CrossCurrents

Movin’ and groovin’ in only its second year, Texture Contemporary Ballet has tightened its execution while extending its choreographic vision. The company’s latest effort was titled There’s Something About Fontina, a wry reference to the dancers’ obsession with eating cheese and a perceived connection with increased creativity. To be sure, though, this group was hungry to move and that made it all the more exciting.

But there was a fine commitment to the details, giving it a sleeker, more professional look. Plus, founder and artistic director Alan Obuzor and associate artistic director Kelsey Bartman rewarded the others with an assortment of juicy solos.

I loved Bartman’s choice of two Philip Glass’ “knee plays” or interludes from Einstein on the Beach, an iconic Robert Wilson production from the ’70’s. She called it Well…On the Other Knee — this group embraces its humor — and packed it with an eccentric array of hyper-active dance, with knife-like arms echoing traditional pointe steps. Her use of canon was quite effective, though, and there were moments, such as a sequence of bourrees that morphed into running in circle. It capsulized the disintegration of ballet and that had a fresh perspective.

Obuzor produced one of his endlessly beautiful ribbons of dance, although under a convoluted title, Can Reality Acutely Create Knowledge?. That didn’t diminish the harmonious nature of the movement, slipping in and out like tidal patterns on the shore. Yes, slipping. The choreographer clad his dancers in socks and took advantage of the unpredictable nature it leant to the dance. A few skids, teetering on the edge of danger, a sense of freedom — all those gave Obuzor’s usually smooth tactics an offbeat look.

A series of short pieces completed the program, most of them generated by choreographic teams. Christopher Bandy and Aaron Ingley performed Near, a terrific buddy duet with a sweet, almost childlike simplicity, although Regina Spektor’s quizzical lyrics to Two Birds meddled a bit with the overall effect.

Jamie Erin Murphy and Renee Danielle Smith produced Accidentally on purpose, you might say. It could have been a variation on a blind date or love being blind or finding the right person in order to truly see — that wasn’t clear. But the choreography itself had wonderful connections on its own.

While company member Alexandra Tiso provided a pleasant solo for Shannon Biery, Crest, Bartman and Obuzor took Jamie Cullum’s spare version of Not While I’m Around and gave it an slender air of intimacy. In Ice Ice, Gabriel Gaffney Smith provided a Vanilla Ice-type accompaniment for a piece that played with the uneven look of one pointe shoe and one boot (including Obuzor — what can’t he do?), which actually share the concept of work footwear. Even better, Bartman and Obuzor could have explored the lopsided qualities further.

Speaking of choreographic levels, a kitchen table provided the arena — above, below and around –  for Ode to Divorce, performed by Bartman and Obuzor, who shared credit with Joseph Ian Steinauer. This is a prop that has been used quite a bit by Attack Theater over the years, but this duo had a sinuous intrigue and charismatic connection all their own.

So there was quite a range of dance on this entertaining program. But then, that begged the question of where will they go? What path will they choose?

Certainly Texture has the potential to become an experimental alternative to Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre in a similar vein with San Francisco Ballet and Alonzo King LINES Ballet. Among Texture’s dance elements was an exoticism filtered through the off-center hip action that can be found in LINES, particularly in Obuzor’s choreography.

Or they could head into a European flavor, although this is an outside chance. A number of choreographers, perhaps the off-center deconstruction of a young William Forsythe.

Perhaps they will breed an American brand of hip hop and ballet. Certainly choreographer Dwight Rhodes, one of Obuzor’s favorites, has toyed with that in his choreography and now it’s a hot trend.

New York City Ballet principal Wendy Whelan is experimenting with some up-and-coming choreographers, set to debut at Jacob’s Pillow this summer. In the meantime, there will be a preview at the Guggenheim that will be streamed live on Sun. Apr. 14. And the New York Times’ Alastair Macaulay was enamored with Lil Buck, who performs a Memphis jookin that borders on balletic.

All those elements were hinted at in the program in varying amounts. It will be fascinating to see them jell into a distinctively Texture-d voice.