Cirque Mechanics at the Pantages

Cirque Mechanics of “Birdhouse Factory” fame are back in town with a world premiere opening tonight: “Boomtown,” circus set in the Gold Rush era. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1 and 2. $28/$38/$48/$64. Pantages Theater, 901 Broadway, Tacoma. 253-591-5894, www.broadwaycenter.org

Speakeasy circus

Circus gets kooky at the Speakeasy Arts Cooperative late tonight, with local bands and DJs, performers from Seattle’s SANCA circus school and guest artists unleashing the dark side of circus. 9 p.m.-3 a.m. tonight. $10 (ages 21+). Speakeasy Arts Cooperative, 543 Broadway, Tacoma. 253-426-5704, www.speakeasyartscooperative.com

MOVE! dance show #17

The dancers at MLKBallet bring the …

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“Extension” at Barefoot

The Barefoot Dance Collective is inviting companies from around the country to perform in their contemporary dance event “Extension.” Puget Sound companies include Stone Dance Collective, Northwest Dance Syndrome, Tindance, and Stimulate Dance; plus Somebodies Dance Theater from San Diego and Donna Davenport from New York. 8 p.m. tonight and June 12. $12/$15. Merlino Arts Center, 508 6^th Ave., Tacoma. 253-777-8728, www.barefootcollective.org

New work at the Telephone Room gallery

A collector-mania installation by Julie Rivera, a reworked chandelier by Ben Hirschkoff and playful garden sculpture by Nicholas Nyland make up the June show at the world’s second-smallest …

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They don’t give you much warning, but the creative folks at MLKBallet are holding the 16th event in the MOVE! contemporary dance series this weekend, and it looks to be a good one.

MOVE! #16 once again features dancers from Seattle’s stellar Spectrum Dance Company, plus regulars Joel Myers and Kate Monthy (who directs MLKBallet), the MLK company, regular collaborators Tacoma City Ballet, and guests Josephine’s Echopraxia and the Maureen White Dance Company. Three new MLK choreographers have created new work to be performed with live music from local musicians Goldfinch, Olivia de la Cruz and Travis Barker and the …

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I don’t often cover Seattle events. When I do, it’s because there’s something really worth going to – and on Sunday night, there definitely is. Tacoma ballet  company MLKBallet is dancing at the Triple Door club in Seattle, home to many funky fusions of classical, rock, alternative and indie. With them will be our very own Vicci Martinez, who’s launching a new CD featuring “Hearts and Bones,” a full-length piece composed in collaboration with MLK choreographer Kate Monthy.

“Hearts and Bones” is a collection of beat-heavy, reverb-chord numbers that reflect in Monthy’s choreography as emotional risk, betrayal and …

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New York Chamber Soloists play “Water Music”

Appropriately enough for a rainy November, the New York Chamber Soloists are in town courtesy of Tacoma Philharmonic to play Handel’s “Water Music,” plus three Mozart works. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20. $32.50-$62.50. Pantages Theater, 901 Broadway, Tacoma. 253-591-5894, www.tacomaphilharmonic.org, www.broadwaycenter.org

MLKBallet does another Move!

Move! #15 features a stellar line-up, including MLKBallet with Vicci Martinez, Spectrum Dance, Barefoot Collective, Tacoma Dance Collective and Coriolis. Proceeds go to this downtown tuition-free ballet school. 7 p.m. Nov. 20, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Nov. 21. $12 advance/$15 at door. SOTA Theater, 1118 Commerce St., …

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Well, I was busy this weekend. Apart from an illuminating concert from the Northwest Sinfonietta (to find out just what difference a conductor makes, go here for the review) I also went along to the Barefoot Collective‘s latest evening show at the Merlino Arts Center. The review’s here, but I just have to say that seeing what Barefoot and Tacoma City Ballet are doing in that building to create a multi-discipline, collaborative arts center is inspiring. The two very different dance companies share rehearsal space, collaborate on projects, join each other in class and …

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