Part of the beauty of professional dance is its muscular strength and precision that create an almost otherworldly uniformity. But as Philadanco proved recently, what is perhaps more powerful is a dance ensemble capable of making the most spectacular and demanding movements seem human in their individuality.

Combining loose, spontaneous expressions with quick-fire energy and unbelievable skill, the Philadelphia-based contemporary dance company held the audience spellbound with four outstanding pieces that were over all too quickly Friday night at the Lied Center. Rather than moving through selections methodically and collectively, like a well-oiled machine, the performers felt more like a conversation, with bodies blooming and rippling all over the stage, often echoing each other with fast, outstretched arms and torsos. Though certain dancers held the spotlight with specific solos, each person commanded his or her own moment of grace and individual style, something that highlighted the group’s superb training and discipline, and the innovative choreography.

Philadanco, a modern dance company based in Philadelphia, performed Friday night at the Lied Center.

The concert opened with “Labess II,” a selection driven by chanting, singing voices that began with seven dancers fanning in and out of one solid column. Dawn Marie Watson led the group with an emotionality that matched the sharp, clean perfection of her movements. Dancers frequently leapt and wrapped their bodies around each other with lightening quickness, an act that heightened the sense of human connection conveyed by the vocals-only music.

“Hand Singing Song” was a true affirmation of Philadanco’s role as a driving force in the black dance community. Choreographed by Kansas City’s own Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, the piece played with the meaning behind hand gestures, specifically the “dap,” the hand-to-fist greeting of the Black Power Movement that affirmed black solidarity and autonomy. Dancers sizzled and sassed with occasional shouts and exaggerated, comical, theatrical gestures punctuated by explosions of flawless technique. Changing sentiments in the music, from soul brother to jazz cat, charted the fast pace and unique style of this piece.

“Gate Keepers” was the most urban and edgy moment of the show, using trip hop, house and jungle beats to create a dream-like tension between fast and slow motion. The title was supposed to suggest soldiers leading others to heaven, something reinforced by militaristic costumes, hands clasped behind backs, and methodical walking. But what really stood out was a feeling of people who spent their whole lives containing themselves through rigid discipline and steely nerve finally being able to burst free with a beautiful wildness. Each dancer had a solo that conveyed a soul in flight, with brilliant flashes of dynamic precision following lulls of stillness.

“Blue” highlighted the talent and muscular beauty of Philadanco’s male dancers against a vivid sky backdrop. Flurries of chaotic, anxious gestures gradually gave way to a self-assured confidence, a transition marked by the dancers’ removal of various layers of clothing, starting with voluminous, skirted outfits and ending with plain briefs.

It was a performance that demonstrated how dance is utterly a part of the human spirit, driven and different from moment to moment.