Doug Varone & Dancers @ the Joyce Theatre

I'll admit a biased proclivity for ballet & baseball.  I am not a modern dance aficionado.  My preconception of modern dance is similar to a Marcel Marceau mime.  In other words, a dark setting, stark angular movements and basically the same each performance.  The first piece, "Aperture," 1994, corroborated this notion.  Three dancers all in black, on a dark stage with a singular spotlight on the dancers.  They all stood in place and moved their arms mainly in sync with one another.  However, the NYC Premier of "Carrugi," 2012, I liked it; I really liked it.  Varone choreographed 8 dancers all in varying costumes & shades of gray.  Libretos from a Mozart's opera were used. (None of the music was live.)  The dancers moved with a fluidity & musicality I attribute to ballet.  There was a lot of rolling or lying on the floor & lots of sudden & surprising movements.  But, the dancing crafted into a powerful & stunning work.  "Ballet Mecanique," 2001, was a complex & frentic work.  The dancer's faces were lit in green neon & all wore identical, androgynous blue uniforms.  Transparent scenic projections were used but were constantly shifting; distracting from the dancing.  One projection showed chemical configuations with ADEAIEDA in bold letters.  Was Varone trying to get an IDEA across?  Yes, it hit me with ringing bells, tin drums, sirens, drilling noises, etc.  The dance was a harbinger for a mechanical, futuristic society.  I got the message loud & clear.  I just didn't get any artistry from this piece.  One out of three is still a good batting average and with tickets starting @ $10, I will step back up to the place: Joyce Theatre.  GO YANKEES!