From the moment the dancers and musicians of Ballet Folklorico Cutumba entered the stage at Dance Place on Saturday afternoon, they created the festive, let-your-hair-down atmosphere of a Cuban street parade. With broad smiles, brightly colored costumes and exuberant movements, the troupe offered a charming glimpse into the dance and cultural traditions of its native country.
In “Cutareros Ritmicos,” the dancers donned traditional wooden shoes that enabled them to stamp out syncopated rhythms that were as dense as they were fast. As their feet moved feverishly, their upper bodies maintained a relaxed, sensual quality.
The group’s closing number, “Tajona,” demanded impeccable precision and timing. In this work, a tall pole is placed in the center of the stage, and each dancer clutches a ribbon that is attached to the top of the pole. While popping their shoulders and shuffling their feet, the dancers weave around one another, which causes the ribbons to plait into an intricate pattern. Soon, they unwind the complicated braid at a tempo nearly twice as fast as they produced it, which makes for a frenzy of well-timed crisscrossing, zigzagging, ducking and jumping.
The performance, part of the annual DanceAfrica, D.C. festival, also featured Coyaba Dance Theater, a District-based company that specializes in West African styles. “Olokun Warrior,” choreographed by Sylvia Soumah, was a strong display of athleticism. The all-female cast effortlessly powered through a series of quick jumps, sweeping arm circles and deep lunges. The women moved so forcefully that when the dance ended with them collapsing on the floor, you felt like they had earned a rest.