For 35 years, Maude Baum has kept her work distinctly fresh

ALBANY — Maude Baum never expected to be in the same spot for 35 years.

Yet the choreographer is happy that it was so, as Albany and her eba Theatre have been hubs of creativity. Her Maude Baum and Company Dance Theatre has been a mainstay of the Albany arts community, performing in such locales as Palace Theatre and The Egg. It has also toured Russia and Turkey.

More frequently, her group quietly and faithfully ply their craft at the eba, the school and dance theater she founded in 1973. That’s where she will celebrate her anniversary season with four salon performances of old and new works.

Among the pieces on the bill will be her “24-Hour Watch,” a performance art piece based on Baum’s observations of a typical day at an Albany firehouse. She pointedly depicts its tedium and then the explosion of activity that follows an alarm. She captures the sudden and unseen risks and the thankless nature of the job. And for the dancers who perform the piece on a 10-foot ladder, the dance can be a frightening experience.

“I had absolutely no fear up there,” said Baum who remembers when she danced at the piece’s premiere in 1978. “But some of the dancers are really scared. Some of the dancers can’t breathe while they are on the ladder. It’s risky, physical stuff. I guess I forgot how fearless I was on that ladder.”

Worth doing again

Baum has forgotten other things too — like what she put into “Splendor in Stone,” a sparkling work that she is reviving for this weekend’s concert. This is the first time the dance has had a showing since its unveiling in 1995. The piece reflects the organic shapes captured in images of stone cross-sections. Baum never considered the choreography to be anything too special. “Then,” she said, “I went through my old notes. I was looking at slides of rocks, busting up rocks, thinking of Native American rituals. I created a mandala. It’s been fun looking back and saying, ‘Oh, that was what that was.’ ”

The piece will be paired with “Ballerina Barbies,” a comical dance that flips a dignified classical ballet into a pugnacious free-for-all in tutus.

“It’s just kind of silly,” said Baum with a laugh.

Dangerous, shimmering or funny, none of Baum’s works ever look alike. She has a knack for shifting her choreographic template with each creation, something most choreographers, who churn out dance after dance, are unable to do. It is partly because of Baum’s juggling many aspects of dance performance and education. She directs the eba Dance Center, a school for all styles of dance, as well as teaches arts-in-education programs at public schools. Her program, which incorporates dance into all areas on the curriculum, has become a model for many choreographers. She also invites the public to watch rehearsals once a month, part of Albany’s First Friday program, and hosts exhibitions in her school’s foyer.

Baum also has an abiding interest in cultivating the choreographic spirit of her dancers. Each fall, her dancers stage a showcase of their new works. One of the pieces from last November, a creation of Isabelle Holmes, will have a place on the anniversary program. The piece, “Evolving,” centers on the sibling relationship, how it grows and changes with age.

Baum wanted to include the piece because it was “touching, theatrical and dancy.”

“I think it came from an authentic place in her,” said Baum. “That is what I like. It’s uniquely hers.”

Baum obviously loves her dancers. She becomes animated as she speaks of their talent and intelligence. “They bring so much because they are curious and interested in so many things. They are artists of real substance,” she said. “They are not little robots who don’t think.”

Soon after she said that, dancers Deb Rutledge and Katie Newhall came into the theater. Dressed in gowns and heels, they were primed to attend a champagne reception in Washington Park to honor the company’s 35 years. Baum simply smiled and said “Ah, beautiful, beautiful dancers.” She points to the handbag she gave one and a wrap she lent another.

“I like to spoil them,” she said as she let her eyes linger over their dresses.

Baum has worked with many dancers over the years. And in that way, Baum’s influence reaches beyond Albany’s borders. Dancing or not, they have become part of the world at large and often call, write or visit Baum, asking if she remembers them and telling her how grateful they are for the eba experience.

Still enjoying herself

“I’d like to think I had some input,” said Baum. “I’m focused on being local, but it certainly is global. I’m kind of happy about that. I guess I feel my calling is that dance doesn’t die on the vine. And I don’t think it has.”

So another 35 years? Baum’s not sure. She said she can’t contemplate retirement. She has discussed it with her board. But if she left, what would happen to her school, her theater and her company? She knows it could survive without her. It would simply be different under someone else’s direction. And that’s fine with her. But she’s not ready to go just yet.

“There are plenty of things I could do to keep me happy,” said Baum. “When it’s done, it will be done. When I don’t like doing it, I won’t. But I still like the challenges, being able to try new things and find that if I fall flat on my face, it’s OK. I really haven’t been able to think about it. I’m content.”