Texture Contemporary Ballet is closing out its fourth season. In that relatively short period of time, the prolific young company has given its enthusiastic Pittsburgh audiences 55 new dance works.

“I almost can’t believe it,” says founder and artistic director Alan Obuzor, who actually has 65 works to his credit, including student pieces at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School and assorted commissions. “It seems that it can’t be that many.”

The soft-spoken artist appears to be calm and laid-back on the surface, but admits to being “persistent and stubborn” as Texture expands its artistic footprint. “Unleashed Emotion,” a performance series that opens Friday at the New Hazlett Theater, will include two duets already in the company’s repertoire: “Hydroplaning Flower,” created three years ago by Mr. Obuzor and resident choreographer and associate artistic director Kelsey Bartman, and “Another Story,” which the two artists designed as part of Texture’s Works in Progress series in 2012. In addition, they will elaborate on existing choreography for a more substantial version of “Jabber Bubble.”

But this duo does not like to rest on their laurels. Most of “Unleashed Emotion” will consist of two new works, both inspired by music that made them move. 

Ms. Bartman wanted to “make a change, coming around full circle” in “Old Skin.” Playing upon the concept of rebirth, the piece for five dancers is set to music by Olafur Arnalds, Patrick Wolf, Ludovico Einaudi and others. Mr. Obuzor, meanwhile, came upon Eva Cassidy’s rendition of the pop classic “Autumn Leaves” while working with local songstress Anqwenique Wingfield on another project. 

He began to research Ms. Cassidy’s voice, obsessed with her “clear yet rich sound,” and discovered her compelling back story. The Washington, D.C., singer was mostly unknown until her death from cancer in 1996, when she was discovered. Her music surged to top the charts in England and her album “Songbird” was listed as the fifth most popular artist on Amazon.com, just behind The Beatles, U2, Norah Jones and Diana Krall. 

“I think the company is in a good place,” Mr. Obuzor says. “We are developing a group of resident dancers” plus “a cohesion of people who are used to working together.”

That is important for the young company, because he is sure that “I need to be involved in dance in some way.”

Former Post-Gazette critic Jane Vranish can be reached at jvranish1@comcast.net. She also blogs at www.pittsburghcrosscurrents.com.

First Published: March 18, 2015, 4:00 a.m.