Watching George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments, a dance of stark, unconventional beauty, one understands what dance critic Edwin Denby meant when he said that the meaning of a Balanchine piece is to be found in its brilliance and exhilarating variety of classical style. In this seminal work, the choreographer made his first steps in creating what would be called “a unique American ballet style.” Giving ballet’s traditional classical vocabulary the edge, speed and thrill to reflect the culture and energy of twentieth-century America, Balanchine created bold choreographic images that would inspire, stir the imagination and ultimately connect with American audiences.

On opening night of the Washington Ballet triple bill ”High Lonesome”, the dancers and their distinguished guest star, American Ballet Theater principal dancer David Hallberg, gave nearly flawless performance of Balanchine’s Temperaments, demonstrating once again the ever-growing technical skill and artistry of the company.

Premiered by the Ballet Society (the predecessor of the New York City Ballet) in 1946, the original version of Temperaments had a surrealistic undertone. The dancers were virtually hidden under wraithlike attire (“ragged medieval clothing with horned or mushroomlike headpieces”) designed by surrealist artist Kurt Seligmann. In 1951, the unwieldy costumes and decorations were replaced by simple, unhindered dress (black leotards for the women and black tights and white T-shirts for the men) and solid blue backdrop. Such unadorned appearance of the dancers and stage, with main focus on the choreography itself, was later associated with many of Balanchine’s ballets.

The ballet takes its title from the Hindemith score, which was inspired by the ancient Greek theory of human temperaments. In this work, however, Balanchine uses the notion of temperaments only as a suggestion or starting point, so that there are only slight allusions to the moods indicated in the titles of the variations. In fact, the ballet can be described as a collage of abstract images – fantasies or visions – which evoke contrasting emotions and inspire endless interpretations. At the same time, the choreography very closely follows the musical structure of the score, and the music itself serves as a prime driving force for the entire piece. It’s evocative and mesmerizing, a dance you want to watch over and over again.

In the ballet opening, just as the composer states his main melodic themes, Balanchine introduces his principal movement motifs, which will be developed and elaborated in the course of the dance. Elizabeth Gaithner and Aaron Jackson made a strong impression in the first section, their steps meticulously measured and precise. The jazzy and brisk second theme was aptly danced by Morgan Rose and Chip Coleman, and Laura Urgelles and Runqiao Du wonderfully conveyed the lyricism and softness of the final movement.

The Melancholic Variation, danced by Jonathan Jordan, offers some of the richest choreography of the ballet, with its movements evoking medieval sculptures and paintings. The imagery brings an air of tension and suspense, forcing the audience to look for interpretations. I think the most visually compelling moment of this variation came when Jordan, flanked by Maki Onuki and Jade Payette, faced the “menacing” quartet of female dancers moving with high-kicking, sharply pointed steps. This episode, accompanied by the urgent march, resembles a military combat, where Jordan looks like a hero and victim at the same time.

In the Sanguinic Variation, Jared Nelson excellently partnered Brianne Bland in a sequence of slow, flowing lifts in which the ballerina seems to be pushing through the air. A master of long, beautiful lines, Hallberg, brought out subtleties of the multifaceted Phlegmatic solo. Erin Mahoney-Du was the dynamic ballerina in the Choleric Variation, with the entire cast showing unity and class in the thrilling, emotionally-charged finale.

After the intermission, the program featured High Lonesome (2001), a high-energy dance with a breeze of nostalgia, created by former Washington Ballet resident choreographer Trey McIntye. High Lonesome has a definitive story line; in fact, it’s an autobiographical piece. “This is about my family. Some of it is true,” writes the choreographer in the program notes. In one of the interviews, McIntyre explains further: “It’s about experiences I had growing up. In some ways I felt very loved and accepted, and in others I felt like an observer and an outsider.” Last year, this piece was performed by his summer-touring company, Trey McIntyre Project, which recently became a full-time enterprise, at the Wolf Trap Festival.

McIntyre sets the dance as a series of sweet and at times painful reminiscences of his childhood. The soundtrack, a selection of edgy and restless songs from the rock album Odelay by Beck, including “Devil’s Haircut,” “Where It’s At,” “Jackass,” “Ramshackle” and “The New Pollution” helps underscore the emotional turmoil and growing pains of a self-conscious, hesitant teenager, trying to fit in.

The choreography is a vibrant mix of street dance, swing, and contemporary ballet. It’s straightforward, dynamic and highly entertaining. The effective set design by Sandra Woodall – a white-string curtain – provides a quick and easy way for the dancers to enter and exit the stage.

The enthusiastic five-member ensemble made a picture-perfect portrayal of one dysfunctional family. Erin Mahoney-Du, in a white cocktail dress with long white gloves, was a self-absorbed yet tender mother. I thought that Jared Nelson, his golden locks caressing his angelic face, was miscast as a distant and tough dad, but Brianne Bland and Zachary Hackstock hit all the right notes as the quirky siblings. The boyish Jonathan Jordan, clad in bright orange shorts, looking utterly disconnected and misunderstood by the rest of the clan, made the leading role his own.

The evening was completed by Choo San Goh’s Fives, a transfixing rhapsody in red, set to the vigorous movements of Ernest Bloch’s Concerto Grosso No.1. It was a tribute to the late choreographer, who was associate artistic director of the Washington Ballet from 1976 until his untimely death in 1987. Celebrated for his unique style and fascinating dance imagery, Goh had created more than 30 ballets, many of which were specifically made for the Washington Ballet. Premiered nearly 20 year ago, Fives, the company’s signature work, vividly demonstrates Goh’s undeniable mastery in creating visually striking ensemble works. In this captivating tour-de-force, the cast of fifteen dancers in bright red unitards, moving in groups of five, created a ritualistic display, equally exotic and sophisticated. The unison of movements was important for the desired visual effect of this piece, and the dancers, moving as one, conveyed the beauty of sleek geometry and propulsive rhythm of Fives, bringing the program to an exciting, powerful culmination.

Jordan, Mahoney-Du, Bland, Nelson