Seems like the more original and creative your work is, the less publicity it gets in Tacoma, in the dance world at least. Contemporary dance is famous for its low profile, but last night’s stellar performance by two local choreographers and their multimedia artist teams hit new heights of invisibility. Yet the evening of professional dance, music, video art, animation and drawing was one of the most exciting in Tacoma this year: by turns hypnotic, frightening, mysterious and exhilarating.

Unusually, two large pieces made up the program, each exploring various media. The first, “sub-Rosa” by Seattle choreographer Cheronne Wong, took as inspiration a CD recording of shortwave radio stations purported to be documenting secret communications by world spy agencies, with possible extra-terrestrial activity. Such a subject could easily have turned into a ludicrously 70s sci-fi fiasco. Yet Wong instead held her hand, spinning layers of personae and mystery with an almost spiritual kick. Threading the whole was Amy Denio’s superb score—the award-winning Seattle composer merged keening pitches, synthesized vocal chanting and crackly radio static with some anguished melismas to eerie effect. Projected on the floor, for some of the work, was a black-and-white video creation by John D. Pai; unfortunately absent, for venue reasons, were more video and art on the walls and a sculpture by Dave Stevenson.

These components mostly merged seamlessly, with some occasional odd moments. The opening floor video of scratchy shadows hinting at forests perfectly echoed Denio’s suspenseful cicada drone, and when Naho Shioya entered amid a thick river of white smoke, as immobile as a high priestess, the otherworldliness was complete. As the 14-part drama went on, Shioya’s aloof character contrasted with the bumbling, pretentiously self-important gestures of the trio who circled her, trapped in their own ignorance. Wong’s skill in group choreography is as precise and graceful as her detailed movements; particularly gripping was Shioya’s frantic stop-go arm soliloquy, and the post-modern ballet satire of oppression by the spy trio. More interaction with the video would have been good: when it happened, as in the rolling waves section, it was dramatic; when it didn’t it showed an odd disconnect between visuals. Yet by the astonishing, electric ending, none of that mattered.

Carla Barragan’s “Loud Omission,” on the other hand, was thematically and visually direct, though still fascinating. The Tacoma-based choreographer’s group BQDance hasn’t been seen here since the outdoor Siteworks festival, and Barragan’s sinuous, supple lines are still great to watch. This time she collaborated with her sister Paula Barragan, whose drawings of people, animals and nature intricately and horrifyingly mutating within each other seem like a Maori tattoo woodcut. As these images were projected behind the stage, dancers on a screened, raised platform in front interacted directly with the images, their silhouettes merging and diverging with the thick black strokes as limbs became other limbs. Snakes curled, birds stretched, a dog’s tongue suddenly reached out and licked a skeleton. The idea, and the slow movement necessary for it to work, could have lasted a lot longer.

On stage, meanwhile, Barragan’s dancers acted out the scene behind (female oppression, political hypocrisy) with varying degrees of subtlety. Again, to a score by Denio—much earthier, tango with guts spilling—and with segments of the drawings popping out here and there, animated to show us exactly which little portion was being danced. This treatment was occasionally helpful (Paula Barragan’s art is extremely complex) but mostly annoying and distracting. And while the dancing was forcefully theatrical, the opportunity was missed for big, grand gestures. A title screen video shot and mediocre music didn’t help the magic of the end, either.

Yet it’s safe to say that this is some of the most exciting, professional and mesmerizing dance being produced in Tacoma right now. Let’s hope it’s higher on the public radar next time, and soon.

Rosemary Ponnekanti: 253-597-8568; rosemary.ponnekanti@thenewstribune.com.

What: Contemporary dance: Cheronne Wong and Carla Barragan
Who: presented by Tacoma School of the Arts and MetroParks
When: 2 p.m. Sunday September 30
Where: SOTA theater, 1118 Commerce St, Tacoma
Tickets: $15/$10
Also: post-show discussion
Information: www.bqdance.com