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It's remarkable when a dance company in a relatively small dance market thrives for 50 years, especially when funding and audiences are shared with two other dance organizations that just leaped over the half-century mark last year (Ririe-Woodbury and Ballet West). So how better to celebrate longevity than with an uplifting and entertaining performance titled "Revel"?

The theme of the evening was the cycle of life explored by four choreographers through theatrical work, two using text and humor and two embedded in emotive glances back at Utah's historical dance footprint.

Sifting through the past, Bill Evans' "Crippled Up Blues" presented the evolving set of ideas that makes something new. Live music by 3hattrio invigorated the performance experience, and the dancers connected as a true ensemble.

In contrast, Jacque Lynn Bell's "She" turned into a meditation on local dance history, falling short of her more successful 2006 intergenerational humanistic work, "Ryoanji," which also combined Children's Dance Theatre and RDT.

The two text-driven dances on the program prompt similar contrasts. Joanie Smith's "Jack" is a beautiful balance of language and movement that uses our blissful perception of nursery rhymes as a prelude to reveal the darkness within them. Dancers Tyler Orcutt and Justin Bass triumphed in delivering the message of this unorthodox duet.

Claire Porter's performative "Begging the Question" was heavy on spoken word. The success of "Jack's" equal parts wit and movement was thinly portioned in Porter's piece. When dancers speak onstage, the question for me is why we show so little respect for acting as a performing art that we think we can teach dancers to act in two weeks. Still, there were a few standout performances that saved "Begging the Question." Ursula Perry's organic movement quality brought substance, Dan Higgins fetched an interesting offbeat character, and Orcutt invented a wacky movement phrase that was fascinating in itself.

"Revel" as a whole is a crowd-pleaser, and you won't walk away scratching your head. 'Revel'

A crowd pleaser to celebrate RDT's 50th anniversary with humor, sentimentality and new ideas gathered from the familiar past.

When • Reviewed Nov. 19; Friday-Saturday, Nov. 20-21, 7:30 p.m.

Where • Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City

Tickets • $15-30; ArtTix

Running time • One hour and 45 minutes with one 15-minute intermission