Stick around long enough and everything begins to look derivative. Such was the case with Christopher d'Amboise's dance "Miller's Moon" last weekend, the closing work of Goucher College's fall dance concert. It appeared lifted directly from Paul Taylor's repertoire.
It is, however, credit to Mr. D'Amboise's wit and discernment that the same things that make Mr. Taylor's dances dance -- the quirky humor, technical range and musicality -- make "Miller's Moon" a zippy ballet.
Set in three sections to J.S. Bach's "Concerto #5 for Harpsichord and Orchestra," "Miller's Moon" was filled with technical oddities and dramatic quirks. Most striking was the second section, where the somewhat somnolent movements of Amy Bailey and Jon Phelps-Steele were illuminated by hand-held spots.
Carolyn Dorfman offered the longer though equally arresting, "Life Lines," attentively danced by students Dinah Gray, Hollie Jones, Amy McCall, Emily Miller, Karen Roberts, Sarah Weber and Mr. Phelps-Steele.
Ms. Dorfman has an eye for design, and her ability to overlay a simple layer of movement with emotional energy adds another dimension. The dance began with each dancer crossing the stage at varying intervals. A stumble and a brief fall were added to the slow strides; quick turnabouts also added dynamic contrasts. Midway, a dancer emerged from the wings, tethered with a rope that disappeared offstage. The same forward lean of the opening walks was echoed in her stance as she tested her weight against the rope.
Other offerings of merit included Kathi Ferguson's fairy tale ballet, "The Nightingale," which featured guest artists Thomas Bell and Roger Wade merchant, as well as students Natasha Kirjanov and Ms. Gray.
Faculty member Juliet Forrest choreographed "Ten Four," which made good use of the music of John Adams to depict the life and times of a Goucher dance student.