When you think of belly dancing, you probably imagine a solo performance by a sequin-bedecked woman with a bare midriff and stomach muscles and hips moving like you never thought possible. And that is still a traditional form, particularly in Egyptian style. But when the dance migrated to the United…

The Ife-Ile Afro Cuban Dance Company is truly a unique Miami institution. Though its origins are rooted in the island nation south of us, Afro-Cuban dance and music have become an integral part of South Florida. For the 15th year, Ife-Ile will host its Afro Cuban Dance Festival this Friday…

Miami and salsa have been intertwined since the dance form emerged in the 1970s. Although there have been familial arguments about where it originated — Cuba? Puerto Rico? Colombia even? — it doesn’t really matter in South Florida, because we have representatives from all of those regions kicking up a…

Dance theater is an interesting niche: It’s not pure dance, performance, or theater, and it’s often an interactive construct. That’s the case with Red, which will take the stage at the Miami Theater Center (9806 NE Second Ave., Miami Shores) Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 10 p.m. Conceived…

You know that a show is gonna work here in Miami when we already know how to pronounce the name: 8cho, like “oh-cho,” like Calle Ocho. 8cho is an Argentine production that fuses Cirque du Soleil with tango, electornica with aerial stunts. Yep, there’s a reason they call this a…

For the fourth year in a row, Miami-based Dance Now! returns to the Bass Museum of Art (2100 Collins Ave., Miami Beach). This time, the troupe will interact with a current exhibit through a site-specific dance called “The Ekphrasis Project.” And this year’s inspirational artwork is one of the series’…

Peter London — both the person and the troupe of performers named for him — exemplifies Miami’s dance scene today. London, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, danced with the Martha Graham and José Limón companies and now teaches at the New World School of the Arts. After he planted…

The Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami will perform eight dances this Saturday under the headline “The Best of the Classical Repertoire Gala,” which is an appropriate title. Eight works do constitute a gala, and they are indeed classical. The opener, The Bayadere Suite, comes from an 1877 ballet by French…

Kathak is one of the main strains of classical Indian dance, originating in North India. It is related to the Persian art form of dance and is based on storytelling through movement. Anyone familiar with the choreography that comes out of Bollywood knows how those various strains have created the…

Often, when performances are “based on” something, the inspiration is real but the interpretation is unrecognizable. However, the upcoming concert from the Montreal dance company Compagnie Marie Chouinard will feature a truly novel way of reimagining an original work. As one of the last of Tigertail Productions offerings this season,…

Saturday marks the tenth year of the Miami Dance Festival, and organizers are celebrating with a diverse and eclectic mix of performances and events. Presented by Miami’s Momentum Dance Company, the monthlong dance event will include flamenco, Afro-Peruvian moves, aerial ballet out of Los Angeles, water ballet, a children’s day,…

Fiery flamenco has made a comeback in recent years all over the country, but it’s always been hot here in Miami. For years, South Floridians have been able to see and hear classic versions along with newer, hybrid pieces. That’s what “Of Essence and Time” from the local Nu Flamenco…

Emily Johnson’s hybrid background is reflected in her performance, which will be apparent when she brings the piece Niicugni to Miami this Friday and Saturday, courtesy of Tigertail Productions. At the Miami-Dade County Auditorium’s OnStage Black Box Theater (2901 W. Flagler St., Miami), the Bessie Award winner has combined dance,…

Cuba is never far from Miami — physically, historically, emotionally, or culturally. But in some arenas, there has traditionally been an enforced distance, as politics often prevented musicians from the island from breaking through to American audiences. That’s all changed in recent years, and the Global Cuba Fest in Miami…

Miami has recently been inundated with contemporary dance, in incarnations from mixed-ability performers to hip-hop heavyweights. But the classics still have a place in the Magic City. Dance lovers looking for traditional ballet will want to find a seat at the Adrienne Arsht Center’s Ziff Ballet Opera House (1300 Biscayne…

For dance lovers in Miami, this is one of the best times of the year. Each week since the New Year has brought a quality new dance performance to South Florida stages, from both major international companies and quality homegrown ones as well. This week is no exception. Peter London…

The Alvin Ailey Dance Theater has been known as the best African-American dance company in the world — but it’s about time we take off the qualifier “African-American.” The superb troupe, with topnotch dancers, innovative choreography, and dynamic and demanding performance techniques, might be the best modern dance company in…

Straight out of Port-au-Prince, the dance group Ayikodans has shot eros arrows into the hearts and minds of dance enthusiasts around the world. For instance, its founder and director, Jeanguy Saintus, created a piece for New York’s Lincoln Center last August. Ayikodans captured Miami’s heart right after Haiti’s devastating earthquake…

When Kyle Abraham brought his troupe Abraham.In.Motion to Miami last year, he blew everyone away. The group’s performance, The Radio Show, was an astoundingly beautiful and sensual blend of movement, music, and political commentary. Steeped in an urban and hip-hop aesthetic from his hometown of Pittsburgh, Abraham has transcended easy…

In these modern times, it’s amazing to think about how many of today’s “normal” things seemed improbable way back in the 20th Century. There’s a black family in the White House; military members can both “ask” and “tell”; and mixed-ability dance performances are no longer strange concepts, but almost commonplace…

The Tea Party is not the only entity obsessed with our Revolutionary War days. Dancer, performance artist, and choreographer Dayna Hanson is too, in her latest work, the combination rock musical/dance performance/history lesson Gloria’s Cause. But her take is a little darker and less enthusiastic than that of the musket-carrying…