Ivan Velez (Flipz) in action. (Photo by Levi Walker)

At the Joyce Theater this September, Groolvaloo is a colorful spectacle reminiscent of the super hero comic books from our younger days. Lights WHIZZED and sounds POWED as dancers performed extraordinary physical feats amid the vivid graffiti and jungle gym-inspired set.

But where the dancing excites, the story flat-lines. There are several themes throughout the production, but the one that centralizes it is triumph over obstacles. Bradley Rapier (Shooz), one of the creators of Groovaloo, shares his struggles in choosing dance over a potential career in medicine; Caity Lotz (Al Star) is an unsatisfied ballerina trying to find her inner funk (although her ballet technique leaves something to be desired); and, Steve Staton (Boogie) tells of his true-life, near-death experience after being shot in a cross fire; the doctors told him he might never walk again. Of course, Boogie not only walks throughout Groovaloo, but he closes the show by dancing. (For those of you keen enough to notice, despite his smooth moves, he is dancing on only one leg; remnants of his still healing injury and a personal victory if nothing else. ) A few other characters divulge their personal hardships and ambivalence, but most of it is trite, under developed and unbelievable (even when it’s true).

All hope is not lost however. There are a few of these super powered dancers that stand out among the cliché and erratic story line.  Ivan Velez (Flipz) strikes us immediately as our Super Man. His moniker is quickly validated after he flips and spins down stairs and over boxes. Velez spins on his head with an ease that resembles what walking is for most people.

Two understudies, proved to be ferocious side-kicks in this hip hop adventure. Jessica Rabone, who was filling in for Lindsey Blaufard’s “Out There,” shows a renaissance skill set. She locks, pops, pirouettes, and acts. Without words, her expression of body and face tells an entertaining and comedic narrative.

The showstopper of the evening was Casper as “Poe One.” If Velez is our Super Man, Casper is surely Batman. Despite his pale looks, his spirit as an emotionally and physically abused son is dark and poetic; his movement mysterious and astounding. Like any technique, it takes an artist to create something more from the foundations; Casper paints the stage with break moves in a way that equals Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. With one halo, he can move your soul.

And it really is the dance that saves the show. The vigor, the might, and the force of movement keep our spirits alive amidst an amateur tale. Simply stated, Groovaloo is hip hop dressed in Disney; good for an hour or so of pure fun, but a fairy tale version of something we desperately want to be real.