Compagnie Jant-Bi is known for dances that interweave traditional African dance styles, drumming, and theater that rocks your core. Contemporary and highly physical, just watching the knife-like kicks and furious footwork makes you ache and sweat.

Performances tackle tough themes too. For their debut at UC San Diego five years ago, the Senegalese troupe performed the powerful work Fagaala, which means genocide in their Wolof language. It was a response to the mass killings in Rwanda, choreographed by artistic director Germaine Acogny. Put on your game face for that one.

Dancers have a rousing debate in Waxtaan.

Lucky for my sensitive companion and many more like him, it seems the compagnie is entering a new phase. The six cocky men in business suits who strutted and toasted to their own deal-making success in Waxtaan on Wednesday at Mandeville were a fierce and fun departure from their previous visit. Choreographed by Acogny and her son, Patrick Acogny, Waxtaan - which means discussion or debate in Wolof - is a lighthearted parody of politicians and powerbrokers.

The dance began with men in brilliant blue coveralls setting up a table, chairs and a bar for a big meeting. The likeable janitors instantly drew the audience into the process, with fastidious primping and humorous sweeping.

A conference table - with two hidden microphones under it - was the focus of a percussive meeting of bigwigs. Four men and one woman negotiated rhythmically with aplomb. Turns out they were the musicians that eventually took their place on the side of the stage with real drums.

A tiny woman who beat a traditional drum with one hand and one stick was a powerhouse. Consider that drums like these were used to communicate with other villages. It's said they could be heard for 15 kilometers. A few times during the dance, the stick-hitting accents were almost painful. (ArtPower!, a superb presenter, actually had earplugs available in the lobby).

The dancers, all men, were gorgeous and committed, flexible and light in barrel turns and straight up jumps. Their skill was especially keen during unison sequences and complex syncopation without the drummers for guidance. In one section, four men seemed to float over the floor with only the soft brushing sound of their feet. Their strength was always evident though, particularly in contractions and off-center balances.

Lighting by Host Muhlberger cast shadows

and vivid hues on the back wall.

The choreography was energized flailing and pounding of bare feet; by extension the dancers were percussionists on a clean white floor. Just when you thought the footwork was super fast, they'd double-time the tempo. An odd section where drumming and humming seemed to be recorded foreshadowed later sections that dragged. Sequences when men reclined in chairs felt too long. Pantomime and banter in Wolof were lost in translation.

Waxtaan became most animated near the end when dancers and drummers joined in challenges in the center of the stage. Each dancer really cut loose in heart-pumping solos and extra cavorting to emphasize their personalities, like the flirtatious bartender and the serious guy who traded his suit for traditional garb. One slim dancer, his handsome suit soaked with sweat, exploded with energy then flashed a smile and waved, simply pleased to have shared the experience with the audience.

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