Four stars

Jordan Academy of Dance; Butler University; Lilly Hall Dance Studio Theatre;July 26-27

Thirty-eight young dancers putting their heart into a challenging program of 10 works representing every genre of dance brought absolute delight. From choreographer Petrus Bosman’s “Inspiration” with its discrete gestures to Bud Kerwin’s “At the Ellington” with its innuendo, the dancers exhibited meticulous technique and a clear understanding of the composer’s intent. Bosman’s adaptation of Bournoville’s “Napoli” and his re-staging of Ashton’s La Fille Mal Gardee, Larry Ataway’s “Solstice” and Michelle Merrell’s “Louis + Two” each invited the dancers to show dramatic elements of relationships. Roberta Wong’s “Synergy,” Laura Hedges-Byram’s “Divertimento” and Derek Reid’s “Cowboy Up” challenged the dancers to work as corps yet have each dancer bring a fully dimensional character into the mix. The overall zest and willingness to dare to reach beyond expectations was certainly capped by Taylor Fengya’s superb solo, Kitri’s “Variation: Act 1” Don Quixote, choreographed by Jane Hachiya-Weiner. Costumes and lighting were outstanding, as was the music.