Ron K. Brown’s Evidence Dance Company opened the Global Dancefest 2008 at the South Broadway Cultural Center Friday evening. This year’s Dancefest, “Journeys Africa,” explores human themes in contemporary dance evolving from the African diaspora. Brown’s choreography reveals both the traditional African roots of his contemporary American dance, yet fuses these roots with modern dance technique and Caribbean rhythms. He used music by Fred Hammond, Bob Marley, Me Shell Ndesgeocello, the Kronos Quartet and Duke Ellington. 

Humanity is seen in these works from a universal perspective; Brown tells stories through movement, text, and music. A strong religious element, especially seen in the piece titled “Grace” has words and gospel music evocative of redemption sermons.

“Order My Steps,” a dance in five sections describing paths of action, opened the concert. “Wandering Warrior,” to Fred Hammond’s song, “Success is in Your Hands,” began as a vigorous solo with hands leading the body in space, flowing out from arms and torso. The earth focus of the movement immediately was established, sweeping from stamped accents.

“Soldiers on the Ground” to Marley’s “War/No More Trouble,” used three dancers in solos, duets and trios. Elastic torso undulations, wide circling arms and punching fists expressed African roots in a statement of energy and rebellion. The dancers ended curled on the ground.

“Dances for Peace” brought the fallen warriors up again as four dancers entered to evolve strong marching steps, fists clenched and raised high, and moments of sorrow with hands covering faces. The sounds of the Kronos Quartet performing Terry Riley’s music swelled as the dancers whipped their bodies into high, turning, stag leaps and dug their steps into the floor.

The dancers used the floor to accentuate vertical movement from high to low, to high again. A distinctive hand gesture kept reappearing, which grew from one hand pointed high, to those of the entire ensemble.

The fifth section, “Moving Forward to Babylon,” to Marley’s rhythms, was a fast, jazzy dance with loose-limbed extensions of arms and legs thrusting into space. Hips and pelvis contractions accented the high-low focus changes in the movement.

“Truth Don Die” had four sub-sections, the first three of which were deeply meditative. “Clear as Tear Water I,” to blues piano and bass by Omatayo “Wunmi” Olaiya, was a solo set upstage, far right. The dancer huddled forward as she began a slow rock, side to side. As she moved center her torso opened with high reaches and turns. Here, as throughout, all transitions in space and timing were velvety smooth. There was perfect control over this vibrant, total-body movement.

Gospel ruled “Obedience,” with music from Hammond’s “Your Steps Have Been Ordered.” Again hand gestures and upper torso contractions dominated in ecstatic moves to the words “You’ve been called to have a relationship with God.”

“Clear as Tear Water II,” another blues solo, addressed the liberation of a woman “breaking that chain.” Her movement shrugged from her shoulders and spine, pulled upright calmly waiting, then reached out to embrace her space with wide arms in a slow turn. This was an entirely truthful and moving projection.

A Caribbean beat fanned the final “For Truth” to a high stepping, muscular and space-devouring romp with the entire ensemble of seven.

The last piece was Brown’s “Grace,” a religious statement about redemption in four parts. Here, movement vocabulary repeated much in style and content from the earlier pieces. Nothing really surprised the eye. However, the opening solo was a nice shift in pace and design, to Ellington’s “Come Sunday.” A beautiful figure in white appeared at center stage and moved in hovering arabesques, like an angel, then smoothly turned in backward spirals with arms following the curve of the turn.

“Grace” ended with “Forgiveness and Another Chance,” again to Ellington’s big band sound and Caribbean beat. Costumed in white, couples came together in supportive embraces. Hovering arabesques were repeated by the ensemble.

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