Word: fontessa
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Tuesday's premiere performance showed the versatility of the troupe's technique in four markedly different pieces. The zany, humorous "Fontessa and Friends" opened the show with music by the Modern Jazz Quartet. Scott Joplin, Khachaturian, James P. Johnson and Linda Clifford. This lively spoof on ballet and love affairs has a definite plot Fontessa (April Brown) paces around in an evening gown, languishing for The Man, a strong, macho hunk danced by Keith McDaniel. Meanwhile, Ragtime (Ralph Glenmore), a cool Black dude reminiscent of Ben Vereen, laughs at lovers, audience and himself. He turns to the back...
Throughout the dance six male clowns, dressed in white tutus, imitate a corps de ballet of Swan Lake and inelegantly entertain and interrupt Fontessa. Ragtime and The Man with amusing burlesques. The piece's success rides more on its dramatic and humorous aspects than inherent strengths in the dance. Towards the end Fontessa enters the stage in a sequined silver bikint to the song "If my friends could see me now." At one point one almost expects Ragtime to open his mouth and begin talking--certainly a radical departure from any traditional dance form...
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