Choreographer David Parsons is marvelously adept at crafting wholly entertaining works that maintain high artistic integrity. “There’s no question that he makes work that people respond to,” says Randy Swartz, artistic director of Dance Celebration, who adds, “I don’t want to say popular, because then it sounds like you’re dumbing it down.” Parsons is one of the top creators of ensemble dance performance and Swartz claims the cast that comes in this week is “the most together, stylistically, appearance-wise, and technique-wise that I’ve ever seen. … It’s a finely tuned instrument and he uses it to good stead.” The program includes two Philly premieres: Round My World hews to Parsons’ penchant for dexterous rhythmic patterns while A Stray’s Lullaby is dark, dramatic and intense. Per usual, Parsons serves up multiple moods.
Through March 2, $20-$55, Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut St., 215-898-3900, pennpresents.org.
