Perfect imperfection.

Francesca Harper is familiar with trying to conform to the dance world's image of perfection. "I'm a 5' 10" muscular black woman," she says. So in forming her company, Modo Fusion, she took a cue from her mentor, William Forsythe, and hired dancers of "all races, sizes, and backgrounds." With beauty pageants as the theme, her choreography includes text by cultural critic Margo Jefferson. Why beauty pageants. My own bias against pageants was lifted when I realized that the women in them got frustrated," says Harper. "It's about the world of perfection and imperfection. The imperfection becomes a source of strength." The performances, presented by the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Festival, run at the Ailey Theater March 8-12. See www.92Y.org/center/dance.