Aspen Santa Fe Ballet will spotlight works by some of dance's top living choreographers when the contemporary dance company makes its Pittsburgh debut Friday in the Byham Theater, Downtown.

Now in its 14th season, the company has garnered a reputation for showcasing works that bridge classical ballet technique with more modern movement.

"One of the strengths of the company is the versatility," said artistic director Tom Mossbrucker. "We try to show that off."

The dance company has shown off its technical diversity on stages across North America and abroad. Last year, the company's touring schedule took dancers to more than 40 cities.

For Pittsburgh audiences, the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet will tap the artistry of choreographers Nicolo Fonte, Twyla Tharp, William Forsythe and Jorma Elo.

The approximately 90-minute performance, including two 10-minute intermissions, will open with Mr. Fonte's 1999 piece "In Hidden Seconds."

The company's relationship with Mr. Fonte spans several years, Mr. Mossbrucker said. "In Hidden Seconds" is his seventh work the company has performed.

Mr. Fonte's "work exemplifies the style of the company," he said. The work is "incredibly dynamic and athletic but also has this Zen-like quality that flows through the piece."

Four dancers will next take the stage in Ms. Tharp's 1975 piece "Sue's Leg." Set to the music of jazz pianist Thomas "Fats" Waller, the nine-part suite is regarded as the most widely known of Ms. Tharp's trilogy of tributes to 1930s' music.

"Sue's Leg" is the third work by Ms. Tharp the company has staged, Mr. Mossbrucker said. The company got the chance to work on the piece with the dance icon last year in New York City.

Mr. Forsythe's "Slingerland," which Ballet Frankfurt premiered in 2000, is the third piece. It is choreographed to the music of English composer Gavin Bryars and features dancers executing what Mr. Mossbrucker calls "a futuristic pas de deux."

Rounding out the program is Jorma Elo's "Red Sweet," which the company debuted in 2008.

"He's one of the hottest choreographers on the scene right now," Mr. Mossbrucker said about the Finnish-born artist, a resident choreographer for Boston Ballet. "He's created works for virtually every big company in the U.S."

Mr. Mossbrucker hopes the evening's repertoire will familiarize audiences with more recent works from the dance canon.

"We're not really showcasing the historical works," he said. "That has its value, too, but right now that's not where the company is ... [we're featuring] a display of great works that are being done now or in our lifetime."

First Published: February 24, 2010, 10:00 a.m.