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Night Creature incorporates many movements now common in jazz dancing and it may well be Ailey catalogued the vocabulary, including thrust arm clenching into a fist, brought into the side of the body, elbow bent emphasizing a punchy rhythm; undulating walk with frequent side hip accents or brief pauses; slow sensual pelvic rolls, pride of any good belly dancer; arm raised forward at a forty-five degree angle, wrist bent forward, hand a musical or choreographic accent; pirouettes taken with a knee bent several inches away from a passe touching the knee while flattened hands slice the air like a knife.

The Ailey delivery is smooth, stage patterns informed by his Horton background and his own fertility. In this year’s performance, such devices glittered with beautiful extensions, the dancers’ obvious exhilaration, supported and individual grand jetes, inherent savvy and wit. Costumes perhaps once chic, could effectively be redesigned so elegant Ailey bodies and movement are further highlighted.

There is a particularly lively movement where Asha Thomas, diminutive leader of the pack, as each member said with varying forms of a wave, “Goodbye y’all,” responded with equal variety and degrees of attention or smarts, finishing with a grin to the audience before she, too, bade us “Ta Ta.”

Solo, the Hans Van Manen trio, seen at San Francisco Ballet’s Gala, followed, demonstrating how apt good choreography is on excellent dancers. Clifton Brown, Glenn Allen Sims and Matthew Russing polished it with humor and panache, reveling in its full out challenge.

Ife/My Heart, in white, gave us signature movements from Muslim Africa, white ruffled Diaspora and city-sharp America, all ultimately hunkered down to common rhythms; each beguiled us with stylistic differences. Renee Robinson, Glenn Allen Sims, Jamar Roberts, Kirven J. Boyd, Asha Thomas, Matthew Rushing, Linda Celeste Sims Amos J. Machanic, Jr. and Roxanne Lyst shared the exposition.

Revelations, the Ailey signature, evoked a stampede of enthusiasm and sound before each number. Revelations is that rare theatre piece of full body and soul, never faltering from curtain rise to curtain fall. Ailey sagely created a seamless movement from the believers gathering, pleading, conversion and baptism into the final active voice of Sinner Man and Rockin’ My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham.

Linda Celeste Sims and Glenn Allen Sims danced a particularly strong and tender “Fix Me, Jesus,” all balances, reaches and protected contractions. Amos J. Machanic, Jr.’s rendition of I Wanna Be Ready etched the declaration, its backward stretches and balances with unfaltering skill and conviction.

James Robert, Clifton Brown and Kirven J. Boyd sliced through space and across the stage in Sinner Man. The grand jetes and the sur-la place leaps caught the breath with skill, precision and reminded us forty-six years ago Ailey’s dancers rose to the same demands, virtuosi that early.
 

Just when the pitch chilled us with the hunted and fugitive, the tone changes to the Sunday gathering where the women in the company arrive, toting stools, fanning their faces languidly until they meet a sister or several. The eloquent gossip in those rapidly wielded fans never fails to elicit appreciative chuckles, abetted by the superb flash of eyes. There are be no secrets in this congregation, not as those sisters lower their bulk ceremoniously to the flat diameter of their stools, settling in for the inevitable call and response. The deliberation is a glory all its own; like the appearance of the men, dudes to a man, crooking their arms for the sisters, brothers all pointing to the heavens or spinning as the sisters sway with their fans, thrusting their heels joyously to the full throated rendition of this spiritual. Is it any wonder that the audience screamed and stood at its conclusion until the company reprised the number?

Reminiscin’ demonstrated how well Judith Jamison knows her dancers and the young Harlem adult lifestyle. Their bodies are full, ripe, aware and their occupants waft forward and back among partners and friends. Not since On The Town do I remember more convincing behavior around a bar. Rather than Robbins’ six soloists plus bar tender, she has chosen eleven with a range from tender to sass in an ambiance, unlike On The Town,familiar to all the players.

The occupants of this space were Dwana Adiaha Smallwood, Alicia J. Graf, Courtney Brene Corbin, Tina Monica Williams, Gwynenn, Taylor Jones, Rosalyn Dieshauteurs, Jamar Roberts, Amos J. Machanic, Jr., Zach Law Ingram, Chris Jackson, Antonio Douthit. The plot? socializing and mating little distinguished by song and dancer in the program. However, it provides a place for the breathtaking aplomb, feet, line and extensions of Alicia J. Graf, another incredible young woman who can’t make a false or ungraceful move if consciously trying. Returning to dancing after an injury and a Columbia University degree magna cum laude, Graf follows Jamieson’s footsteps of unforgettable height with equal elegance.

David Parson’s Shining Star, using Earth Wind and Fire as music, drew upon show biz tradition;the dancers in white, vied for our attention with a glaring string of lights glaring. Alicia J. Graaf, Courtney Brene Corbin, Khilear Douglas, Roxanne Lyst, Olivia Bowman, Dion Wilson, Chris Jackson, Guillermos Asca, Antonio Douthit, Kristen Irby reprised the cardinal rule of African American artists: “Entertain!”

In 1982 David Parsons created a tour de force solo for himself using overhead spots and strobe lighting. I saw him dance it at the cultural Olympics in Atlanta. To see it rendered with equal skill by Glenn Allen Sims, is reassuring; wherever stellar dancers are such unusual works survive.

If the Saturday matinee performance of Revelations did not provoke Friday night’s encore, in response to Berkeley’s ecstatic approval, the company gave the audience at least a half dozen bows. Berkeley will also witness an Ailey dance camp for the fifth consecutive year this June.