(BECKET, Mass.) – Contemporary ballet company Ballet BC from Vancouver and post-modern group Tere O’Connor Dance of New York City are at Jacob’s Pillow Dance from Wednesday, July 17, 2013, through Sunday, July 21, 2013. Led by artistic director Emily Molnar, Ballet BC performs three U.S. premieres: A.U.R.A. (Anarchist Unit Related to Art) by Italian choreographer Jacopo Godani; Petite Cérémonie, a piece created by Nederlands Dans Theater’s Medhi Walerski; and Molnar’s most recent work, Aniel. Tere O’Connor Dance features four male dancers in Cover Boy, exploring the closeted gay experience and universal feeling of “otherness.” Both dance companies are presented as part of the Weekend OUT series of events, which kicks off July 19 at Jacob’s Pillow.

Originally commissioned by Ballet Mainz in Germany, A.U.R.A. (Anarchist Unit Related to Art) (2012), by Jacopo Godani, is set to the electro-acoustic music of 48nord. Fifteen dancers perform quick and continuous phrases within shifting groups, revealing an elaborate display of explosive technique. An expressive vocabulary is enhanced by the subtle nuances of Godani’s aesthetic, with fast head-jolts and fluttering footwork that propel the dancers through space.

Petite Cérémonie (2011) is set to music by Mozart, Puccini, and Vivaldi; this work is visually distinct in not only its costume design of black and white formal wear, but in its lighting design as well. Using humor within precise gestural phrases, Petite Cérémonie sweeps the stage with large ensembles performing in effortless unison.

Molnar’s Aniel (2012) is whimsical and playful. Set to an eccentric score recorded by the Cracow Klezmer Band and Masada String Trio, the work is inspired by avant-garde composer and saxophonist John Zorn’s album Book of Angels.

Cover Boy features a quartet of skilled male dancers who eloquently portray isolation and connection through post-modern choreography that ranges from tender interplay to physical aggression. Original music by electro-acoustic composer James Baker combined with an expansive wing-like set design by Aptum Architecture adds to the atmosphere of the performance.