20 DALLAS OBSERVER • KALEIDOSCOPE Setting the Stage for the Season Dallas has way more to offer in the way of dance and theatre than you’d expect. BY ALYSSA FIELDS, PATRICK WILLIAMS T he theater is a special place. Anything is possible through the magic of fly systems, trap doors, optical il- lusions and a talented tech crew. With the swell of an orchestra, a dramatic curtain close and a moody spot- light, there’s really nothing like witnessing the fine arts in person. Whether you fancy the ballet, the opera, Shakespeare, or Broadway hits, Dallas has something to offer, but for some rea- son, our fine city is overlooked as a performing arts hub. It’s a shame, being that we did give the world 10-time Tony winner Tommy Tune (say that five times fast), after all. We’re here to change our reputation, or at least to open the eyes of our readers who appreciate the finer arts in life. While not exhaustive (except for the dance section, our edi- tor-in-chief is clearly a big fan of the medium), our list below pin- points all the must-sees. Dance Texas Ballet Theater, Diversions Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, 2400 Flora St., Feb. 27 - March 1 Tasting menus allow diners to sample a range of chefs’ dishes, assess their creators’ skills, and enjoy a variety of flavors. The same principle applies to dance, or at least that’s the case with Diver- sions, a production by Texas Ballet Theater that demonstrates the troupe’s versatility. On the menu, Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto in D” (classical); Martha Graham’s “Diversion of Angels” (modern); Bo- lero (contemporary and spicy, we suspect); and “Company B” (an homage to the swing-time sounds of the Andrews Sisters). You can find tickets as low as $24.80 Bruce Wood Dance Dallas, Bruce Wood Dance Gallery, 101–103 How- ell St., Feb. 28 and March 1 Members of Dallas’ premiere contemporary dance company will let their creativity and imaginations fly free, performing works they choreograph and direct themselves, set to a soundtrack of songs from Björk to Fleetwood Mac to Edith Piaf. General admission is $45, and seating is limited. TITAS/Dance Unbound, Alvin Ailey American Dance TheaterWinspear Opera House, 2403 Flora St., March 10 As is probably obvious by now, our knowledge of dance is some- what … limited. But even Terpsichorean ignoramuses like us know that Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is, to put it ungracefully, a BFD in the world of dance. They’re coming to Dallas for one night only, which should thrill anyone who knows more than the number of steps in a two-step. Tickets start at $18.50. TITAS/Dance Unbound, BODYTRAFFICMoody Performance Hall, 2520 Flora St., March 20 - 21 Fan-favorite company BODYTRAFFIC brings the spirit of Los An- geles back to Dallas for two energetic, inspiring performances. Tick- ets start at $43. Bruce Wood Dance Dallas, Culture ShockSounders, 1211 E. Levee St., March 28 Billed as a “far-out fundraiser,” performances are set to tunes from the ‘50s-’70s — from swing, to rebellion, to groove. Dress in period at- tire and support local dance. This is a fundraiser, so tickets start at $500 and include cocktails, dinner, the performance, valet and danc- ing. TITAS/Dance Unbound, Complexions Contemporary Ballet Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora St., April 4 If your knowledge of ballet begins and ends with an annual holiday nap to the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” blow some dust off your imagination and expand your horizons with this performance by Complexions, a company critics say is defining the modern face and future of ballet. They add some Prince and other modern music into the mix alongside classical music, raising the question: Can they dance to Prince better than Prince did? Tickets start at $16. Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Rising ExcellenceMoody Performance Hall, 2520 Flora St., April 17 - 18 Catch a showcase of young, hometown talent before they head for performances on the road. Tickets are $52.50. TITAS/Dance Unbound, GALLIM / SAMA Moody Performance Hall, 2520 Flora St., May 29 - 30 What does it say about our tastes to know that the New York- based contemporary dance company GALLIM / SAMA includes dances on stilts in some of its choreography, and that we find it ex- tremely cool? On stilts! Dancers performing en pointe have always seemed impressive, but GALLIM / SAMA raises the bar with the physicality of its choreography. Tickets start at $43. TITAS/Dance Unbound, Compagnie Marie ChouinardMoody Perfor- mance Hall, 2520 Flora St., May 1- 2 French-Canadian dance company Compagnie Marie Chouinard returns to Dallas with Magnificat and Rite of Spring. TITAS describes Chouinard’s choreography as “very musical,” and an excerpt of Mag- nificat online makes clear what that means: the dancers’ movements seem to embody the music, giving living, moving form to sound. Tickets start at $43. Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Ascension Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St., May 1 DBDT’s annual showcase features dance from its performing en- semble Allegro, along with its senior and junior ensembles, as it nears the end of its performing season. Tickets will be available closer to the show date. Texas Ballet Theatre, Swan Lake Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora St., May 1 - 3 Fun fact: In some versions of Swan Lake, the White Swan doesn’t die at the end. Oh, don’t say spoiler. Everyone expects Odette to die. Besides, we don’t know how Ben Stevenson’s two-act production of Tchaikovsky’s iconic masterpiece plays it. Obviously, you can expect sorcery, love, passion and betrayal as the White Swan and Black Swan perform the ultimate dance-off for the love of Prince Siegfried. Tickets for the Dallas performances start at $30, with further perfor- mances May 15 - 17 at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth. Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Prismatic Wyly Theatre, 2400 Flora St, May 15 - 16 Texas Ballet Theater presents Swan Lake this May. Texas Ballet Theatre
