Mozart to Joplin

Gotta dance, Gotta dance, Gotta dance.

Interesting about how my last three reviews will be dance, but I love the dance.

Nevada Ballet Theatre's final show of the season, entitled Mozart to Joplin (great title), can be characterized by lively music and a logical theme. There were six performances on a short bill as is usually the case. A couple of piano players and one lovely violin were enough for me. Fortunately they started on-time at the Judy Bayley Theatre. This not the nice big stage used for the Nutcracker at the Rio, but adequate for this show.

Nevada Ballet Theatre is no small time operation: it has $100,000 grants, sponsorship and full-time dancers.

This three-part show, with two intermissions (one is too many), carried the usual strengths of the NBT: great costumes, lovely staging and standard choreography. The opening number was a rudimentary class for the novice with the standard pairs and basic movement behind Mozart or maybe in front of Mozart's Kochel 379; a very nice presentation.

The number two piece, after one of those awful intermissions (isn't it lovely to have a dozen moms crawl over you four times?), was the light-hearted Yes Virginia, Another Piano Ballet. It is a farce with outstanding portrayals as well as dances. I have seen this one before and, of course, it is not Swan Lake but is a contrast. The company's long-time members John Surdick and Clarice Geissel shined here.

That's right, there was yet another intermission before NBT's Artistic Director Bruce Steivel's Joplin. It was a bit busy and way too long. Principals Natalia Chapourskaya and Kyu Dong Kwak dance well together and had the opportunity here. All the dances had a piano on stage and the effect really is first class as was the music.

I can't really complain about this, it was enjoyable, bright and well delivered. A 94 and an A (Sammy Davis Jr. is still the standard we judge all shows by).

Same weekend, but only two shows at the Charleston Heights community center. This one was the 23rd Annual Choreographers Showcase 2002. It consisted of about 14 short pieces by local choreographers with wonderful new and innovative dance numbers. This thing was over the top for me. Unfortunately it comes around only once a year.

Naturally they shot themselves in the foot and started 18 minutes late and allowed at least 4 crying babies in the theatre. What a distraction to the performers and especially me, the guy I care most about. Wonder if I could tape some of this and play it on the way home to further irritate myself (he said sarcastically).

This theme has played since 1979 here in Las Vegas (dating back to the Tropicana) and for $10 it is always money well spent. The city now sponsors this and they bring in a professional guest artist to kick up the cross section of work. This show didn't need any kicking up, since it had tap, classic, modern, belly, ballet, pairs and company pieces; there wasn't a weak one in the bunch. I was impressed by the background of dance and choreographic talent, all accomplished in 90 minutes. A lifetime of work represented in a few minutes of presentation. It was great.

101 and A++. Your critic is really partial to the dance, and good dance at that.