One of the most entertaining notions about a Dance Alloy Theater anniversary concerns the alumni that it attracts -- not only those from far away, such as former member Ginny Adams, but also those who stay and nurture the arts climate here in Pittsburgh, of which there were many at the Charity Randall Theater in the Stephen Foster Memorial Friday night.

Following City Councilman William Peduto's proclamation of Dance Alloy Theater Day in Pittsburgh, three signature alumni offered a brief tribute at the start of the company's 30th anniversary production, "An Evening of Masters & Legends."

Slowly emerging to the strains of "Swan Lake," former artistic leaders Elsa Limbach, Susan Gillis and Mark Taylor did a brief comical dance on walkers, then gave a history of the Alloy in terms of location (walking up Pitt's Cardiac Hill for rehearsals), time (from the first 1976 performance at the same Stephen Foster) and the energy of all those who contributed, which ended with everyone standing in a communal ovation.

From then on, the performance became a serious affair for such a gala night, more so, say, than the 20th anniversary, when choreographers David Gordon and Taylor made up the bulk of a more lighthearted program.

With Joe Goode's discourse on loneliness, "I don't want to be there," and Donald Byrd's pair of solos, "White Man Sleep," inspired by the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, Friday's first half took a heavy turn.

Nonetheless there was much to admire in the irony of Goode's title and the resulting textures that he presented. Goode stripped everything bare -- the stage to the back brick wall of the Charity Randall, the dancers down to their skivvies ("Am I just this?") and the emotional underpinnings that laced the accompanying text.

One could surmise that there was a layer of dry humor that hadn't surfaced yet, with moments like "Eleanor Rigby" playing on a tinkling toy piano, solemn words wobbling through a large fan and the overall nihilistic attitude that erupted in "This is ridiculous!" One of the best things about Goode's work was the movement, where the tensions play out through the body and a remarkable quartet undulated behind Maribeth Maxa's solo.

Maxa paired with Michael Walsh in Byrd's dynamic piece, where these remarkably open dancers could have been witnesses to any horrific event. Walsh mostly sat in a chair, trembling, scribbling, rippling with an almost uncontrollable grief. Maxa watched him in the shadows, then stepped forward, making her own internal feelings visible in rhythmic pulses that took great advantage of her long lines.

Jose Limon's "The Moor's Pavanne" broke through the evening's tension, despite the fact that it was inspired by Shakespeare's "Othello," a tale of intrigue and murder. But the beauty of Limon's patterns and the lush way he created an epic dance with just four characters took precedence, enhanced by the passionately committed performances of Jacob Rice, Beth Corning, Stephanie Dumaine and Walsh.

The evening continued with a bash at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall, where Richard Parsakian's colorful banners continued the theme of "Masters & Legends," and partygoers were treated to Andy Warhol, Grace Jones, Liza Minnelli, Diana Ross and Tina Turner look-alikes and an Alloy Hall of Fame.

The program will be repeated tonight with a pay-what-you-can performance at 7. Call 412-363-4321 for information.