*** m Philadanco (Philadelphia Dance Company) has long been a favourite with Bermuda audiences. Now they are back, better than ever, with an exciting repertoire -- and arguably the best male dancers to be seen anywhere in America.

The incredible founder/director Joan Myers Brown is the inspirational force behind this company which began as a grass-roots organisation. Just 26 triumphant years later, she has overseen the rise of Philadanco to become one of the great contemporary dance companies of the world.

"Bamm'' was an appropriate title for this multi-talented company's high-energy opening number choregraphed by Donald Byrd. Set to a pulsating score by Mio Morales, seven barefoot unitard-clad dancers paced remorselessly, forming fluid diagonal and circular patterns punctuated with scissor-sharp extensions, arabesques and climactic leaps. This 15-minute work is typical of Philadanco in that the emphasis is on the electrifying discipline of the ensemble rather than on individual dancers.

Gene Hill Sagan's "La Valse'' is a fascinating, contemporary update on the impressionistic score by Ravel that has obviously fascinated a whole slew of choreographers from Nijinska to Balanchine and Ashton. Here, the company was in a meltingly lyrical mood, the girls floating through the sumptuous waltz idiom in flowing black and gold-trimmed gowns. The sense of wistful serenity lightened as the music reached a series of crescendos which, in turn, offered plenty of scope for some spectacular lifts, brilliantly fast turns and soaring jetes. This work, danced in soft shoes, illustrated dramatically the strength and precision of this company's technical training -- training that cares as much about line and epaulement as it does about the admittedly spectacular leg and foot work.

The quartet of Karen More, Candace Whitaker, Brandon Ellis and William Isaac gave a superb account of resident choreographer Milton Myers' "Variations No 1'' with original music written and performed by William Catanzaro. Basically an exercise in dance for dance's sake (and there's nothing wrong in that!) Myers devises a thrilling spectacle in which the freedom of the jazz idiom is rooted in the discipline of classical technique. While it is perhaps unfair to single out any of these artists, Ellis, especially, personifies the supple athleticism of the best American dance, where decidedly muscular males never miss a beat as they perform perfect, high arabesques and dazzling pirouettes.

The late Talley Beatty created "Pretty is Skin Deep, Ugly is to the Bone'', excerpts of which formed the finale of the programme. Danced by the whole company to the music of Earth, Wind & Fire, Natalie Cole and Quincy Jones, this jazzy offering is Philadanco at its glittering best. Set against a scarlet backdrop, dancers in rainbow-hued dresses and jeans gyrated and soared at dizzying pace across the "Ghettoscape'' stage. "Soul Saga'' brought rapid sparring movements, leading to the frenzied rhythms of "Gotta Keep Moving'' (no problem for this group) as the seemingly perpetual energy exploded against a New York silhouette in exuberant grand jetes en tournant, sparkling sissones and pirouettes.

Despite requests in the programme for avoiding "noise or disturbance'' during the performance, the audience was quite vocal throughout in their admiration for this group. This was perhaps understandable in that Philadanco's joy in dancing is inspiring -- and highly contagious. Please come back! PATRICIA CALNAN EXCITING REPERTOIRE -- The Philadelphia Dance Company has long been a favourite with local audiences.

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