Dance: Area to experience diverse world of 21st-century styles

Toledo Ballet dancers perform in a scene from March production.

Dance is all about movement and change and so it goes for the region's busy presenting companies, who keep not only their dancers but the entire area on its collective artistic toes.

The two most active and visible companies — Toledo Ballet and Ballet Theatre of Toledo — have announced some changes sure to increase excitement in their holiday productions of The Nutcracker.

Toledo Ballet, for its 70th production, will unveil a new second act set designed specifically for the company with support from the community. Coming in March will be another original production by choreographer Michael Lang inspired by works in the Toledo Museum of Art.

Ballet Theatre of Toledo, which was one of the first dance companies to introduce the Maumee Performing Arts Center as a venue, has decided to move its action downtown and will be in the historic Valentine Theatre. When BTT brings back its popular original production of Aladdin, it will be in the Valentine, too.

Meanwhile, the Valentine, under new management, has upped the ante of dance shows by 100 percent, bringing back the Russian National Ballet in January for Romeo and Juliet, and adding Tango Buenos Aires in March for some Latin sizzle.

Bowling Green State University continues its tradition of offering dance during its Festival Series with an appearance by River North Chicago Dance Company in April.

Between Toledo, Ann Arbor, and Detroit, dance aficionados can have first-hand contact with the diverse world of 21st century dance.

In Ann Arbor, the venerable Paul Taylor Dancers and the Japanese troupe Sankai Juku, both of which appear next month in the Power Center, offer examples of both conventional and radical choreography.

The Detroit Opera House will bring in such evergreen but revered companies as the Joffrey and Merce Cunningham, adding the very new Eisenhower Dance Ensemble for contemporary contrast.

Dance calendar

OCT. 7-9: University Musical Society presents Paul Taylor Dancers. 8 p.m. Power Center. Tickets $18-$46.

OCT. 10: Ballet Theatre of Toledo with Masterworks Chorale. Toledo Museum of Art Great Gallery. 3 p.m. Free.

OCT. 23-24: UMS presents Sankai Juku. 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Power Center. Tickets $18-$42.

NOV. 27-28: BTT The Nutcracker. Valentine Theatre.

DEC. 4-5: River Raisin Dance Company, The Nutcracker, 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. River Raisin Centre for the Arts.

DEC. 11-12: Toledo Ballet productions of The Nutcracker. 2 and 7 p.m. Stranahan Theater.

JAN. 6: Russian National Ballet presents Romeo and Juliet. 8 p.m. Valentine Theatre.

JAN. 21-22: UMS presents Grupo Corpo. 8 p.m. Power Center. $18-$42.

JAN. 29-30: Detroit Opera House presents Joffrey Ballet. 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

FEB. 15: Tango Buenos Aires. 8 p.m. Valentine Theatre.

FEB. 18-19: UMS presents Merce Cunningham Legacy Tour. 8 p.m. Power Center. $20-$54.

FEB. 26-27: BTT production of Aladdin. Valentine Theatre.

MARCH. 3-6: Detroit Opera House presents Alvin Ailey. 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.

MARCH 11-12: Toledo Ballet original production, Museum of Dreams. 7:30 p.m. Valentine Theatre.

MARCH 20: Detroit Opera House presents The Eisenhower Dance Ensemble. 2:30 p.m.

MARCH 26-27: BTT with Sono Novo Chamber Orchestra in American in Paris and music by Scott Joplin. Trinity Church.

APRIL 1-2: BTT with Toledo Opera in La Traviata. 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. Valentine Theatre.

APRIL 7: BGSU Festival Series presents River North Chicago Dance Company. 8 p.m. Kobacker. Tickets TBA.

APRIL 15-17: River Raisin Dance presents The Wizard of Oz. RRCA.

APRIL 16-17: Cassandra Ballet Spring Performance. 3 and 7:30 p.m., Franciscan Center.

JUNE 4: BTT with Masterworks Chorale in Collage IV. Valentine Theatre.

Classical music, dance & opera venues and presenters

Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, 220 East Huron St., Ann Arbor. www.a2so.com.

Ballet Theatre of Toledo, 1124 Corporate Drive, Holland. 419-861-0895. www.ballettheatreoftoledo.org.

Bowling Green State University Moore Musical Arts Center, Ridge Street. Festival Series Box Office: 419-372-8171. www.bgsu.edu.

Cassandra Ballet, 3157 West Sylvania Ave., 419-475-0458. www.cassandra ballet.com.

Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway, Detroit. 313-961-3500. www.motopera.org.

Epworth United Methodist Church, 3077 Valley View Drive, Ottawa Hills. www.epworth.com.

First Presbyterian Church of Maumee, 200 East Broadway, Maumee.

Franciscan Theatre & Conference Center, Lourdes College, Sylvania. 419-824-3999. www.franciscancenter.org.

Hill Auditorium, 825 North University Ave., Ann Arbor.

Lydia Mendelssohn Theater. Michigan League, 911 North University Ave., Ann Arbor.

Masterworks Chorale. Ticket information: 419-246-8000. www.masterworkschorale.us.

Maumee Performing Arts Center, 1124 Saco St. at Maumee High School.

Michigan Opera Theatre, 1526 Broadway, Detroit. 313-961-3500. www.motopera.org.

Michigan Theater, 603 East Liberty St., Ann Arbor. 734-668-TIME.

Orchestra Hall at Max Fisher Center, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. www.detroit symphony.com.

Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral, 2535 Collingwood Blvd. Tickets: 419-246-8000, 419-244-9575.

Owens Community College Center for Fine and Performing Arts, 30335 Oregon Rd., Perrysburg. 567-261-2787.

Power Center for the Arts, 121 Fletcher St., Ann Arbor.

Rackham Auditorium, 915 East Washington St., Ann Arbor.

River Raisin Center for the Arts, 114 South Main St., Monroe, Mich. 734-242-7722. www.riverraisincentre.org.

St. Francis of Assisi Church, 2250 East Stadium Blvd. Ann Arbor.

Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd. Box Office: 419-381-8851. www.stranahantheater.com.

Toledo Ballet, Westfield Franklin Park, 5001 Monroe St. 419-472-0049. www.toledoballet.net.

Toledo Opera, 425 Jefferson Ave., 419-255-7464. www.toledoopera.org.

Toledo Symphony, 1838 Parkwood Ave. 419-246-8000 or www.toledo symphony.com.

Trinity Episcopal Church, Adams and St. Clair streets. 419-243-1231. www.trinitytoledo.org.

University Musical Society, Ann Arbor, Mich. Box office/information: 734-764-2538. www.ums.org.

University of Toledo Center for the Performing Arts Recital Hall. West Towerview Boulevard and West Rocket Drive. Parking, Lot 12. www.utoledo.edu.

Valentine Theatre, 410 Adams St., 419-242-2787. www.valentinetheatre.com.

Contact Sally Vallongo at:

svallongo@theblade.com