By HOLLY NADLER

On Tuesday afternoon, July 28, at the Yard in Chilmark, six exquisite dancers, three males and three females, clad in tango gear — right down to the red gardenias in the women’s hair, setting off their slit skirts and heels, and all six in black tank tops — wowed an appreciative, invitational audience. Choreographed by modern dance icon Paul Taylor, Piazzolla Caldera (first performed in 1997), with music by Astor Piazzolla, combined tango’s shoulder slinks, dips, twirls and contemptuous head tosses with Taylor’s signature gyrations, runs, hops and leaps, and with his ever startling, fleeting and lyrical pure ballet movements.

Joyful group dance segued into darker adagios as the dancers emerged from the shadows to writhe with bittersweet undercurrents, in the final moment piled atop one another like a litter of sleeping puppies.

The second act brought Esplanade (first performed in 1975), with music by J.S. Bach. Clad in pale apricot costumes, the dancers ran, circled, gamboled, spun and flew to be caught mid-air, all to the sprightly melody of Violin Concerto in E Major. For the sweeter, romantic Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, couples formed and unformed, including a stunning pas de deux as a male dancer twirled and twirled and twirled his fetching female partner.

Paul Taylor formed his dance company in 1954. At first considered shockingly experimental and avant-garde, the choreographer quickly morphed into a modern dance legend, his works performed in more than 520 cities in 62 countries. Now approaching 80, the maestro continues to create two new dances a year. The company’s annual season in March in New York attracts tens of thousands of audience members and financial support from its fundraisers.

The choreographer’s touring company, Taylor 2, starred in Tuesday’s Yard show, and will be performing for the public tonight, July 31, through Sunday, August 2. Taylor 2 was formed in 1993 to expand the repertoire to farther reaches of the international dance scene, and to provide master classes, lectures and all manner of community outreach.

Mr. Taylor chooses his Taylor 2 dancers for their athleticism and flexibility in combining ballet and modern dance articulations. The six young dancers on hand this week were nothing short of fabulous.

Jennifer Tipton provided the lighting for both Piazzolla Caldera and Esplanade. Set and costumes for Piazzolla were by Santa Loquata, while John Rawlings saw to costumes for Esplanade. Artistic director Wendy Taucher has received volumes of praise for bringing more and more exciting programs to the Yard in her tenure, carrying on the proud tradition of the dance colony’s founder, the late Patricia Nanon.

The transplanting of Taylor 2 to the Vineyard this week was achieved by Chilmark summer resident Joan Bowman, who sits on the board of trustees of the Paul Taylor Foundation in New York.

Opening night is tonight at 8 p.m. with champagne; on Saturday, August 1, is a 4 p.m. free family matinee and a full performance at 8 p.m.; on Sunday, August 2, the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $100. For details, call 508-645-9662.