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2012 San Francisco Dance Seduces

Lines Ballet's Brett Conway and Meredith Webster

The overindulgence of the holiday season – to include gorging on myriad Nutcracker interpretations — leaves one with no alternative than to look forward to a 2012 filled with exciting dance offerings.

The San Francisco Ballet has us salivating with a season that features three full-length ballets, four world premieres and mixed programs of variety and innovation. John Cranko’s Onegin opens the season in late January in a lavish, lauded production straight from the National Ballet of Canada. Romeo and Juliet and a new production of Coppelia round out the three-act offerings. The mixed programs include works by Mark Morris, Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne McGregor and resident choreographer Yuri Possokhov. Most exciting is an all-Balanchine program in April to include Divertimento No. 15, Scotch Symphony and The Four Temperaments.

In a rare Bay Area appearance, the Martha Graham Dance Company graces the stage of San Francisco’s Jewish Community Center February 11 through 12. Take advantage of this opportunity to see what is arguably the mother of American modern dance companies.

Then take in Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company at CalPerformances February 24-25 to get a sense of how far dance has come. The multidisciplinary, autobiographical Story / Time, narrated by Jones himself, is sure to provoke conversation and introspection. Perennial audience favorite Alvin Ailey Dance Company makes its yearly pilgrimage to Zellerbach Hall March 13 through 18, dancing the classic Revelations in every one of its three programs.

Ebullient modern troupe ODC/Dance performs at Yerba Buena Theater March 15 through 25; Lines Ballet takes up residence at the same house April 12 through 22.

And that’s only the beginning of San Francisco dance in 2012. All I can say is “Mmmm….”