Jumping up and down

DANCE

DECEMBER

Lar Lubovitch Dance Company
December 12 and December 13
Tsai Performance Center
685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Boston University East
$35 to $50, 617- 482-6661
www.celebrityseries.org
Lar Lubovitch is a legend in the worlds of dance and choreography -- just ask, erm, the worlds of dance and choreography! Lubovitch's dance company hits town for their 40th Anniversary Tour.

A Dancer's Christmas
December 13 to December 21
28 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill
MBTA: Green Line to Boston College
$15 to $30, 617- 552-4002
www.adancerschristmas.org
Sometimes you just get so excited about Christmas that you have to dance. Classical dance, modern ballet, folk dancing, break dancing -- this show's got it all. Cause it ain't the holidays until someone starts krumping.

JANUARY

Collage Dance Ensemble
January 17 to January 18
Zero Arrow Theater
2 Arrow St., Cambridge
MBTA: Red Line to Harvard
$20 to $25, 617- 795-2468
www.collageUSA.org
The latest show by Boston's award-winning fusion dance company features the local debut of Psiphas, a dance inspired by the cultures behind the creation of the state of Israel.

Keigwin + Company
January 23 to January 24
Institute of Contemporary Art
100 Northern Avenue, Boston
MBTA: Red Line to South Station
$35, 617- 876-4275
www.WorldMusic.org
Bessie Award-winner Larry Keigwin leads his nimble troupe through Elements, a new work comprised of four suites inspired by earth, fire, air, and water. Not as cool as their show inspired by Earth, Wind & Fire, but it'll do.

Tango: Historias Breves (Short Stories)
January 30 to February 1
Cutler Majestic Theatre
219 Tremont St., Boston
MBTA: Orange Line to Chinatown
$40 to $65, 617- 876-4275
www.WorldMusic.org
It may take two to tango, but it takes eight award-winning dancers and an ensemble of live musicians to make choreographer Guillermina Quiroga's vision come to life.

FEBRUARY

Hubbard St. Dance Chicago
February 6 to February 8
Cutler Majestic Theatre
219 Tremont St., Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Boylston
$42 to $65, 617- 482-6661
www.celebrityseries.org
The Hubbard St. Dance Chicago represents works by some of the most innovative and international choreographers, blending ballet, jazz, and modern dance into a fleet-footed mélange of impressiveness.

Black and White
February 12 to February 15
Citi Performing Arts Center
270 Tremont St., Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Boylston
$25 to $115, (866) 348-9738
www.bostonballet.org
Jiri Kylian returns to Boston Ballet with this five-ballet program which includes "Petite Mort," "No More Play," "Sarabande," "Falling Angels," and "Six Dances." Boston Ballet is the only company other than the Netherlands Dance Theatre to stage this entire program. Hoo boy, that's gonna piss off the Netherlands.

Isabel Bayón Company
February 13
Cutler Majestic Theatre
219 Tremont St., Boston
MBTA: Orange Line to Chinatown
$49 to $65, 617- 876-4275
www.WorldMusic.org
They call her "the definitive flamenco dancer," and Isabel Bayón's thirty-year resume surely backs that up. Her latest program, "La Puerta Abierta (The Open Door)," includes five musicians and Terremoto, a cante flamenco singer.

Noche Flamenca & Soledad Barrio
February 14 to February 15
Cutler Majestic Theatre
219 Tremont St., Boston
MBTA: Orange Line to Chinatown
$40 to $65, 617- 876-4275
www.WorldMusic.org
Soledad Barrio, lead dancer in Madrid’s Noche Flamenca company, has won awards from over a dozen countries. It is clear that she is Isabel Bayón's nemesis, and that their rivalry will be judged by a mid-February dance-off in our fair city.

Spring Dance Concert
February 19 to February 22
The Boston Conservatory Theater
31 Hemenway, Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Hynes
$7 to $22, 617-912-9222
www.bostonconservatory.edu
The Boston Conservatory Dance Theater teams up with the Boston Conservatory Orchestra to perform David Lichine’s "Graduation Ball," along with a premiere by guest artist Kathryn Posin.

Zoe Scofield & Juniper Shuey
February 20 to February 21
Institute of Contemporary Art
100 Northern Avenue, Boston
MBTA: Red Line to South Station
$35, 617- 876-4275
www.WorldMusic.org
Zoe Scofield and Juniper Shuey's dance piece, "The Devil You Know Is Better Than the Devil You Don't," combines dance, video, photography, and "restrained wildness and delicate fury." That must be a description of the part where they dance around sticking their tongues out and making devil ears with their index fingers.

Jewels
February 26 to March 8
Citi Performing Arts Center
270 Tremont St., Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Boylston
$25 to $115, (866) 348-9738
www.bostonballet.org
George Balanchine's "Jewels" is a ballet in three parts: "Emeralds" harkens back to 19th century France, "Rubies" is jazz-esque ballet, and "Diamonds" recalls the imperial style of Russia. Evidently it is not possible to dance about ugly things.