Florida Dance Festival: Axis ably fulfills aspirations

At the Byron Carlyle Theater on Friday, Seattle choreographer Pat Graney sprung those sweeties from the idylls and turmoil of Darger's folios in the Vivian girls. The evening-long dance drama, amazingly enough, avoided sensationalism despite the frequent display of the characters' hermaphrodite nature (sewed-on in white fabric). A doll-like innocence prevailed among the five dancers, who hinted at hopscotch and other childhood activities as they scurried on and around stacks of huge books. Pitter-pattering or palsied, to plaintive voice, fiddle, and accordion, the black-wigged girls animated Darger's art, projected as background.