Rose Parade at the Auckland Performing Arts Centre

By BERNADETTE RAE

As a dancer, Megan Adams stands out as a high voltage performer. As a choreographer, the intensity of her energy might just drive you mad.

Rose Parade, "a nostalgic salute to New Zealand suburbia", is set prettily enough by Jeremy Randerson against two wheeled sections of rosily illuminated balustrade, reminiscent of the wrought iron adornment of many a suburban terrace. Sections of this curly pattern are projected on video (James Hutchinson) behind.

The four female dancers are bedecked in Adrian Hailwood costumes that range from the printed frock to a satin cheongsam. The soundtrack, from Toby Laing, is chopped-up bits of popular tunes, all pre hit parade, all with a peculiarly rhythmic beat.

Against this, a quintet of dancers exhibits a marathon of intricate footwork and rapidly executed floor patterns that dazzle the eye and play hypnotic games with your brain.

In the programme notes Adams sets out the rules to the construction of her "domestic dance sampler", involving the application of the palindrome, a word, phrase, verse or sentence that reads the same backwards or forwards.

So "the Parade will consist of one large palindrome, divided into a series of smaller palindromes, with these containing a series of palindromic elements ... " And so it is.

The music plays and the dancers skip and whirl through repeating and reversing intricacies and curlicues till the audience bursts into spontaneous applause in admiration at the strength of their memories and the fortitude of their calves.

And then it goes back the other way. So hats off to dancers Natasha Alpe, Jenny Nicholas, Julie van Renen, Liana Yew and Soloman Holly-Massey.

But what does Rose Parade say about suburbia? A large trophy cup, a white pottery swan, a stuffed calf and an embroidered trident all join the parade. When the deadpan expressions of the dancers crack, it is into display-only smiles.

It is a busy place, and a place of artifice in action, but it is far from bleak. Adams' view is warm and affectionate, choreographically impressive, and in the end, quite enchanting.

* Rose Parade is at the Auckland Performing Arts Centre, Motions Rd, Western Springs, until Saturday, 8pm