Nice 'N' Nasty  As a soloist, Molissa Fenley won acclaim for
making abstract movement with clear, exquisite shapes, notably
flexed hands and hard-angled arms invoking certain Asian dance
conventions. Her pieces still have strong, resonant purity,
especially Pola'a, now reworked as an egalitarian duet with
ballet dancer Peter Boal. Even so, Molissa Fenley and Dancers'
"Altogether Different" show felt tedious —earnest, mannerly,
overly long. The new 331 Steps made me wonder if Fenley wasn't
restless, too. Lesley Braithwaite, Paz Tanjuaquio, and the
choreographer, each tethered to the wall by a long strip of
fabric, moved to taped sounds that screeched, beeped, grunted,
cackled, sloshed, and sizzled until the women finally stepped
out of their leashes. Having recently attended a Japanese tea
ceremony—the inspiration for Fenley's title—I got lost in
looking for specific gestures. Tea masters, despite their cool
modesty and spiritual intent, prepare to do something
tangible—serve tea to guests. Fenley's dancers st