ASU Gammage
Arizona’s premier destination for touring Broadway productions. Info: (480) 965-3434 or www.asugammage.com
March 6, 2012: Bill T. Jones-Arnie Zane Dance Company presents Body Against Body
ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts School of Dance
Students perform at locations across campus. (480) 965-5029 or dance.asu.edu
Nov. 18-20: Emerging Artists
Feb. 10-12, 2012: Transition Projects I and II
March 2-4, 2011: Dance Annual
Ballet Arizona
An innovative and provocative professional ballet company under the artistic direction of former New York City Ballet dancer Ib Andersen. Performances are at Phoenix’s Symphony Hall, unless otherwise noted. Info: (602) 381-1096 or balletaz.org
Sept. 18: Ballet Under the Stars (Sun City West)
Sept. 22: Ballet Under the Stars (Casa Grande)
Sept. 23: Ballet Under the Stars (Tempe Center for the Arts)
Sept. 24: Ballet Under the Stars (Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix)
Sept. 25: Ballet Under the Stars (Fountain Hills)
Oct. 20-23: Cinderella
Dec. 9-24: Nutcracker
Feb. 9-12, 2012: The Sleeping Beauty
March 29-April 1, 2012: Director’s Choice: A Vibrant Collection of Movement
May 31-June 3, 2012: All Balanchine
Ballet Etudes
Since 1987, this Gilbert company has realistically duplicated the experiences of a professional ballet company for Arizona’s serious young dancers, and its annual Nutcracker show is an East Valley holiday tradition. Performances are typically at Mesa Arts Center or Chandler Center for the Arts. Info: (480) 558-2080 or balletetudes.net
Nov. 12 and 19: Nutcracker Sweet Tea
Nov. 25-28 and Dec. 2-4: The Nutcracker (Chandler)
Dec. 8-11: The Nutcracker (Mesa)
May 18-20: Cinderella
Center Dance Ensemble
CDE is the resident modern dance company of Phoenix’s Herberger Theater Center. Info: (602) 252-8497 or herbergertheater.org
Oct. 13-16: There Is a Time to Dance, featuring The Attic and guest dance companies
Dec. 3-18: Frances Smith Cohen’s Snow Queen
Dec. 12: Spirit of the Season
March 22-25, 2012: Dance AZ/100
April 13-15, 2012: American Voices
Chandler Center for the Arts
Chandler’s top venue for peforming arts. Info: (480) 782-2680 or chandlercenter.org
Nov. 25-Dec. 4: Ballet Etudes’ Nutcracker
Jan. 28, 2012: Ballroom with a Twist, featuring Dancing With The Stars’ Edyta Slywinska and Alec Mazo
Feb. 17, 2012: Desert Dance Theatre presents Sister Moses: The Story of Harriet Tubman
March 4, 2012: Red Star Red Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble
May 18-20, 2012: Ballet Etudes’ Cinderella
Chandler-Gilbert Community College Performing Arts
Students present theatrical, musical and dance works in the on-campus Performing Arts Center. Info: (480) 732-7343 or http://www.cgc.maricopa.edu/academic-affairs/comm-arts/perf-arts/Pages/perf-arts-cntr.aspx
Nov. 18-19: Faculty Choreography Dance Showcase
Dec. 9-10: Student Dance Showcase
Jan. 12, 2012: East Valley High School Dance Festival
CONDER/dance
Founded in 2003 by Carley Conder, this contemporary dance company develops and performs Conder’s work, commissions dance work from nationally recognized choreographers and curates and presents Breaking Ground, an annual showcase for new and established choreographers. Info: (480) 570-3263 or conderdance.com
Jan. 28, 2012: Breaking Ground 2012: Festival for Dance, Film, Art
Desert Dance Theatre
This contemporary dance company under the artistic direction of Lisa R. Chow is known for its moving annual ode to underground railroad heroine Harriet Tubman. It performs at venues throughout the Valley. Info: 480-962-4584 or desertdancetheatre.org
Oct. 7-8: Arizona Dance Festival 2011
Oct. 13-16: There Is a Time to Dance, presented by Center Dance Ensemble
Nov. 5: Las Calacas Encantadas at Xico Inc.’s Dia de los Muertos Festival
Feb. 17, 2012: Sister Moses: The Story of Harriet Tubman
Dulce Dance Company
A contemporary modern dance company led by artistic directors Candy Jimenez and Liliana Gomez, it’s named “dulce,” a Spanish word meaning sweet, fresh or candy, because its leaders believe the art of dance is sweet, fresh & textured. Info: (602) 570-7635 or dulcedancecompany.com.
Higley Center for the Performing Arts
This venue with a 1,235-seat concert hall and 186-seat Little Theater is on the campus of Gilbert’s Higley High School. Info: (480) 279-7194 or higleyarts.org
Dec. 16-17: Southwest Youth Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker Ballet, with music by Chandler Symphony Orchestra
Mesa Arts Center
Downtown’s shining arts campus hosts concerts, plays, touring productions, festivals, artists’ studios and educational programs. Info: (480) 644-6500 or www.mesaartscenter.com
Nov. 12-13: Native American Song and Dance: Canyon Records’ 60th Anniversary Celebration
Dec. 8-11: Ballet Etudes’ Nutcracker
Jan. 20, 2012: Forever Tango with Cheryl Burke
Feb. 11, 2012: Contra-Tiempo Urban Latin Dance Theater
March 24-25, 2012: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Mesa Community College Dance Company
Students present dance concerts at MCC’s Theatre Outback and East Gymnasium. Info: (480) 461-7597 or mesacc.edu/dept/d37/dance/performances.html
Nov. 3-4: Fall 2011 Formal Performance
Dec. 9: Fall 2011 Dance Classes Showcase
Scorpius Dance Theatre
This contemporary dance company headed by Lisa Starry is best known for its “A Vampire Tale,” a dark, sexy production sometimes likened to “the ‘Nutcracker’ of Halloween.” Scorpius reprises this signature cult classic every October.
Oct. 13-22: Lisa Starry’s A Vampire Tale VIII
May 2-5, 2012: The Kick-A** Dance Showcase
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Scottsdale’s premiere performance arts venue. Info: (480) 994-2787 or scottsdaleperformingarts.org
Oct. 21-22: Pilobolus
Nov. 10: Te Vaka
Nov. 18: Stephen Petronio’s Underland
Feb. 3, 2012: Ballet Folklorico de Antioquia, Colombia
Feb. 4, 2012: Celtic Nights: Journey of Hope
Feb. 16, 2012: Trisha Brown Dance Company
March 22, 2012: Batsheva Dance Company
April 6-7, 2012: Chunky Move: Connected
April 26-27, 2012: DanceBrazil
Tempe Center for the Arts
The gleaming lakeside venue hosts concerts, plays, lectures, dance productions, inimate musical jam sessions and public events. Info: (480) 350-2822 or tempe.gov/tca
Sept. 23: Ballet Arizona’s Ballet Under the Stars
Oct. 7-8: Desert Dance Theatre presents Arizona Dance Festival 2011
Terpsicore Dance Company
Led by Danna Parker, Terpsicore is a contemporary ballet company that recognizes the influence and incorporates the human expression of modern dance. Info: (602) 690-9594 or terpsicoredance.org
