The Ten Tiny Dances format (founded in Portland by Mike Barber) limits choreographers to the space on and around a 4' by 4' raised platform. More of a challenge than a gimmick, the spacial constraint forces seasoned dance-makers to rethink their approach; in this case, it made for a great show. more ›

This weekend, Velocity Dance Center is hosting a "Valentine's" edition of Ten Tiny Dances: a showcase of ten local choreographers crammed into an evening of performance. Seattleites have many opportunities to see evening-length dance works; but if you're a newbie to dance, or are just in the mood for a bit 'o sampling, Ten Tiny Dances has you covered. more ›

There are not enough hours in the day. Just. Not. Enough. If we weren't already going to the New Pornographers show tonight, we'd likely be found at the Ten Tiny Dances performance at CHAC (7:30pm, $15). If you haven't seen it before, the idea is there's a 4' x 4' platform that the dancers have to (more or less) stay on for their performance, like when we were kids and the floor was lava. Lava! more ›

McCaw Hall, tickets $20-$80 more ›

As we mentioned the other day, Seattlest was very excited for the PNB production of Carmina Burana, but we left a bit perplexed and frustrated. To start, we enjoyed Mark Morris' Pacific, a light and dreamy piece that found our thoughts wandering in a pleasant way about halfway through, befitting of a day spent listening to the ocean advance and retreat while pretending to read a book. It was a short and "limited" (to borrow from Seattlest Michael's summation) composition, but the perfect exemplar of Morris' work: seamless integration of ballet's technique and precision with the freedom and rule-free whimsy of modern dance. We love that he breaks ballet traditions by having group pieces with three men and one woman, all performing the same choreography (sure, later in Carmina Burana we have a woman with three men but stereotypically she's a harpy and they are pining for her), and the costumes were simple and perfectly suited to the choreography. more ›

This is a Seattle installment, curated by Crispin Spaeth, but there are the same Ten Tiny Dances rules: You've got a 4’x4’ stage. Dance on it. Don't fall off. There's a Valentine's theme, but it's understated. more ›

MUSIC: Ben Kweller's in town opening for Gomez at the Showbox, but the smart money is on going to see his in-store, since it's free. Go hear some great indie-pop to kick off your evening. more ›

Saturday we went to see Ten Tiny Dances, co-curated by Seattle's Crispin Spaeth and Portland's Mike Barber. All the dances are made for a 4' x 4' plywood stage, and this year Barber had decided to tighten the constraints by insisting that the performers stay within a foot or so of the stage if they stepped off. more ›