There are many legitimate strata of ballet, as was demonstrated Tuesday night at the Joyce Theater when Ballet NY began a week’s run. Ballet NY is a chamber company that doesn’t mimic the aesthetic or repertory of major companies. It was founded and is directed by Judith Fugate, who was one of New York City Ballet’s loveliest ballerinas for more than 20 years, and her husband, Medhi Bahiri, who trained in Europe and later danced with several American companies. Ms. Fugate now also stages Balanchine ballets on troupes around the world.

The Balanchine aesthetic represents ballet at its most rigorous and can sometimes seem forbiddingly cerebral. In her own artistic direction, however, Ms. Fugate seems locked into contemporary or fusion ballet mode, which represents what might be called soft-centered ballet. There is nothing wrong with accessibility, but some more risk taking might benefit Ballet NY.

Tuesday night’s program opened with Stanton Welch’s “Orange” performed by three women and three men to the music of Vivaldi. Mr. Welch’s choreographic specialty seems to be contemporary ballet taken to a pop extreme and even tawdriness, as witnessed by his contributions to “Within You Without You: A Tribute to George Harrison” that had its premiere at American Ballet Theatre in 2002.

“Orange” is not as cute as it gets, but it’s pretty cute: At one point, a man runs out and gives a woman a kiss on the cheek, then disappears again into the wings. “Orange” is described in the program notes as an excerpt from a larger piece in which movements are named for “a different chakra color, or energy point throughout the body.” But since I am not fully cognizant of exactly what Mr. Welch was intending, I can only say that the gestures and slight emotional complications in the ballet seem pasted onto the steps. Hands are splayed, ears are covered, and the dancers wiggle their heads from time to time.

“Orange” is on pointe, but the profusion of steps largely scants the unique ability for sustaining movement that pointe shoes make possible; it’s as if the dance were made for modern dancers and then transferred to pointe. Certainly, however, Mr. Welch seems to have had modern dance works like Paul Taylor’s “Airs” in mind.

The company next presented John Butler’s 1976 “Othello.” Performed to Dvorak, this trio tells the story in a straightforward way with some choreographic ingenuity. The ballet seems to stop short of its full resolution, however, because Butler curtailed the arc of tragedy by ending the ballet with Desdemonda’s murder.There is no scene of Othello’s realization of his tragic delusion, and then suicide. The dancers – Anitra N. Nurnberger as Desdemonda, Fidel Garcia as Othello, and Dante D. Adela as Iago, were good and will become better with more performances.

“Jazz Fools” is a duet that seemed like a pointe version of a ballroom or disco duet. Choreographed by Francis Patrelle to Mel Torme’s rendition of “Ordinary Fool,” it showed us Bonnie Pickard and Addul Manzano dancing together, dancing apart, and kissing.

Following that, Toni Pimble’s “Two’s Company” demonstrated the predicament left unsaid by the title. Performed to Dvorak, the dance pits John-Mark Owen and Mr. Manzano in a dispute: Who would win Lindsay Purrington, and who would be odd man out?

The program closed with Thaddeus Davis’s “Once Before, Twice After,” which is an entry into the chair ballet genre – here lined up at the back of the stage – in and out of which the dancers slouch and sally, set to a melange of contrasting music dubs.

Ballet NY’s dancers are ingratiating, hard working, and a little quirky in a way that enables the company to establish its own profile. They are, however, up to the task of being challenged by more complex material. Butler’s “Othello,” isn’t great, but it is good, and it was certainly the best choreography on the program. I don’t know what funds are available for licensing, but the company might investigate some small-scale works by other master choreographers. The artistic directors’ apparent desire to take the remoteness out of ballet is laudable as far as it goes, and their repertory may perfectly suit the company’s audiences across America. But for a New York appearance more choreographic substance is necessary.

Until July 2 (175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street, 212-242-0800).