What emerged was a collaborative choreographic process and a unique weight-sharing approach to partnering that gave the young company a nontraditional but powerful new set of skills with which to make dances.

As its current program proves, the company has continued to develop its own unique blend of dance, gymnastics, slapstick and incredibly controlled movement which denotes its style.

Although Pilobolus is recognized as a major American dance company of international influence, it has not forsaken its original impetus.

The company remains a deeply collaborative effort with an executive director, four artistic directors (Robby Barnett, Alison Chase, Michael Tracy and Jonathan Wolken) and six dancers: Mark Fucik, Andrew Herro, Renee Jaworski, Cleotha McJunkins III, Jenny Mendez and Manelich Minniefee, all of whom contribute to the repertory.

Last night's sold-out concert, which received a standing ovation from the audience, upheld the group's reputation. The program opened with "The BrassRing," a newer work performed by the entire company.

The difficulty of the choreography, especially the numerous controlled slow-motion sequences and elaborate lifts, was never revealed. Instead the sculptural qualities of the movements and the humorous physical interactions predominated.

It was accompanied by a curious musical collage, which included serious Aaron Copland and Gabriel Faure compositions, interspersed with light and fluffy ragtime melodies of Joplin, Joseph Lamb and others.

Renee Jaworski, one of the two female dancers in the company, performed the exquisite solo, "Femme Noire," choreographed by Alison Chase in collaboration with Rebecca Anderson and Rebecca Stenn.

Resembling an illustration from a 1920s Vogue or Vanity Fair magazine, she worked in close partnership with her slinky black evening dress costume and oversized black wide-brimmed hat, as well as the piano accompaniment composed and performed by Paul Sullivan.

Shimmying, writhing, posing and slinking about the stage, she would occasionally apparently lose control of parts or all of her body.

The clarity and control of her performance lent the piece a great deal of humor.

Other works on the program included an extraordinary duet performed by Renee Jaworski and Mark Fucik, a new group work, "Megawatt," which showed off not only the company members' skills as dancers, athletes, gymnasts and break dancers, but also the exceptional lighting talent of Neil Peter Jampolis, and the company's 1971 signature piece, "Walklyndon," a very funny set of crosses with dancers walking, running, strutting, crashing into each other, dragging one another, and interacting with one another.