Ruger Memmott’s “Shest,” a world premiere featuring music by Michael Wall, opened the evening. The work served as a bite-sized introduction to the company, featuring six (shest is six in Russian) of the eight RDT dancers. The movement was organic, deeply musical, and expressive, especially with the upper body. My only complaint about “Shest” was that it wasn’t longer. Memmott’s movement language was interesting and this work was like an appetizer—I would have loved the chance to sink my teeth into the main course. 

“Shest” was followed by Rachel Barker’s “Six is a Crowd,” which opened with six of the company dancers sliding onto the stage in wide second positions, clad in socks and brightly colored costumes. Set to a mixed score by Albert Mathias, The Juju Orchestra, and Andrew Bird, the work was fun, quirky, and had a dance theater bent, incorporating spoken word and a few simple storylines. As “Six is a Crowd” progressed, it became more and more like a dream—one where locations, people, and events are almost familiar, but have a fantastical element. The stage belonged to the dancers for this work, with the choreography bolstering the dreamscape setting.