Meadows Dance Ensemble mixed bill presented at The Bob Hope Theater, Owen Arts Center on Wednesday was precisely that: a mixed bill in every regard. The entire evening was interesting, and superbly performed, the performances offered a wide-range of choreography both in terms of genres and crafty movement innovation. Four works on the program were Prayers by Jessica Lang, Vigelands Garden by Christopher Dodd, No Contact by Jamal Jackson White, and Camille. . .A Poem of Intimacy by Jean Paul Comelin.

The formal spatial architecture of Prayers, commanding presence of nine determined women in modest, long gray dresses, a geometric use of solid wooden chairs, and rich musical accompaniment by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi and Josquin Des Prez, combined to afford the piece a dramatic simplicity akin to a church mass. Lang’s work is a textbook study in choreography composition, including a wide use of cannons, theme and variation, level changes, creative floor patterns and performance dynamics. The ensemble movement felt like a conversation. Each sentence was correctly punctuated and sinuous. Soloist Kimberly Van Woesik offered a balance of power, restraint, fluidity and passion in her performance. 

Vigeland’s Garden required a degree of physical truthfulness and emotional vulnerability from the dancers. The work was inspired by Norwegian Sculptor Gustav Vigeland’s famous sculpture park depicting the “cyclical nature of human life.” The curtain opened to reveal a compact circle of muscular dancers in skin tight, white uni-tards standing with bound strength, collectively supporting a small, fetal, female above their heads. Like liquid mercury, the unit successively collapses and splits apart into many pieces only to re-amalgamate later on in the work. The rather bland electronic music by Brian Eno took away from the wonderful aesthetic Christopher Todd brought to the dancers with his innovative choreography.

The gem of the evening was Camille. . .A Poem of Intimacy, “a work in progress on the sculptures of French artist Camille Claudel, pupil and mistress of Auguste Rodin.” It was a lovely duet danced by Veronica Isla Phillips and John Mingle IV. Jean Paul’s magnificent choreography whisked and whirled with light, warm, tender and romantic moments.

2011 Spring Dance Concert runs March 30-April 3, 2011. Friday and Saturday evening performances include Martha Graham’s masterwork, Panorama.