Dancing Wheels combines forces with Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre to present a world premiere and three dances from the companies' repertoire.

Artistic Directors Mary Verdi-Fletcher and Michael Medcalf wanted a new work that would "reflect the similarities and challenges encountered by people with disabilities and people of color." To choreograph the piece they've chosen Los Angeles-based David Rousseve who has set a new work, Walking on Clouds, on the combined companies.

A Google search suggests that Rousseve may well be an excellent fit for such a project. He directed his own company, Reality, in NYC for 10 years, was NEA Fellow for 7 years running and took his company to Brooklyn Academy of Music's prestigious Next Wave Festival 3 times. He is a prolific choreographer, creating many evening length pieces on his company and on other companies such as Houston Ballet, Ballet Hispanico, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble and Atlanta Ballet.

Some of the dance world's snarkiest critics have written favorable reviews of his choreography. Critics' descriptions of his pieces and his own comments in interviews suggest that Walking on Clouds continues a number of themes important in Rousseve's work. Diversity is his theme of choice. To put his concepts across to his audience he uses a mix of downtown, postmodern release technique and down home sensibility: African-American music and dance, both traditional and pop, Gospel-style preaching and call and response that (often successfully) involves the audience. This is, we believe, his first dance to focus on disability but that theme would seem a likely fit for the African-American, gay activist, AIDS activist who was quoted in the January 18, 2000 Advocate, "It's about making a leap of compassion; if someone is from another race or sexuality, hopefully by the end of the piece they can realize that we're all in this together."

Former Clevelander Young Park is represented by two pieces, Masala (2004) created on CCDT and State of Mine/Mind (2005) created on Dancing Wheels. We saw and thought highly of both pieces; seeing them again will doubtless underscore the importance of Park's contribution to Cleveland's dance community.

Masala, literally "a mixture of spices," shows Park in her world music mode, drawing on East Asian influences. State of Mine/Mind demonstrates Park's eclectic range. Music by Dhol Foundation, Lou Harrison, Uzig and Sadamoto arranged in classical sonata form. Movement from modern dance to break dance-derived steps. A frantic first section begins laying groundwork for a final section in which a serenely revolving three pointed star weaves a spell.

Verb Ballets' Artistic Director Hernando contributes a piece we have not yet seen, Promise Her Anything (2004) set to a suite of Burt Bacharach songs sung by various artists. It sounds like Cortez in our favorite of his many modes: pop. We're interested to see how he uses this diverse group of dancers.

Last winter Verdi-Fletcher told us Dancing Wheels has "a ton of new rep" and everything we saw at the April concert at Tri-C East convinced us it's good stuff; well danced; quality as well as quantity.

8PM Wednesday, July 20, 2005 at Cain Park's Evans Amphitheater. Tickets range from $20 in advance to $16 lawn. Day of show tickets start at $25. In person at the Cain Park box office, 216 371-3000, http://www.ticketmaster.com

From Cool Cleveland contributors Elsa Johnson and Victor Lucas vicnelsaAtearthlink.net (:divend:)