‘Feet Speak’ Wraps Up With Some Gems

All’s well that ends. Well, “Feet Speak’s” final program, “Mixed Directions,” seen Friday at Occidental College, did not exactly go out with a big bang, but several gems--all premieres--lent the series a fitting farewell.

Adrienne Clancy’s vigorous new work “Les Ames Soeurs” (Soul Sisters) featured the choreographer, Licia Perea, Madeline Soglin, Karen Woo and Yvette Wulf in a series of spotlight-grabbing moves with fabulous partnering. Brian Gross’ music collage provided grist for shifting moods, in which sensuously sculptural tangos eased into confrontational moments replete with mock slapping and muscular gymnastic lifts.

Another powerhouse work was Karen Goodman’s “Earthling,” in which the statuesque choreographer stretched, bounced and twisted from one fluid, yoga-like floor pose into another. David Whetstone’s taped sitar track provided the perfect blend of mysticism and momentum to keep Goodman happily splayed.

Jamie Nichols, artistic director-choreographer of Fast Feet, also displayed fine form in “I Don’t Know Much,” pairing with fellow trouper Steven Woodruff. Sharp and showy, this pas de deux successfully skimmed dancerly cream from the neo-schmaltzy Linda Ronstadt-Aaron Neville ballad.

Nichols’ other 1997 entry, “Truckstop . . . She Don’t Work at the Pizzeria No Mo,’ ” proved simple fun. Fast Feeters Nicole Tseng, Heather Sirk and Maria Hipolito bounded around the stage in a kind of cheerleader-waitress mode. Moving from jazz to warped “Soul Train” renderings with lots of swooping gestures (the dancers carried food-festooned trays), this work could, however, benefit from a trim.

Yolande Yorke-Edgell’s “Prey” featured the choreographer, Lori McWilliams, Melody McKenney and Roger Gonzalez-Hibner. Stealthy and sleek, the dancers conveyed a potent wildlife tableau of territorialism, filled with feral footsteps and sunset silhouettes.

Louise Reichlin’s self-indulgent multimedia work “The E-Mail Dances--the Lite Version,” previously reviewed in its longer form, again proved tedious, with the exception of Siri Sat Nam and April Murray’s athletically buoyant dancing. Ill-conceived works aside, we look forward to what next year’s “Feet Speak” will have to say.