Also this issue: Three Sisters Theatre Exile presents a world premiere that’s a real family affair. -Deni Kasrel Remembering Ella Local artists react to the death of Ella King Torrey -David Warner Still Here Elaine Stritch (still) isn’t afraid to speak her mind. -A.D. Amorosi Gentlemen Volunteers -Juliet Fletcher Project Room Benefit Party -Debra Auspitz Rennie Harris Puremovement at Salute to Youth -Deni Kasrel Stango Gallery opening -Debra Auspitz ArtsQuicks More stuff going on this week …

May 8-14, 2003

artpicks

Philadanco

It's Danco time at the Kimmel! That's good news for Philadanco admirers and dance lovers in general, because calling Danco dancers sensational is a mild understatement. "Steal Away," a world premiere by Alonzo King, artistic director of LINES Ballet of San Francisco, headlines the program. King's dance background ranges from ballet (Dance Theater of Harlem) to modern (Bella Lewitzky and Donald McKayle). Danco dancers always respond magnificently to the challenge of tackling any dance technique in the world -- usually more than one in the same piece. Vanessa Thomas, Philadanco's managing director, says, "Our dancers definitely have ballet training but they would not consider themselves ballet dancers. Alonzo's dance requires a whole other mental aspect to pull it off." The company is also reviving Louis Johnson's "Forces of Rhythm," which, as Philadanco founder/executive director Joan Myers Brown comments mildly, requires the dancers to use "different aspects of dance abilities, some balletic movement, including the surprise of our dancers on pointe. But the guys do real, real, ethnic dance." If that's not enough, the program includes "Labess II" in which David Brown honors his roots in Martha Graham technique and his native Jamaica. Finally there's "Echoes," Milton Myers' homage to Alvin Ailey. Talk about "different aspects of dance abilities!" Go Danco.

Philadanco, Thu.-Sat., May 8-10, $27-$37, Kimmel Center, 260 S. Broad St., 215-893-1999.

—Janet Anderson