In Christopher Huggins' more humorous, Jerry Springer-ish spin on the theme, Griffin and Odara N. Jabali-Nash demonstrated both fight and flight: Their cartoonish spats kept lifting off into sexy, soaring duets.
More than one bluesy lady also commanded the stage. In Krystal Breakley's Billie Holiday-inspired Cabaret Holiday, guest Mora-Amina Parker let her character grow organically from the music and movement, with a slouchy, off-balance torso falling into perfect turns. This segued into a big Fosse-style number with seven fishnet-stockinged women vamping around chairs - tight, stylized, coolly over-the-top - to Holiday's "Fine and Mellow."
In her solo, dancer Hollie Wright showed a similar mix of emotional immersion and technical finesse, blending introspection with multidirectional movement as Huggins' Lonely Woman. (Tonight's Lonely Woman will be Willia-Noel Montague.)
Two stage-filling pieces delivered high energy in contrasting keys. Francisco Gella has departed for Ballet Pacifico, but his big, balletic Concerto Armonico is part of the repertory for Danco 2, Philadanco's apprentice company. The Danco 2 women streamed across the stage in big diagonals, parabolas, outward-moving spirals, and smaller, upward-leaping orbits.
And Nia Eubanks offered Freedom Nia, an African-flavored finale danced by the full Danco 2 company. Their celebratory curving backs, darting feet and flying arms hummed along in a surprisingly light, almost dreamy flow.
Last performance at 8 tonight at Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St. Tickets: $20; $10 members. Information: 215-925-9914, www.paintedbride.org.
