Pilobolus. Shubert Theatre/Boston. October 27.

The unique 46-year-old dance company Pilobolus appeared at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre, presented by Celebrity Series of Boston. Their program offered a mix of acrobatics, lyrical dance, story-telling, and multi-media. As Dance Captain Nile Russell commented in a post-performance discussion, "Pilobolus has co-mingled theater, movement, and the audience since 1971, when four guys were bumbling around creating Pilobolus."

With today's Pilobolus, there is no bumbling to be seen. The evening can be divided into three genres: video clips, narratives, and sensuously acrobatic dance. One outstanding multi-media piece, called "Up: The Umbrella Project," was produced in collaboration with MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab. On May 19, 2013, hundreds of MIT folks worked with LED umbrellas to create both a live show and a lasting video choreographed by Pilobolus, with an end product that seems to depict the colorful interaction among live cells as they brush by each other.

Two pieces were mainly narrative dance theater. First, "The Inconsistent Pedaler" (2014) was a good example of the degree to which Pilobolus is committed to collaborating with interesting, creative people, no matter from which discipline. An Israeli married couple -- Etgar Keret, a writer of rather twisted short stories, and filmmaker Shira Geffen -- contributed to this piece about animating life. Only by riding on a stationary bike can a family create sufficient light and energy to celebrate the 99th birthday of one of its members.

Second, "Echo in the Valley" (2017) opens with three piercing lights shining in the eyes of the audience from a dark stage. With the discovery of a nearly lifeless woman on the floor, the lights are revealed as miners' head lamps worn by three dancers. Once she revives, they slither among each other's bodies until she nearly loses consciousness once again, before finally being borne out in a triumphant pose on a wooden pallet. The emotional music is as much a character in the piece as the dancers. It was composed and performed by Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn.

The bodies of Pilobolus dancers -- while presenting in a range of shapes, heights, and races -- are uniformly gorgeous, physical evidence of the degree to which they must push themselves. This physicality was highlighted in the two dances that most resonated with the Pilobolus athletic tradition. "On the Nature of Things" opens as one beautifully muscled man carries in another; soon he also carries in a woman. All are topless, wearing only the most minimal thongs. The boiling sensuality is shared equally among them, as they constrain themselves to a small pedestal and slink and slide around each other's limbs, without jealousy, without ownership, although sometimes with anger.

"Branches" (2017) was originally created for the outdoor stage at Jacob's Pillow in the Berkshires. Nearly nude again, six dancers crack up the audience with their bird-like gestures as they approach an imaginary pond. From its witty commentary on masculinity to its unique partnered lifts and on to a remarkably voluptuous pas de deux, "Branches" is thoroughly mesmerizing.

Best of all, the show is bookended by an adorable opening Welcome riff and a hilarious closing bow. Few dance companies of this stature and endurance have remained so funny, so tech-astute, and so damned gorgeous as Pilobolus.

For more on Pilobolus including upcoming appearances, visit the group's website.