VAIL — There was so much advance ballyhoo surrounding the debut of Christopher Wheeldon's new company Morphoses, last Friday at the Ford Amphitheatre, that one worried the actual performance would be an anti-climax. Glad to report it wasn't.

For the past decade, the English-born choreographer has attracted plenty of press around the world, hailed as the next Balanchine and such — the sort of hype bound to result in disappointment among balletomanes anxiously searching for the Next Big Thing.

Let's get something straight: Morphoses is, at this early stage, an ad-hoc company of borrowed dancers from companies in the U.S .and Europe. Brilliant performers, to be sure, but by no means permanent members of the roster. Then, as far as Friday's program goes, there were only two Wheeldon premieres — ones he described as works-in-progress, to be formally unveiled next month in London.

Which is not to say that the concert didn't carry a sense of excitement among the near- capacity audience. Though a cynic might view the show as an out-of-town warm-up (even Wheeldon described it as "a dry run"), there were numerous highpoints in the generous program, and plenty of promise from a dancemaker who just may well become an important, fresh voice in contemporary ballet.

The two new works displayed a natural, seamless approach to movement. Wheeldon rarely relies on repetition, time-killing or brainless virtuosity. Instead, there is an impressive connection to the music and the mood.

An untitled pas de quatre (to chamber music by the young English composer Joby Talbot) found the two casually dressed couples moving in groups of two and three. Seldom did Wheeldon run out of things to say. Same with the "Prokofiev Pas de Deux," given its unofficial premiere on Friday (it's a Sadler's Wells commission). Helene Bouchet and Thiago Bordin of Hamburg Ballet seemed at one with the gorgeous slow movement of the Second Violin Concerto, interlocking arms in novel ways and showcasing Wheeldon's gifts for Adagio movement.

Three established works completed his contributions to the program. "Polyphonia" from 2001 is a suite of 11 segments (mostly for pairs of dancers) performed to some surprisingly agreeable piano music by Ligeti (expertly played by Cameron Grant), that ranged from the intimate and romantic to the outgoing and playfully angular. Four couples from four companies meshed wonderfully.

Eight Colorado Ballet dancers formed the capable corps for "Dance of the Hours" (created by Wheeldon for the Met's "La Gioconda," joining Letizia Giuliani and Gonzalo Garcia in this charming, thoroughly classical romp.

The evening concluded with the two-year-old "After the Rain," a two-part work to music by Paert. Particularly successful was the dreamy, concluding duet danced exquisitely by Wendy Whelan and Craig Hall. Nice violin-piano playing from Lydia Svyatlovskaya and Grant.

Dancer Edwaard Liang contributed a pleasant pas de deux, "Vicissitude," (music from Schubert's "Death and the Maiden") danced convincingly by Maria Kowroski and Tyler Angle.

Morphoses

• Grade: A-

• When and where: Friday at the Ford Amphitheatre, Vail