He drew on the ragtime idiom only in the dance episodes of the story.

But the basic architecture of dance episodes, mime sequences and episodes of pageantry has proved singularly durable.

The dance episodes, impressively choreographed by Otis Sallid, are indeed staged with furious energy.

Mark Morris's choreography is cute in the one overt dance episode and evident as a contribution to some clever gestures elsewhere.

Yes, it's a dance episode and off the girls go to get into tutus for some ballet and other costume changes for hip-hop and vogueing.

Ms. Alsop also captures the sassy Broadway energy of the "On the Town" Suite, though I much prefer hearing the dance episodes in the context of the show, from 1944.

The dance episodes, to a taped collage of popular music, were less specific in content.

Based on a dance episode in Borodin's opera "Prince Igor" (the ballet itself is sometimes called "Prince Igor"), it shows the lusty celebrations of nomadic warriors.

The dance episodes range from an evocation of a nightmare to scenes involving mushrooms as phallic symbols and Hula-Hoops as guides.

Here and there I would have liked more intensity in nostalgic song (not least from the lyrical cello) and more devil-may-care abandon in the livelier dance episodes.