As winter’s deep-freeze drives us indoors, we can’t help but hunt for entertaining warmth. Enter the light-splashed stages and dynamic visual treats of the dance world, with its Valentine’s Day-flavored ballets, stunning aerial work, revivals and ensemble concerts. Here are some of the area’s most compelling offerings to keep us from the cold:
Danse Etoile Ballet Jan. 26-27, Dairy Center for the Arts “Legends from Abroad” is an intriguing and family-friendly offering from this 2-year-old company. Children’s stories and ethnic folk tales provide the foundation for four original works, which bring humor and gravitas to classics like “The Little Match Girl” and “The Ugly Duckling.”
Speaking of Dance Feb. 9, Littleton United Methodist Church “The Four B’s” concert pairs the music of Bach, Beethoven and Brahms – performed by the Littleton Symphony Orchestra – with three episodes from Leonard Bernstein’s “On the Town.”
Ballet Nouveau Colorado Feb. 9-11 (DL Parsons Theatre), Feb. 14 (Paramount Theatre), 16 (Broomfield Auditorium) A highlight of the winter season, this accomplished company performs the romantic “Beauty and the Beast” just in time for Valentine’s Day. Artistic Director Robert Mills updates the classic with edgy touches.
Colorado Ballet Feb. 23-March 10 (“Where the Wild Things Are”), March 17-25 (“Dance Creations”), Ellie Caulkins Opera House The state’s biggest and best ballet brings to life Maurice Sendak’s moody children’s classic, with costumes designed by the author himself. From March 17-25, the Colorado Ballet presents its collection of contemporary work in “Dance Creations.”
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet March 3, Newman Center for the Performing Arts Now in its 11th season, the national touring arm of this respected Aspen-based company visits Denver to show audiences that adherence to classical training is anything but stiff. Communicating impressive, controlled energy is a hallmark of this company’s fluid work.
Pilobolus Dance Theatre March 6, Macky Auditorium This post-modern company hits Boulder as part of Macky’s Artist Series. The company excels at mixing eye-catching costumes with gymnastics, inventive choreography and, above all, muscular attention to detail. This is a return engagement for the acrobatic dance company.
Helander Dance Theater March 23-24, 30-31, Dairy Center for the Performing Arts Teaching and performing in Europe in the autumn gave this Boulder company a new perspective. They return with the intuitive, eclectic dance- theater piece “Do You Mind?”
Hannah Kahn Dance Company March 30-31, Lakewood Cultural Center “Ring and Other Dances” features pieces based on music (Saint-Saens, Debussy, Malcolm Lindsay) and revivals of older work, showcasing the evolution of Kahn’s choreographic style.
Frequent Flyers April 20-22, 27-29, Dairy Center for the Performing Arts There’s nothing quite like this Boulder-based aerial dance company, whose projects range from classical (“Carmina Burana”) to whimsical. Their upcoming “Spring Wingding” is billed as an “aerial delight for all the senses.” The dancers in the show trigger music with their movements, which are recorded and interpreted by specialized software.
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance May 18, 24-27, Newman Center for the Performing Arts Founder Cleo Parker Robinson presents five performances of her treasured company’s spring concert in its new home at the Newman Center.
Staff writer John Wenzel can be reached at 303-954-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com.
