Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater celebrates its fifth anniversary with works by Rennie Harris and Ulysses Dove

Jason Skinner

Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater

By Kristen Peterson

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 | 3:38 p.m.

When you’re a small dance company celebrating your fifth anniversary, which coincides with your debut at a stunning new performing arts center, you’re likely to design a robust program, one that defines your dance company and its history. That explains the diverse and amazing lineup for Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater’s May 29 performance—work by the late Ulysses Dove, Rennie Harris Milton Myers, Krislyn World-Heil and company founder Bernard Gaddis, a former principle with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

The touring company of diverse dancers -varying in age, physical stature and background- performs work by acclaimed and emerging choreographers. Tuesday’s performance includes new works—Myles’ Variations based on the Lester Horton dance technique and hip-hop dancer and choreographer Harris’ Lifted. It revisits its repertoire with an excerpt from Gaddis’ ballet Opulence, based on King Henry VII and three of his wives, and World-Heil’s Read Matthew 11:28, set to music by Bobby McFerrin. Then there’s Dove’s Vespers, an intense, dramatic and energetic work inspired by Dove’s visits to his grandmother’s church when young. You really don’t want to miss this.