Complexions: in perpetual motion.

Complexions, the 13-year-old company started by former Ailey dancers Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, strives to live up to its name by presenting diversity both culturally and artistically. In the past year, the company has added a range of creative energies to the mix. A single choreographic voice shaped an identity in the beginning, but now Rhoden, who has created over 60 works for the company, is branching out to honor the company's founding mission.

The contemporary ballet company worked with William Forsythe on Approximate Sonata for their 2005 Joyce season. In October, Complexions revived Ulysses Dove's Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven (1993) at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, bringing the piece full circle: Before setting it on the Royal Swedish Ballet, Dove worked out a male duet on his fellow Ailey dancers, Rhoden and Richardson. The duet about Dove and Ailey's friendship is included in this dance about love and loss. Dove died from AIDS-related causes 11 years ago at 49.

Complexions' January season at The Joyce includes a solo for Richardson choreographed by Taye Diggs and a duet by Jodie Gates. Rhoden's contribution includes the first chapter of his new dance-theater epic to music by Marvin Gaye.

Diversity in the company is reflected head to toe--literally. Some dancers wear pointe shoes, others slippers, while some dance barefoot. The technical possibilities of pointe work are surprisingly suitable to the syncopated beat in Rhoden's musical choices. "You can go even more off center," says Rhoden, "once you've put a box on the end of your foot."

As co-director and star dancer, Richardson, 37, exemplifies the balance of classic and contemporary that defines the company. While the makeup of the company is in constant flux, there is a steady stream of classically trained ballet dancers well-equipped to feed the fusion. Sabra Perry arrived eight years ago from The National Ballet of Canada. This past year, Monique Meunier, who has danced with both New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre, joined Complexions for a different challenge. "I push myself until I feel vulnerable. That's when I'm closer to getting it right," she says. "I love opening up my heart, and with contemporary, that's first and foremost."

The tall, striking Rubinald Rofino Pronk from The Dutch National Ballet also joined. Ebony Haswell, a compact, muscular beauty who danced with Dance Theatre of Harlem, joined the company in 2005. Clifford Williams and Leyland Simmons are relative fixtures--flowering after three years.

There have been plenty of departures, too. Danny Tidwell, another former ABT dancer, passed through Complexions in 2006. Heather Thompson and Miho Morinoue, two of the company's strongest women, left in the summer of 2005. "The turnover is inevitable," says Rhoden, "but I'm optimistic because of the young generation coming up and wanting to be a part of it."

Last summer, Complexions toured with sold-out shows in Australia and Italy. The coming year brings national engagements, summer intensives, and concerts in Poland, Israel, and Wales.

Rhoden, who recovered from open-heart surgery last year, now lives and works with a heightened awareness of time. About the company's possibilities, he says, "This can go on as long as you keep exploring."