Lyon Opera Ballet

The Lyon Opera Ballet is well known for showcasing the work of living choreographers. It is not a dance museum, as so many ballet companies have become. This year's program features some of the best choreography in the dance world created over the last three decades.

The evening begins with superstar Benjamin (Mr. Natalie Portman) Millepied's 'Saraband.' This work is danced by four male dancers, all excellent: Julian Nicosia, Alexis Bourbeau, Adrien Delepine and Mathieu Rouviere. The men are clothed, by Paul Cox, in street clothes, trousers and what might pass for a color saturated J Crew ad, the shirts are so eye-popping.

They dance barefoot and with a seemingly effortless joy as they lift and flop, leap and languish across the wide stage. Their competitive yet gleeful interactions remind viewers of graceful stags at play. The piece is set to live accompaniment of selections from "Sonatas and Partitas" by J.S. Bach, flute and violin works. Tim Fain is the violinist and Stefan Ragan Hoskuldsson is the flutist, both excellent.

William Forsythe's work never fails to amuse and astound as he takes gender and bends it with an aplomb now well honed and well respected. His work 'Steptext' is a reexamination of the role of the ballerina and her partner in the traditional pas de deux. Sometimes a quartet for women, 'Steptext' will be performed in New York City by one woman and three men and is set to J.S. Bach's "Suite for Solo Violin."

Forsythe is known for total control of his work and in this instance he created not only the dance, but also the costumes, set and lights as well. All are playful, including the addition of mismatched socks on the sole woman dancer, who was for this performance the excellent, well-articulated Ashley Wright.

The evening's final work is by Israeli choreographer Emanuel Gat. 'Sunshine' was created in September 2014 for the Lyon Dance Biennial utilizing the Rudolf Nureyev Prize, which was awarded to the Joyce. The work is set to excerpts of Handel's "Water Music," which intermittently blasts on and off interlooped with a tape in French of a rehearsal.

Although it does highlight the unpredictability of perhaps life, relationships and provides a kind of humorous interlude as dancers stop mid step, I found it jarring and detaching from the glory of the work's flow. But the annoyance was minimal as the dancers were so superb in showcasing the work.

The evening flows happily and seamlessly and is as welcome as the New York spring.

The Lyon Opera Ballet runs through May 3 at the The Joyce Theater 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street. For information or tickets, call 212-242-0800 or visit www.joyce.org