Grace displayed

By Karin Best, Special to the On-Line Forty-Niner

Wednesday, September 16, 1998

Long Beach's newest modern dance team debuted Sept. 11 and 12 at Cal State Long Beach's Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theater.

The event was supported in part by the CSULB dance department and directed by Keith Johnson, who is currently a faculty member of the department.

Johnson also performs with the Creach/Company, a New York-based, all-male modern dance company.

Johnson received his master of arts in dance from the University of Utah, where he also received the Dee R. Winterton Award for Excellence in Dance.

With a full house in attendance both nights, the fresh young team, which is composed of 12 dancers, showed off its talents and proved once more that the College of the Arts at CSULB is one of the most respected art schools in the country.

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CD REVIEW

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Audience members had a chance to view two world premieres, "Dove" and "Was," and one West Coast premiere, "Drown."

Some members referred to the event as emotional, sensitive and very unique. "This was a great show, very well coordinated," said Flor Rivera, a spectator. "The variety of music and the representation of a failed relationship in 'Was' was very well portrayed."

The team's extraordinary performance portrayed Johnson's amazing talent.

"For the first time out I was very proud, good response from the audience," Johnson said. "Hopefully I will do more shows."