What difference does difference make? Turns out it matters a great deal in "We, the Others" by Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater, but not in the most obvious ways. That's the subtle beauty of this work, which premiered Friday night at the Cowles Center in Minneapolis.

What could be a litany of the injustices underlying how people treat one another is actually far more poetic and watercolor-like in its approach. The messages resonate quietly and seem purposefully blurred around the edges. This approach gives the piece the sort of power that doesn't reveal itself in the moment. It lingers and grows with time.

Conceived, written and directed by Pimsler and co-artistic director Suzanne Costello, "We, the Others" plays around with stereotypes in its opening minutes using almost-vaudevillian wit. Pimsler is the outsider perched above the fray in a little stand evoking a guardhouse used to watch over prisoners or the seat for a chair umpire who judges a tennis match. The latter description perhaps suits Pimsler's role best as he interprets the action unfolding beneath him. His character may be isolated from everyone else, but only he has the big-picture perspective.

The work wends its way through stories about race, gender and privilege dynamics inspired by conversations among the eight company members. Each performer is notable for his or her emotionally nuanced interpretations, particularly Brian Evans, who has a lovely singing voice and athletic movement style. Both Kurt Blomberg and Blake Nellis show keen comic timing.

"What are you?" is a question that stings, no matter its intent. Categorizing implies assignment of individual status -- a summing up of worth. The choreography reflects this tumultuous relationship between the personal and the social -- it swoops, tumbles, assembles and breaks apart. A certain roughness speaks to the effort of living, but sparks of humor reflect the joy. And while the work assumes "everything has been said," we know it really hasn't. The conversation continues.

The program includes two repertory works by Pimsler -- 2009's "Tales from the Book of Longing" and "Ways to Be Hold" (2008). Each illustrates the troupe's dramatic range, with "Ways" providing a perfect second act counterpart to "We, the Others" in its exploration of desire undercut by fear-driven motivations. Fear, perhaps more than anything else, is what ultimately divides us.