Portland observer., March 18, 1982, Image 23

Choreography: Royston Maldoom. Dancers: Ste-
panie Baxter, Mel Tomlinson.
The dancers o f Dance Theatre o f Harlem are Lydia
Abarca, Laura and Susan Brown, Elena Carter, Brenda
Garratt, Yvonne H all, Virginia Johnson, Laura and Su­
san Lovelle, Gayle M cK inney, M elva M u rra y -W h ite ,
Sheila Rohan, Roslyn Sampson, Karen Ann W H ite and
Roman Brooks, Homer Hans Bryant, Ronald Prry, Wal­
ter Raines, Paul Russell, Allen Sampson, W illiam Scott,
Samuel Smalls. Mel Tomlinson, Derek Williams and Jo­
seph Wyatt. There are no ballerinas or premiers in Dance
Theatre o f H arlem ; nevertheless, after the manner o f
stars, there are some o f more dazzle or gleam than others.
Their radience illuminates everything that Dance Theatre
o f Harlem dances.
•xuuaiu rc ir y , rising twenty (and with merely six years
training) is likely to be the first Black American danseur
noble. C lassically handsome, n o b ility is im p lic it in his
presence, torm and manner. He has, besides, a cool ser­
enity, which gives his partnering an intriguing quality.
Most o f the tw enty-five dancers o f Dance Theatre o f
Harlem are charter members. Abarca joined M itchell at
HSA and went with him in the famous exodus; Johnson,
who received her early training at the Washington Schooi
o f Ballet, came to D T H in 1969. Abarca and Johnson,
more by their beauty and talent than by the fact o f senior­
ity, are the ballerinas at D TH , but each o f the other out­
standing dancers has a distinctive quality.
Gayle M cKinney is doe-eyed, a dancer-actress o f be-
guilingly various moods, and a strong, urgent attack in
her dancing.
Melva M urray-W hite has a yearning, yielding temper­
ament, a tantalizing elusiveness— and a jum p o f surpris­
ing power.
Sheila Rohan is D T H ’ s N efertiti, delicate, poised, re­
mote—a cool, exact, enigmatic beauty.
Roslyn Sampson, M itc h e ll’ s perennial “ L ittle O ne,”
looks and even dances like a lovely Persian kitten.
nuysron Maiaoom. Dan­
To match the distinctio o f the girls, the men have great
cers: Yvonne Hall, Eddie Shellman.
virility, but o f different temperaments.
Virginia Johnson, one year older than Lydia Abarca, is
W alter Raines (trained at School o f American Ballet
D T H ’ s'prima and she has the looks and the style to war­
and a dancer, in Cranko’s time, o f the Stuttean Rallpti k
rant the title. Johnson is one o f those rare dancers who
sheds a glowing light on a company.
She has a gracious manner and a classically beautiful
face: oval, w ith delicate aquiline features, and a fine,
pale, almost translucent skin. Her hair springs back from
h er high forehead, her brows arch over large, lambent
eyes, as they do in portraits o f noble ladies in 15th cen­
tu ry p a inting s. U nder her regal com posure Johnson
seems to be hoarding a thousand secrets.
Her fathomable calm has been broken by Karel Shook,
*h o has just extracted from Johnson a new character,
that o f the virtuoso ballerina in D on Quixote. Johnson
ind Russell are dancing this pas de deux together for the
•irst time this season, to as much acclaim as Russell and
Laura Brown have already won fo r Le Corsaire.
Serenade" Choreographer: George Balanchine.
Music: Tchaikovsky. Dancers (left to right): Denise
Nix, Virginia Johnson, Lorraine Graves, Lowell
Smith.
O f tw o g irls named B row n, Laura is the m ore im ­
mediately arresting, because o f her soft, pliant grace; her
sweetness and charm.
O f the two Lovelies, Susan has a vivid, almost startling
Manifestations" Choreography: Arthur Mitchell
beauty. Her face, like the faces in A fric a n sculpture,
looks both archaic and contemporaneous. In physique Music: Primous Fountain III. Dancers: Stephanii
she is the essential “ Balanchine dancer,” fleet, extrava­ Dablney, Lowell Smith. Photo: Jack Vartoogian.
gantly arched, with a breath-taking extension.
an actor-dancer o f great subtlety, suave and authorita
Among the men at D T H , Paul Russell is the principal
tive. Raines’ H a ik u and A fte r C o rin th are in D T H ’ ;
virtuoso. A dancer o f vibrant personality and b rillia n t
repertoire.
■shnique, he is also an excellent partner.
Derek W illiams, born in Jamaica, and o f eclectic danct
training, is serious, dignified, w ith an elegance scarcelj
seen in the A m erican ballet since Royes Fernandes
stopped dancing.
Both Raines and W illiams are superb partners: chival­
rous, and tender o f their ladies, with an effortless cour­
tesy o f manner.
W illiam Scott is a dancer very reminiscent o f A rth u r
M itchell, in his speed and attack, and in his humor. Scott
is D TH s ballet master, arid has choreographed a jazz
ballet for the company: Every Now and Then.
Joseph W yatt is yet another exciting dancer at D TH .
He has a sleek facial handsomeness but, perversely, a
compact, powerful body. W yatt's haughty profile is the
fascinating mask o f an explosive physical energy. And
n Tr° V 2 8me Chor8°9rapher: Robert North. W yatt’ s strong, sure, soaring leap makes him the bronze
Dancers: Company men.
Nijinsky.
Troy Game" Choreographer: Robert North. Dan-
>rs: Lowell Smith (standing), Keith Saunders.
A for Abarca places this dancer first on the roster. And
there she belongs! Her looks, her style, her manner have
the harmony o f sheer perfection. Abarca is a living ode to
beauty, incapable o f an ugly gesture or a false movement.
She is as grave as Johnson is serious but Abarca and
Johnson are altogether unlike each other. In place o f
Johnson’ s grandeur, Abarca has the lovely, m ournful
wistfulness o f the great Rom antic ballerina. She is the
dreaming soul o f dance.
V irginia Johnson is D T H ’ s princess; Abarca, D T H ’ s
exquisite nymph. One is destined fo r roles o f fire and
hauteur; the other for all the lyrical, poetic roles in ballet.
Dance Theatre o f Harlem has the principals for a fine
Giselle, with Johnson as the glittering, icy Queen o f the
Wilis, and Abarca as the most beautiful wili o f them all.
From Classical
To Modern
To Ethnic