Dark Movements

Part of the fun of ballet recitals is the fact that a whole slew of ballets have roots in mysterious, macabre folklore. Swan Lake is a centuries-old tale about lovely maidens turned into swans by a wicked sorcerer. In The Red Shoes, based on the Hans Christian Andersen story, a young girl is seduced by vanity, then forced to dance to her death while donning a pair of red shoes given to her by an evil shoemaker. Audiences can see adaptations of both of these stories and seven other scores when the Crossroads Ballet Company holds its annual summer ballet festival tonight and Saturday at the University of Missouri-Kansas City's Spencer Theatre (4949 Cherry, 816-235-6222). Local talent is joined by performers from as far away as the Pacific Northwest and Germany. Performances start at 7:30 on both evenings. For more information or to buy tickets, see crossroadsballet.org.
Fri., July 11, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., July 12, 7:30 p.m., 2008