As days grow shorter and nights become cooler, nearly every dance company in the region begins dusting off its Snow Queen and Sugar Plum Fairy costumes.
But dance enthusiasts need not wait until the holiday season to taste Colorado’s eclectic offerings, especially with the ambitious opening season at Denver’s new Ellie Caulkins Opera House.
Here is a look at non-Nutcracker dance concerts scheduled for autumn – arguably the most bewitching time of year in colorful Colorado.
THE COLORADO BALLET
Sept. 23-Oct. 16|Ellie Caulkins Opera House.
The Colorado Ballet storms into its new home at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House with “The Sleeping Beauty,” a classic romance set to music by Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and a show considered by many to be the greatest of all traditional ballets. This run features extra glamour with new sets and costumes designed by David Walker and imported from the Royal Ballet of England. Tickets: $27-$107, 303-837-8888, ticketmaster.com.
CLEO PARKER ROBINSON DANCE
Sept. 23-Oct. 2|Various venues
The venerable Denver troupe celebrates more than three decades of inspirational modern dance and work with the likes of Alvin Ailey, Katherine Dunham, Debbie Allen, Maya Angelou and Harry Belafonte with “Cleo’s 35th Anniversary Gala” on Sept. 23. That event at the Seawell Ballroom at the Denver Performing Arts Complex is followed by two weekends of ensemble performances at the Newman Center for the Performing arts at the University of Denver. Those performances will spotlight “Roots to Fame,” a concert featuring early choreography by Parker Robinson, as well as guest choreography by Christopher Huggins and Roger C. Jeffrey.
Ten dollars of each ticket sold for the opening night of “Roots to Fame” will benefit Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Concert tickets: $18-$38. 303-357-ARTS, ticketmaster.com. For tickets and information about “Cleo’s 35th Anniversary Gala,” call 303-295-1759, ext. 14.
BALLET HISPANICO
Sept. 25|Macky Auditorium
The University of Colorado’s Artist Series brings the acclaimed New York-based company to Boulder for a performance that includes “Bury Me Standing” and “Dejame Soñar.” Ballet Hispanico’s repertory fuses ballet, modern and Latin dance to narrate contemporary Hispanic-American culture. The event includes a pre-show conversation with CU-Boulder ethnomusicology professor Brenda Romero. Tickets: $10-$47, 303-492-8008, cucon certs.org.
“LORD OF THE DANCE”
Oct. 3|Budweiser Events Center
International Irish dance wonder Michael Flatley brings his “Lord of the Dance” tour back to Colorado for a one-night engagement at the center at the Larimer County Fairgrounds. Tickets: $24-$49, 877-544-TIXX, ComcastTix.com.
BOULDER BALLET
Oct. 29|Macky Auditorium.
The Boulder Ballet mounts a one-night run of “L’Histoire du Soldat” on the CU campus. This Faustian story about a soldier’s confrontation with the devil is set to music by Igor Stravinsky, and will be accompanied by the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. Co-Artistic Director Peter Davison handles the choreography. Tickets: $10-$75, 303-449-1343, boulderphil.org.
KIM ROBARDS DANCE
Nov. 4-5|Teikyo Loretto Heights
The Denver modern dance company launches its 19th season with an opening concert featuring one new work, and several repertoire revivals, including an expanded rendition of “Kim Gym Megalomania,” performed to music by the “Ya Baby” String Quartet. Tickets: $18-$25, 303-825-4847, kimrobardsdance.org.
BALLET NOUVEAU COLORADO
Nov. 4-6|BNC Studio, 3001 Industrial Lane, #12, Broomfield
The company kicks off its season with the “Nouveau Showcase,” the company’s popular annual roundup of work by eight emerging choreographers. Tickets: $15, 303-466-5685, ballet nouveaucolorado.org.
LEMON SPONGE CAKE CONTEMPORARY BALLET
Dec. 2-4|Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder
Artistic Director Robert Sher- Machherndl continues his prolific pace with the world premiere of “TigerLilly,” an athletic work inspired by Japanese animation. Tickets: $22-$25, 303-545-2298, lemonspongecake.com.
Staff writer Elana Ashanti Jefferson can be reached at 303-820-1957 or ejefferson@denverpost.com.
