Dorrance Dance SOUNDspace MHouse by Matthew Murphy.jpg

A scene from "SOUNDspace," one of several works performed by Dorrance Dance Friday night at Cleveland Public Theatre.

(Matthew Murphy)

By STEVE SUCATO

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For many there is a perception that they know tap dancing. They've seen it in the movies and on TV and see it as an outdated art form with nothing new to say.

Friday night at Cleveland Public Theatre's Gordon Square Theatre, NYC's Dorrance Dance took that perception and blew it to bits. The company of seven led by 2015 MacArthur "Genius" Award-winner Michelle Dorrance, brought innovation, theatricality, drama, humor and a healthy dose of virtuoso wizardry to their 75-minute sampler program featuring excerpts from recent repertory works.

The program, presented by DANCECleveland in collaboration with CPT's award-winning DanceWorks series, kicked off with portions of Dorrance's "SOUNDspace" (2013).

Performed a capella by the company's six dancers (including Dorrance) in tap shoes on a miked dance floor, the performers created a continual rhythm with their feet often sounding like the chugging of a train. While doing so, individual dancers lit into movement rifts as a jazz musician improvising a solo might.

The first to impress was dancer Elizabeth Burke, whose musicality and adroit dancing showed she is an exceptional talent. Her sparkle was but a mere prelude to an extended solo delivered by Dorrance that appeared handed down from the tap gods. Dorrance's facility, daring and spellbinding footwork with its machine gun pace, sleek sliding moves and ability to tap with nary a paper thin space between her shoes and the stage floor, dropped many a jaw.

The piece then changed to the dancers wearing non-tap shoes and where the cast's most unique performer made his mark. Tall, lanky and shaved-headed, dancer Warren Craft - looking like he just stepped out of a mosh pit - brought a modern dance approach to his tapping that was as brilliant as it was unique.

As if channeling the Wizard of Oz's scarecrow upon getting his legs reattached, Craft sagged and flopped about, often crashing to the floor. The ballet trained Craft used his entire body to tap, rapping elbows and joints against the stage floor and showing his truly one-of-a-kind talent.

The program's first act concluded with "Board and Chains," an excerpt from 2014's "ETM." Like "SOUNDspace," it was danced a capella with more of the same magnificence displayed by the entire cast, this time using large chains to further generate sound.

Act II switched gears with the addition of live and recorded music, some sung by Dorrance and dancer Claudia Rahardjanoto, from Radiohead, Squirrel Nut Zippers and others. In it, the company showed its theatrical side beginning with "A Petite Suite" (2011/2013), in which Dorrance and Craft turned on the charm in a quirky and endearing duet.

The entire cast then got into the act with a humorous battle for the audience's attention with dancers Byron Tittle and Leonardo Sandoval garnering the most laughs for their over-the-top characters' combative physical banter.

The thrilling program concluded with an excerpt from "Myelination" (2015), in which a dirty-kneed Dorrance and troupe, showing the scars of an intensely danced program, produced a final highlight.

Perhaps because so little concert dance tap programs are seen, but more likely because Dorrance and company were just that great, the audience seemed amazed at what they were seeing and the dancers' capabilities. They ate up every second of the intimate showcase and regularly vocalized their astonishment. This was definitely not your grandfather's tap dance and it kicked some serious butt. More, please.