Three quartets, two for women (adding Caitlin Scranton to the previous trio) all feature complex traffic patterns of dancers walking, running, skipping with quick changes in direction and reversals. For “Calico Mingling,” they move in circles, each around her own body and also in relation to the group. The arms respond by winging out, a gentle breeze. When the four return for “Katema,” they form a diamond shape and move in pairs to mirror an opposite duo. The walking patterns begin to resemble a flower petal. The swinging arms are more active here, propelling the dancers into turns rather than simply responding. I can hardly imagine the mental focus it takes to pull off what looks so completely spontaneous. 

At 85, Childs’ popularity is resurging. She’s beginning a five-year contract as resident choreographer with Gibney Dance Company, and preparing a new work for the Fisher Center at Bard this summer. She’s worked consistently since her beginning with Judson Dance Theater in the 1960s, becoming more widely known in the 70s with the success of “Dance” and “Einstein on the Beach,” the iconic five hour long Robert Wilson production. She founded her own dance company in 1973, and has worked with many ballet companies and opera productions. 

The final piece of Early Works, “Radial Courses,” is a promenade, which begins with four men walking counterclockwise in a hurried pace that irregularly hiccups into a skipping run. Two by two the dancers circle, reversing their direction in intricate repetition, with arms held in first position throughout. I’m reminded of show horses cantering in a dressage ring. They mesmerize.