BalletX looks back heading into its 10th year

BalletX has made it a mission for nine years to present new choreography. Heading into its 10th anniversary season, it paused to inspect its collection of work by one artist, Adam Hougland - and to commission yet another ballet.

Hougland's sensibility works well on the company, with a similar mix of passion and humor, darkness and light.

BalletX opened its summer series Wednesday night at the Wilma Theater with "Risk of Flight," a piece Hougland made for the troupe in 2007. Set to music by Zoë Keating, the full company of 10 dancers, dressed in black, moved through dim light, their faces often in shadow. Sometimes the audience saw little more than glistening arms, legs, and rippled muscles. Andrea Yorita and Gary W. Jeter II danced a gorgeous, intense pas de deux as a couple deciding whether to take the risk of staying together.

Hougland's "Mashup," made for BalletX in 2012, is a completely different animal, an over-the-top, fun time consisting of five characters with nothing to do. Soon they are dancing, playing, exploring to Big Daddy's spoofy reinvention of 1980s songs. A nerdy boy, Daniel Mayo, sways to "The Rose," imagining himself as someone suave, performing impressive moves between klutzier ones. He matches up with a nerdy girl, Chloe Felesina, for a similarly on-and-off awkward duet.

Another girl, sporting black boots and a tight, strapless dress, Francesca Forcella, skulks in to "Whip It," riding crop in hand. Meanwhile, three men slip in obediently with a series of bouncy push-ups, and dance with Forcella in a frenetic circle. Finally, Felesina's nerdy girl comes back out, also in black boots and a tight dress, and dances to "Like a Virgin," like Sandy at the end of Grease, but not quite pulling off the transformation.

"When We're Alone," Hougland's world premiere, was a feast of music and dance. Philadelphia folk, rock, and blues musician Chris Kasper and his accompanying band played a series of songs live on stage while the 10 dancers in ice cream-colored costumes danced mostly in pairs, the women en pointe. There was much to look at - and at times it was hard to decide whether to focus on the dancers or the musicians. A highlight of the piece featured a trio of musicians moving to center stage, while Felesina and Edgar Anido do a pas de deux confined to a rolled-out carpet. Sometimes he lifts her, and sometimes he has to haul her, to comic effect.

BalletX has grown a lot since its beginnings as a pickup group of Pennsylvania Ballet dancers on breaks. I'm eager to see what next year brings.

BalletX will also perform two benefit shows of Matthew Neenan's "Sunset 0639 Hours," July 23-24 at the Wilma. Tickets: $100.