Jazz Tap Ensemble Looks to the Future

It’s no secret that we’re a youth-obsessed society. By presenting an evening titled “The Next Generation� at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre on Saturday, Lynn Dally, artistic director of Jazz Tap Ensemble, passed the mantle, so to speak, to a younger generation of dancers. By doing so, Dally assured that the art of tap would be in good hands--or feet, as the case may be.

In a 16-part program, with nine Los Angeles premieres, JTE was joined by the Caravan Project (hoofers ages 13 to 19), founded by Dally in 1991. These comers--Namita Kapoor, Melinda Sullivan and Joseph and Josette Wiggan--have all the right moves and a collective determined presence.

That said, much of the night belonged to JTE veteran Becky Twitchell, who not only artfully choreographed six of the evening’s works but also danced with Dally-esque ease and a sure-fire style.

In Twitchell’s “Samba/Swing,� Sullivan, Joseph Wiggan, Kapoor and JTE members Jeffery Williams Jr. and Jerri Lynn Henning executed sharp unisons to music of Cole Porter. In “Worm,� the quintet hammered out a slithery, military-like beat, while Twitchell’s “St. Thomas� showcased Henning and Williams in a duet that broke out in a quasi-jitterbug coupling.

Twitchell took a solo turn in “Gravy Waltz,� tossing off sassy spins, ending with a rocking, full-body quiver. She paired with a JTE dancer, the spectacular Channing Cook Holmes, in “Milestones,� the duo’s creation peppered with syncopated tappings that sounded like cannons firing.

In his piece, “Seven,� Holmes’ flagellating footwork proved Einstein-ian in its complexity. JTE member John Kloss’ legs had a life of their own in his premiere, “Besame Mucho.�

Guest artist Chance Taylor soared with whiplash turns in his new improvisation, “Afro-Blue.� Also guesting: former JTE dancer Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, whose “Solo� had her moving backward and forward with astonishing speed and agility.

As always, the jazz half of JTE’s equation proved equally first-rate: Music director Jerry Kalaf provided stellar drum work, Doug Walter grooved on piano and sax, and Domenic Genova plucked out a mean bass.

In all, a tour de tap night.