Reviews

It's tough being No.2. Just ask Dallas Black Dance Theatre II.

CHERYL DIAZ MEYER/DMN

Dallas Black Dance Theatre II performs Chaos at the Latino Cultural Center in Dallas.

Company No.1 has the repertory, recognition and resources. But No. 2 is making inroads, accruing works from the main company and improving the caliber of dancers. It even got a brand new dance – Chaos – created by a hot new nationally known choreographer.

Saturday night at the Latino Cultural Center, DBDT II proved its mettle. When nine dancers burst forth in Edmond Giles' No More Dry Tears, they brought an emotional force and purpose that augured well for the program.

Tears was originally created for the main company and featured equal numbers of men and women, but DBDT II had to make do with only one man. The imbalance wasn't that noticeable in this piece, but it did put a crimp on the rest of the program.

Perhaps to make up for a company dominated by female dancers – 11 women, two men – artistic director and choreographer Allyne D. Gartrell enlisted Richard Freeman Jr. and Michael Jackson Jr. from the main company to perform his soulful Brother to Brother.

Mr. Gartrell also offered a tame To Feel & Understand and a sizzling, amusing Secrets, right out of Motown. Second Generation Dance Company, guest artists from Houston, went Secrets one better on the sexy side with Womenspeak, which was imbued with heartfelt emotion.

Then things turned wild with Christopher Huggins' Chaos. Like giant bees, 11 dancers in black hoods swarmed about, with Mr. Gartrell as the calming force, prissy-footing and waving arms. Given Mr. Gartrell's height and bulk, it was pretty funny.

Margaret Putnam is a Richardson-based writer who covers dance.