taylor’s “A Love Supreme” (2003) and in Stefan Wenta’s new “Bach.Onalia.” Performed by her JazzAntiqua Dance and Music Ensemble, Taylor’s group piece ended with Yvonne Johnson reaching out to the anguished, isolated Miguel Edson, though the most impressive choreography came in sections for her proud women.

Wenta’s suite started as a fluent classical showpiece but soon evolved into a feverish dance drama in which Gary Franco ruthlessly focused group energies that crushed the independent John Todd.

The program also included “All I Ask of You,” a sleek adagio choreographed and danced by Cate Caplin and Franco.