6, 8 *** A good crowd turned out for the opening night of The Dallas Black Dance Theatre which dished up a healthy Texan portion of fluid footwork set to mellow jazz or ballads.

The Dallas Black Dance Theatre is the oldest continuously operating dance company in Dallas.

Founded in 1976, by Ann Williams, the Dallas Black Dance Theatre boasts 13 professional dancers who have studied, trained and performed with the creme-de-la-creme of the American dance world including Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham.

Their repertoire consists of modern dance, jazz, ballet, ethnic and spiritual works.

The evening got underway with A Rag, a Bone and a Hank of Hair -- a jazzy number choreographed by the late Talley Beatty.

Few could resist tapping their toes to the funky sounds of legendary 70's group Earth Wind and Fire while enjoying the high-energy performance by this bright ensemble.

This charming blend of lyrical and street style was warmly received by the audience who showed their approval with thunderous applause.

The evening's finest moment came early with the stirring and emotionally charged Evidence of Souls Not Seen, a poignant piece which mourned the deaths of young artists lost to AIDS.

The male trio which performed the touching elegy were simply wonderful. They were commanding, strong and skillful all the while showing remarkable grace and tenderness.

It was refreshing to see such a dramatic, beautiful piece performed by all males dancers.

DeMarcus Williams, Jerome Stigler and Armando Silva were smashing and the crowd let them know it.

Most of the evening's programme was dominated by serious numbers, full of strife and emotion set to mid-tempo music.

In Eulogy for the Martyred Children, dancers Dale Flemming, Nycole Merritt, Nellesa Walthour and Melissa Young initially evoked the image of young, innocence school girls with their playful dance. But as the number progressed the mood returned to one of sadness and returned the audience to a turbulent sea of emotions.

The evening momentarily returned to an upbeat tone with Pass It On, a series of short numbers set against a collage of contemporary musical artists.

The piece begins with a blues feel highlighted by beautiful aqua lighting which provided a visually stunning backdrop for the ensemble of dancers.

The ten dancers performed well together, executing synchronised moves delivered in a crisp, harmonised fashion.

But soon the evening returned to a mellow vibe when two star-crossed "lovers'' took to the stage.

With both dancers situated at opposites ends of the stage, you cannot help but pine for the pair to bridge the distance between them and dance as one. But this is not to be and the two remain separated.

But the highlight of Pass it On was a high energy, `in your face', street-smart dance performed by a trio of ladies.

The ladies executed a physically demanding number which was infused with some spectacular acrobatic moves which was lapped up by the audience.

Up until this point it was the men who shined but these sassy females gave new meaning to ladies with an attitude. After their spunky performance one could not help but wonder about the electricity these talented performers might generate if they were allowed to let loose with some high voltage music.

It would have been nice to see this group set free in a light hearted, upbeat dance that did not take the audience on an emotional roller-coaster.

I must admit that I at one point I did longed to just sit back and simply enjoy some excellent dance, without all the dramatics.

A little more variety and a dash of spice would have made the evening perfect -- after all variety is the spice of life.

By Nicole Williams Smith THEATRE THR REVIEW REV