Every February, the UMBC Theatre becomes the focal point of modern dance in Baltimore, as the Phoenix Dance Company, UMBC's professional dance company in residence, offers its annual concerts. The venerable troupe, founded in 1983, has performed at venues such as Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center.

Operating at the intersection of art and technology, Phoenix Dance Company choroegraphers Carol Hess and Doug Hamby have explored radical dance collaborations with UMBC videographers, mechanical engineers, computer programmers and visual artists, recently including Steve Bradley, an intermedia artist who has generated live computer-enhanced video images and a system for generating sounds based on dancers' movements; Tony Farquhar, a mechanical engineer who developed a spunky six-legged dancing robot (Maurice Tombé); and Vin Grabill, an MIT-trained videographer.

This year's performances are no exception, as Department of Dance Chair Carol Hess presents a major collaboration, Four Gestures, with members of the Streaming Umbrella Group, including Steve Bradley, composer Linda Dusman, percussionist Tom Goldstein, Visual Arts chair John Sturgeon, Vin Grabill, Michael Cerri and Bill Shewbridge. The Streaming Umbrella Group is a collective of experimental artists working together to create a unique multimedia event incorporating dance, video and sound, to be presented both as a live performance and as a streaming event on Internet 2.

"Four Gestures," says Hess, "consists of four independent sections, or artistic gestures. Each gesture is about eight minutes in length and reflects specific choices with regard to movement quality, spatial pattern, visual media, live camera work, and sound. Movement patterns created by the dancers were incorporated into the structure of the piece."

Also featured on the program is an improvisation by Cathy Paine. "The solos I create," she says, "are event-specific. Each work is informed by the nature of the venue, the size, responsiveness and familiarity of the audience, recent events in the world or my life, and my desire for people to understand what I do. Humor is also -- and has always been -- a large part of my work. I speak to the audience as I dance, and although my text is not planned, my range of topics is."

Dancers Sandra Lacy and Mary Williford-Shade will present a duet by choreographer Tonya Lockyer and two solos choreographed by Gabriel Masson and Sean Curran. The concerts also feature an appearance by UMBC alumna Julie Peoples-Clark.

Phoenix will perform February 13 - 16 at 8 p.m. each evening. Tickets are $15 general admission and $7 for students and seniors. For more information, visit the online arts calendar or call x56240 for ticket reservations.