Pascal Rioult was a track and field star in his native France when a friend admired his ability at disco and other popular social dances and suggested that he consider studying modern dance. He thought that seemed slightly absurd, never dreaming that his life was about to change. After receiving a fellowship from the French Ministry of Culture in 1981 to study in the United States, he moved to New York. Several years later, he became the principal dancer of the Martha Graham Dance Company and was featured in two television specials.

In 1994, Rioult founded his own company, Rioult, and has since been compared with George Balanchine for his distinctive choreographic style. This week, Rioult makes its Washington debut in a powerful program featuring “Celestial Tides,” danced to Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 6; “Wien,” danced to Ravel’s “La Valse”; “Bolero,” set to the composer’s piece by the same name; and “On Distant Shores,” danced to music by Aaron Jay Kernis, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer.