Noa Wertheim’s Mana, Vessel of Light is filled with spiraling movement, billowing fabrics and symbolism. Her handsome Vertigo Dance Company wove it all together with fluid athleticism in its San Diego debut at Mandeville Wednesday night.

Rakefet Levy’s stage design and costumes were key elements. A one-dimensional white house was a simple backdrop that symbolized interior and exterior borders. Dancers passed through a doorway, and each time they revealed new movement and tension - and sometimes more skin. Long tunics and billowing trousers and skirts accentuated fine leaps and barrel turns. Lighting by Dani Fishof called attention to beautiful folds and subtle earth colored fabrics.

Wertheim’s vocabulary was decidedly tribal with exquisite step-ball-change forms and gestures that repeated and changed direction. The five men and three women had excellent line and perfect timing, even in the most challenging unison sections.

The strange score by Ran Bagno included piano, clicks and breathy moans that morphed into techno-Klezmer beats. That prompted dancers to break into pairs, toss their partners over their shoulders, and strut on half toe like Barbie dolls. A woman in tiny trunks had a big balloon tied to her shoulders.

From a design perspective, one of the best moments had dancers rolling together like mechanical pistons. Two men rebounding and couples waltzing were also thrilling. Imagine run, leap and drag your partner across the floor at high speed. The image of couples pressed together at the shoulder on an angle to form a single triangle was just odd.

A caterwauling sound and women falling into madness was too long. But it was fascinating to watch their transformation. They were no longer humble villagers with scarves covering their hair. Instead they were sultry and almost dangerously confident. They joined the men in spidery walks and jazzy spins coming forward, ala Broadway. Was that how they really perceived themselves or was that what they wanted to be?

What you take away from Mana may depend on whether you are a history buff, gamer, or fan of fantasy fiction and wizardry. In some Pacific cultures, Mana refers to a spiritual energy. It’s also the term for magical points in computer games. And some believe that wizards can channel it to cast spells.

Vertigo’s Mana explores the internal conflicts of the self and what one chooses to reveal. Still, you don’ t have to worry about the meaning to appreciate its beauty.