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The Emio Greco | PC dance company will perform its new piece, “Rimasto Orfano,” in Ro

After watching a stunning dance performance, most people have a brief desire to be like the superhuman dancers they just saw on stage. Quickly after this thought comes a list of excuses, such as age and inexperience, silencing these desires.

Fortunately for the dance world, Emio Greco ignored these excuses. After growing up in Italy, in a city he described as having few interactions with art and culture, he was exposed to dance later than most. In fact, he did not begin practicing dance until he was 19. Although young to the rest of the world, in dance years, he was an old beginner.

“My meeting with dance came quite late, but the desire to transmit my thoughts with dance, I can remember that, since the age of 6. It is still guiding me,” said Greco.

Decades later, Greco is once again shaking up the dance world as the choreographer of the contemporary dance company, Emio Greco | PC. The company is performing their latest work, “Rimasto Orfano,” on Friday and Saturday night at Royce Hall.

Three years ago, Greco and his partner, Pieter C. Scholten (the “PC”) dreamed up “Rimasto Orfano,” which means “Abandoned Orphan,” as a companion to an earlier piece, “Conjunto de Nero.” The loosely autobiographical piece focusses on the ideas of self and identity.

“One side of it is fear, and the risk artists have of loosing their own identity and inspiration and becoming of themselves,” Greco said. “Also it is about the hope to be yourself and to regenerate yourself without loosing to fear.”

While themes and messages are important to the dance, Greco believes the actual movement is the most crucial element to an effective piece.

“There is a certain narrative we call the language of the flesh that needs to be understood. That kind of material cannot be used to tell another story because it already contains a strong element that does not need to be articulated,” he said. “Once we understand this language, we can articulate the choreography without trying to (cover it up) with a narrative.”

The contemporary dance with a classical twist is all choreographed to music by American composer Michael Gordon. Since he does not get caught up in metaphors, Greco is able to concentrate on mood-stirring movement which is both spirited and structured.

“There is this sense of abandonment and loneliness, and loneliness by choice, so there is an effect of activity and passivity,” said Greco.

Aiding in the execution of the reflective dance are the harrowing costumes and lighting. With a background in designing and lighting, these structural elements are Scholten’s expertise. Using moments in which a single light bulb illuminates the stage, and dressing dancers in white, Scholten strips away the excess and allows the audience to concentrate on the pure movement.

“We chose a kind of element that goes together with the dance without covering the body and imposing any artificial element so you can react to the body and the dancer in this journey in this piece,” said Greco.