"It started because we wanted a place where new and emerging artists could show work," says Rebecca Sloan of dance troupe Bald Mermaids, thinking back to the 1990s and the genesis of Glue. "We were looking at ourselves and our projects, knowing we needed a place where we could show our work and also wanting to work together. So we created the series, it's our glue."

Community Education Center's intimate black box theater will be crammed with talent for the latest Glue installment, showing off works in progress. Junction Dance Theatre, Chalk and host Group Motion (members Lesya Popil and Emily Hubler) will join these five other experimenters: Bethany Formica, Megan Bridge, Erin Foreman-Murray, Michelle Stortz and Megan Mazarick.

In true Glue spirit, Katie McNamara (a former Mermaid, now in Rhode Island) arrives in Philly on Saturday, and she and Sloan will get together that afternoon to "come up with something for the performance that night." "Actually," Sloan continues, "some of our best work has been done when we didn't know what we were doing until we did it."

This amazing stew of experimenters will serve up seven dances on Saturday night, and six on Sunday—in fact, there may be even more. Post-performance, you can linger to meet the artists and talk about what you've seen.

"Katie, Lesya, Emily and I," Sloan laughs. "We're the old girls now. The others are all new to Glue, one is still at Temple, the rest are seasoned local professionals. Is that great?" Yup.

Glue Performance Series, Sat.-Sun., April 1-2, 8 p.m., $8-$10, Community Education Center, 3600 Lancaster Ave., 215-387-9895.