DANCE/PERFORMANCE

EAST BAY
The Christmas Ballet: Michael Smuin Ballet presents this eclectic two-act work, with one act featuring traditional carols and lively klezmer, another utilizing contemporary blues and R&B, and everything from Christmas Island hula girls, dancing Christmas trees, and Santa's babes in feather boas in between, 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, and Saturday, Nov. 29, 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, $60-$90. Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, 925-943-7469.

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan: The troupe's repertoire has its roots in Asian myths, folklore, and aesthetics, bringing to these age-old beliefs a contemporary perspective, 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, and Saturday, Nov. 1, $26-$46. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, 510-642-9988.

Crystal Slipper: The Oakland Ballet presents Carlos Caravajal's version of Cinderella, with music by Bohuslav Martinu, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9; 510-286-8914 (tickets), www.oaklandballet.org. Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland, 510-465-6400.

Dance Theatre of Harlem: The unique neoclassical troupe presents the Bay Area premiere of a new "blues ballet," based on the 1946 Broadway hit St. Louis Woman, featuring the choreography of Michael Smuin, costumes by Willa Kim, and most of the original show's Johnny Mercer/Harold Arlen score, 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, through Saturday, Jan. 31, 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1; $32-$52. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, 510-642-9988.

Diablo Ballet's Opening Gala: Featuring the world premiere of KT Nelson and Nikolai Kabaniaev's Amadeus and the company premiere of Arthur Saint-Leon's La Viviandière Pas de Six, to music by Pugni, 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, and Saturday, Nov. 22, $26-$38. Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, 925-943-7469.

Eva Yerbabuena and Ballet Flamenco: The Spanish award-winner leads her company of six dancers and seven musicians, 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 29; $26-$48.

Kirov Ballet & Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre: The company pays homage to two legendary choreographers who got their start with Kirov, George Balanchine and Mikhail Fokine, with the former's Jewels and the latter's Firebird and two more, 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, through Saturday, Oct. 11, 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12; $42-$110. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, 510-642-9988.

The Magic Toy Store: A special family matinee of Nikolai Kabaniaev's crowd-pleaser, with sets by Guy Buffet and score by Rossini and Respighi, 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, $13. Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, 925-943-7469.

Mark Morris Dance Group: The troupe's Berkeley residency concludes with a program that features works set to the music of Bartók, two pieces honoring the late Lou Harrison, and "Going Away Party," set to the music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, and Saturday, Sept. 13, 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14; $32-$56. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, 510-642-9988.

Michael Smuin Ballet Presents Tango Palace and More: The company presents the East Bay stop on the world premiere run of this sensual work, plus Suite Gershwin and the Russian folk-art-inspired Les Noces, set to Stravinsky, 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, and Saturday, Feb. 7, $60-$75. Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, 925-943-7469.

Nutcracker: The Oakland Ballet presents the holiday classic, choreographed by Ronn Guidi, with Tchaikovsky's score performed by Michael Morgan and the Oakland East Bay Symphony, 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, through Sunday, Dec. 21, 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20, through Tuesday, Dec. 23; 510-286-8914 (tickets), www.oaklandballet.org. Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland, 510-465-6400.

Oakland Ballet January Program: Two company premieres, one of "Huapango" by Gloria Contreras, set to music by Jose Pablo Moncayo, and the other, Robert Moses' "Lone Woman," with music by Recoil, plus a revival of "Sightings," choreographed by Margaret Jenkins with Ellie Kopp, to music by Peter Sculthorpe, and Robert Henry Johnson's "Thirsting/La Femme au Puits," with music by Zap Mama, 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, through Saturday, Jan. 24, 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, www.oaklandballet.org. Yerba Buena Center, 701 Mission St., San Francisco.

Oakland Ballet October Program: Featuring a revival of Ronn Guidi's "Trois Gymnopédies," with music by Erik Satie; Gloria Contreras' "Opus 45," set to music by Alban Berg; a company premiere of "Monopoly," choreographed by Amy Seiwet with music by Henryk Gorecki; and Dwight Roden's "Glory Fugue," set to assorted spiritual melodies, 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, and Saturday, Oct. 11, 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12; 510-286-8914 (tickets), www.oaklandballet.org. Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland, 510-465-6400.

Oakland Ballet September Program: This month's program includes the world premiere of "Double Happiness," choreographed by Michael Lowe and set to "Melody of China"; Marina Eglevsky staging Balanchine's modern classic, "Glinka Pas de Trois," with music by Mikhail Glinka; Francesca Harper's "Dark Light," set to music by Rolf Ellmer; and a company premiere of "Joplin Dances," by Robert Garland, set to ragtime by Scott Joplin and others, 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, and Saturday, Sept. 13, 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14; 510-286-8914 (tickets), www.oaklandballet.org. Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland, 510-465-6400.