Ballet Memphis is known for bringing more fresh works to the stage each season than other national ballet companies. (Photo by Basil Childers)

The athleticism of the performers in the Ballet Memphis is so astounding the Duncan Theatre’s director, Mark Alexander, jokes, “Don’t try this at home.”

“I am extra-excited about the appearance of the Ballet Memphis,” Alexander said. “We hang our hat on our dance program and we’re off the beaten path in the acts we choose. We like to introduce new companies, and remind people of our Southern roots, so bringing a company from Tennessee just fit.”

The company’s youth and vigor also fits in perfectly as part of the Duncan Theatre’s 25th anniversary celebration, which has a theme of Reflection and Rediscovery. The theater’s goal, Alexander said, “is to forge new ground as South Florida’s most eclectic performing arts center by introducing our audiences to premiere performances.”

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For this show, two notable pieces are on the program. “One of our favorite choreographers, Trey McIntyre, has a piece called In Dreams which features music by Roy Orbison,” Alexander said. Six of Orbison’s most beloved songs, including “In Dreams”, “Crying” and “I Never Knew”, will come to life in a dance that’s both dark and passionate.

Another highlight will be the premiere of Jane Comfort’s S’épanouir, with its uplifting theme of rebirth and transformation in the throes of crisis. Comfort collaborated with jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum, who was raised in Memphis, on S’épanouir, and the abstract dance earned the endorsement of the National Dance Project.

For more than 20 years, Ballet Memphis has been competing with companies from larger cities with larger budgets. Two dancers in 1986 has grown into more than 20 dancers and trainees, and its $75,000 budget to $3.4 million. And they keep it fresh with fresh faces, fresh ideas, and bringing more fresh works to the stage each season than other national ballet companies.

The Washington Post called the company “fresh and forward-thinking.” The Ford Foundation named it a “national treasure.”

But Ballet Memphis is just the beginning of a dynamic dance season at the Duncan. The performance is part of the theater’s four-part Friday Night Dance Series, also featuring Luna Negra Dance Theatre (Feb. 3); Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (Feb. 24) and Pilobolus (March 23).