Joffrey Ballet shimmers in ‘Light Rain’

The Joffrey Ballet’s “Light Rain” is a flashy conclusion to its two-year 50th Anniversary celebration. It’s also a fitting tribute to outgoing Joffrey artistic director

and co-founder Gerald Arpino.

“Light Rain’s” eclectic and crowd-pleasing program highlights the Joffrey’s masterful blend of classical ballet with modern dance.

Two differing aerial pieces wowed with the dexterity of their high-flying dancers. Erica Lynette Edwards literally swung with the abandon of young love in Joanna Haigood’s “Dance for

Yal,” a contrast to Emily Patterson contemplative tethered partnering in “White Widow” (co-created by Momix’s Moses Pendleton and Cynthia Quinn) which suggested a mourning woman

unable to break an ethereal web to her lost loved one.

For pure humor, the Joffrey toyed with sexuality in Arpino’s amusing 1971 “Valentine” which pits a pouty (and über-flexible) Julianne Kepley against swaggering Fabrice Calmels

in a battle-of-the-sexes match up, complete with Chicago Symphony Orchestra contrabass player Joseph Guastafeste refereeing.

Two Victorian ladies in enormous skirts also provoked chuckles with the birds-and-the-bees in “Untitled.” Choreographed by Pilobolus, the piece allowed Suzanne Lopez and Maia Wilkins

to foresee and tower over their suitors and future children (each comically danced by Derrick Agnoletti, John Gluckman, Michael Levine and Brian McSween).

David Parsons’ “Caught” was a true dazzler as dancer Calvin Kitten appeared to literally float across the darkened stage thanks to strobe lighting freeze-framing his movements à la

19th century photographer Eadweard Muybridge.

A final dose of razzmatazz capped off the show with Arpino’s 1981 signature piece “Light Rain.” A triptych with an insistent internationalist percussive score, “Light Rain” features

dancers all spinning and stretching with the sensual abandon as if South Asian temple sculptures came to life in the sweltering jungle. The agile partnering of Valerie Robin with Calmels in “Light

Rain” was a sight to behold, as was the entire performance.

The Joffrey Ballet’s “Light Rain”four stars out of fourLocation: Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Congress Parkway, ChicagoTimes: 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays; through May 6Running time: 2 hours with two intermissionsParking: Area pay garagesTickets: $25-$130Box office: (312) 902-1500Rating: Near nudity (some men wearing

dance belts) and some playfully suggestive heterosexual coupling