Dance in New York: Critics' picks

The Next Wave Festival presents a double bill by Marshall: Colored, in which three dancers explore and enact different shades of black representation; and the world premiere of A.D., which looks at the effects of Christianity on the human body.

Dworman blends fact and fiction in a performance piece that incorporates stand-up comedy, step dancing, a recording of a Beach Boys rehearsal and a T-shirt that once belonged to her mother. 

In addition to the many works he has created for his own company, the energetic Brock recently choreographed Broadway's Be More Chill. This hour-long 2008 dance-theater piece imagines the effects of climate change in the near future; set to Vivaldi's violin concerti, it also features text (by David Zellnik) in which a cable-news weatherwoman tries to keep up with the times.

This year, Dance Magazine honors Sara Mearns, David Gordon and Valda Setterfield, Angel Corella, Masazumi Chaya, Linda Shelton, Bobbi Jene Smith and Caleb Teicher. Performers include Mearns, Gordon, Wally Cardona, Karen Graham, Osnel Delgado Wambrug, Daileidys Carrazana Gonzalez and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (featuring Jacqueline Green and Jamar Roberts).

Santana's venerable Latin dance company, founded in 1983, celebrates Christmas customs throughout the Hispanic world in a show that combines lives music, dance and traditional songs. Emilio Ochando directs.

The sensational Dormeshia, Derick K. Grant and Jason Samuels Smith—all of whom appeared in Broadway’s Bring in ’da Noise, Bring in ’da Funk, among many other credits—tap, tap, tap their troubles away in a group show devoted to the history of their art form. Dancer-choreographer Camille A. Brown (Once on This Island) joins them as a special guest.

Now in its 26th season, the company offers two world premieres by founder Jacqulyn Buglisi—The Moss Anthology: Variation #5 and In the name of the fire, and the flame, and grace…jb—as well as her 2001 work Sand and the NYC premiere of Virginie Mécène's UNUM. (The gender-neutral ballroom dance I Love You is also on the bill on December 11 and 12, and Meagan King's KINGS is featured on December 11.)

Tanowitz and her postmodern-ballet troupe return to the Joyce in a collaboration with world-class pianist Dinnerstein, who will play Bach's Goldberg Variations live onstage as dancers from the troupe perform around her.

Triskelion Arts's ongoing series presents work by four emerging companies , paired differently over the course of four evenings. The featured artists this time around are Mark Schmidt and Remi Harris, caitlinadams/Heidco, Collin Kelly and Quentin Burley Dance Group.

The company offers its annual performance of The Yorkville Nutcracker, set in 1895 New York. This year once again features guests Abi Stafford and Ask la Cour—both of whom have been New York City Ballet principals—as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her cavalier.

This magical 1954 production, set to Tchaikovsky's incredible score, includes the full New York City Ballet company and two casts of School of American Ballet students, as well as an onstage blizzard and a Christmas tree that grows from 12 to 40 feet. In the end, however, Balanchine's choreography is what holds it all together. It's enchanting.

Artistic director Robert Battle continues to present classics while introducing new choreography to the repertory of the venerable company, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year. Offerings during its monthlong residency at City Center include a new production of Judith Jamison's Divining (1984), the company debut of a collection of solos by Merce Cunningham, and world premieres of dances by Donald Byrd, Jamar Roberts and Darrell Grand Moultrie—plus, of course, Alvin Ailey's 1960 signature classic, Revelations, which concludes most of the programs.