"Cabaret Dances," which opened on Sunday at the sleek supper club Anthology, offers a wonderful diversion from upside down mortgages and dwindling 401-K's, and it brings new meaning to the old saying, "Location, location, location."

Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theater has traditionally presented its cabaret program at the drab Copley Auditorium in Balboa Park, but when the Old Globe moved in, the troupe (and other groups) had to find an alternative venue.

Moving from Copley to Anthology in Little Italy, a gorgeous tri-level restaurant/bar that hosts high-end musicians, is a giant step up - a bit like switching from Bud Light to Veuve Cliquot Champagne. Isaacs' attractive, athletic dancers complement the upscale atmosphere, and the club allows patrons to wine, dine, and view every angle of the show from cozy seats, and via live feed video.

Judging by the audience response on Sunday, the first of four Sundays, "Cabaret Dances," a mix of contemporary dance and live music, may have found a permanent home at Anthology.

The three-part program includes work by Isaacs and fellow dancers. It moves quickly, smartly layered and balanced with dances and musical interludes. Dancers perform on a long center aisle and on a raised stage.

It opens with the world premiere of "The Eyes of Love," a suite set to jazz classics, all arranged and performed by pianist Steve Baker and vocalist Rachel Drexler. As the audience settles in, we hear the clink of wine glasses and Cole Porter's "Miss Otis Regrets," with Baker on bass.

"Miss Otis regrets she's unable to lunch today.

She's sorry to be delayed,

But last evening down in Lover's Lane she strayed.

Madam.

Miss Otis regrets she's unable to lunch today…"

"Harlem Nocturne" is even more familiar and seductive. Choreographed and danced by Annie Boyer, it is hardly reminiscent of Mel Torme who made the song a hit in 1963. Boyer twists, and undulates her bare shoulders; her hand-on-hip confidence suggests she just stepped out of a steamy shower.

Daniel Marshall's "Harvest Moon" contrasts Neil Young's soft lyrics with intense internal energy. Marshall is a beautiful dancer who moves with cat-like quickness yet maintains smoothness from deep plies into soaring extensions. He changes mood as he partners with Sadie Weinberg in "If I Didn't Care," a flirty conversation filled with darting eyes and carefree sharp elbows.

In Isaac's "At Last," Liv Isaacs-Nollet is a Hollywood siren in satin, and her final arch back is divinely dramatic. Here's where the beauty of the production really sinks in. Had Ms. Nollet been running through the Copley, or any other space, we would not appreciate the glamour. But on the far wall at Anthology, there is cascade of blue draping down from the ceiling that is cut by a horizontal strip of mirror. The mirror adds another dimension to the movement. We catch a breathtaking glimpse of Nollet's face and flowing gown each time she runs or turns. It is, oh, so elegant, and there's an immediate sense of cool excitement and history.

Cabaret began in Paris in the 1880s; a cabaret was any place that served liquor, basically a saloon where artists and composers would meet. Cabaret culture bubbled after WWI, especially in Berlin when the Kaiser and censorship were tossed out. In New York, the cabaret was simply called a nightclub (speakeasy during Prohibition) or supper club. Many had dance floors. Sexes, classes, and races could mix freely.

"Cabaret Dances" echoes those qualities, but without smoking, nudity or profanity. Much of the music and costuming lingers in the sophisticated era of the 1940s. It's athletic adult fantasy, perfect for a date night, but the dances are more playful than naughty.

The trio "Besame Mucho," one of Isaacs' standards, hints at a threesome, but isn't raunchy in the realm of Bob Fosse's Cabaret. It's more like musical chairs than straddling chairs. "No Moon at All" is honky tonky fun and packs six dancers onto the narrow floor space. They are rebellious and spring into leaps just inches away from the crowd, thoroughly enjoying every dangerous moment.

Isaacs completes the program with a tribute to blues singer/writer Sippie Wallace, made famous by Bonnie Raitt. New company members Julio Catano and Minaqua McPherson chase and lift each other in "Woman, Be Wise" until Catano submits to his woman, tossing his head back like a rag doll. Dancers (Boyer, Marshall, Catano, John Diaz, Danielle Eldred, and Veronica Martin) explode with windmill leaps and rooster struts in the finale "You Got to Know How."

Anthology is a lovely venue with attentive servers and having live, professional musicians and a mega-sound system is a real treat. "This is the way dance should be done," one viewer beamed. "Cabaret Dances" is a fun way to view dance, and this year's offering is also provocative.

John Diaz and Veronica Martin in "Don't Cry Baby."

photo: Manuel Rotenberg

There's a serious streak in "Canned Goods," a suite in the middle that does not use live music. The dances are compelling in part because they aren't sharing attention with musicians, and they are not crafted as entertainment. Moreover, they are abstract and reveal our human vulnerability.

Diaz's "Time" is deeply emotional, and in our current economy, his jointless movements and necktie could suggest a father struggling with debt and financial loss. Weinberg's "Don't Explain" juxtaposes soft music with her body frantically slamming onto the floor. The space is so intimate you can hear every breath and thump.

"Sleep, Don't Weep," by Isaacs, pairs Nollet and Martin. This tiny duet framed by a simple spotlight looks at first like a slither of bodies. But there is tension and intent, and it becomes a riveting artistic work. Set to music by Damien Rice, the women pull arms and press against the back wall. They support each other's weight, caress and cuddle on top of a box. Their delicate hands creep around each other's necks. No politics, no satire, no distractions, just tenderness.

"Cabaret Dances - Sexy Smart Dances at 5" continues January 11, 18, 25, 2009, at Anthology.

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