Top 5 Fall Dance Picks

Amore Italiano

Oregon Ballet Theatre kicks off its 26th season with a piece by Canadian choreographer James Kudelka, inspired by the music of Italian composer Carlo Gesualdo, a 16th-century nobleman and murderer who is known for his passionate works. After Amore comes August Bournonville's Napoli (1842), a ballet full of lively leaps and swiftly intricate footwork which tells the story of a young Italian girl who falls in love with a fisherman. Keller Auditorium. 7:30 pm Thursday-Saturday, 2 pm Sunday, Oct. 10-17. $29-$146.

Twyla Tharp 50th Anniversary Tour

It's been 50 years since the debut of Twyla Tharp's first choreographed dance, and she celebrates with a performance centered around trumpet music. The program features cheerful moments set to John Zorn, Bach, Henry Butler and trumpeter Steven Bernstein. Tharp has won a Tony Award and multiple Emmys for her work on films and Broadway musicals, while also working with the Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and the Royal Ballet. Her company of 12 dancers is known for mixing jazz and ballet with movement techniques like boxing. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway. 7:30 pm Wednesday, Oct. 14. $26-$70.

L-E-V

Since forming in 2013, the Israeli contemporary dance company L-E-V has built itself on a repertoire of raw, intensely charged work. It combines demanding, rigorous movement from the dancers with heavy use of props, theatrical lighting and technology. The brainchild of former Batsheva Dance Company dancer Sharon Eyal and party producer Gai Behar, the eight-member company makes its Portland debut this fall, bringing two pieces to the stage: Sara and Killer Pig, both built on bold moves, contorted angles and whole body jerks. Portland State University's Lincoln Hall, 1620 SW Park Ave. 8 pm Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 15-17. $25-$30.

Momix

Connecticut dance troupe Momix is known for its creative brand of optical illusions and breathtaking acrobatic stunts. Founded by Moses Pendleton in 1981, the company has explored themes ranging from the history of baseball to the four seasons, using wires, fabric, light-show techniques and video to create effects like anti-gravity and water on stage. White Bird brings the company to Portland to open its 18th season. Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway. 7:30 pm Thursday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 pm Saturday, Oct. 8-10. $26-$70.

Judy Dunaway + Linda Austin

Avant-garde sound designer and composer Judy Dunaway has won awards for her balloon music, in which she rubs, taps and slowly lets the air out of balloons to create unusual compositions. She teams with Linda Austin, founder of Performance Works Northwest, who sheâs known since their time in New Yorkâs late-80âs experimental music scene. This show reunites them, with Austin translating her 2012 ensemble piece âA Head of Timeâ into a solo while Dunaway plays the soundtrack on her balloons. Performance Works Northwest, 4625 SE 67th Ave. 7:30 pm Thursday, Nov. 12. $12.

WWeek 2015