In a four-part program, including two West Coast premieres, the troupe delivered a rollicking, adrenaline-fueled cornucopia of moves that rarely failed to astonish. Jump-starting the evening was Rena Butler’s 2024 work, “Shell of A Shell of The Shell.” Set to a heavy-duty electronic track by Darryl J. Hoffman (all music was heard on tape), the number featured six dancers attired in Hogan McLaughlin’s earth-toned, comfy-looking garb (sleeveless, stretchy tops, poufy boxer-type shorts and kneepads), with William Okajima’s opening the work as if shot out of a canon, his quarter turns a blaze of beauty.

Described as “a journey of self-decolonization,” and “reimagining the narrative of the monolithic, titular character ‘King Kong,’” the piece was a frenzy of shapes, silhouettes and shadows, courtesy of Dan Scully’s lighting, which included haze and myriad spotlights, occasionally bringing to mind the tableaux of Kara Walker. Unisons were also prominent, whether in hip-hop mode or crab-walking, while same-sex partnering was threaded throughout. 

This was the dancing of Planet Abraham, albeit on earth, with Hoffman’s soundtrack occasionally analogous to a futuristic disco jam. Making full use of the Wallis’ stage, running entrances and exits contributed to a kind of whirligig atmosphere, one where Jamaal Bowman and Alysia Johnson could be seen deploying deep pliés and lunges, while leaps were seemingly tossed off with ease.

Outstretched arms and silent screams were also on view, with mini-vignettes, including Donovan Reed and Olivia Wang going head to head, ending with Wang standing on her partner’s thighs. A showcase for slithering, “Shell,” also featured Keturah Stephen and Alysia Johnson, with the break dance vibe resonating in a little hand-standing, as the lighting finally blazed a beautiful orange—sunrise or sunset—either punctuating the dance to perfection, although to this reviewer, the Big Ape proved nowhere in sight.