Dancers from Russia and Ukraine unite in Costa Mesa, an encore in West LA, a new dance venue debuts in Santa Monica, a Supreme Court decision confronted in Pasadena, new choreography in Santa Monica, Chinatown, Palm Desert, and Culver City, more SoCal dance in this busy week, and a peek at a busy next week.

Live This Week

What, me worry?

The newest from Deborah Rosen and Dancers, Pollen, is unveiled in six parts beginning with a short dance film from Aaron Wilson to set a mood of anxiety about a looming natural disaster, how it is confronted, and the aftermath. Performers include Silkea Aktar, Diane Hula, Thomas Ng, and Sara Scrimshaw. The evening involves solo turns by Alicia Mosley and Robbie Shaw. ARC (A Room to Create), 1158 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; Fri.-Sat., Nov. 11-12, 8pm, $20. brown paper tickets, ARC.

Courting a decision

If the title After Roe doesn’t give it away, the collaboration with the local Planned Parenthood chapter does, as choreographer Hilary Thomas and her Lineage Dance present its latest dance theater piece drawn from true stories of women and their difficult paths to choose an abortion. Who knew their stories once belonged to an historic “before time\” and again now? Lineage Performing Arts Center, 920 E. Mountain St., Pasadena; Tues., Nov. 15, 7pm, $15-$115 (portions benefit to Planned Parenthood). Lineage Dance.

Let the dancing begin

After last month’s unveiling of their new, spacious studio/performance space in Santa Monica’s arts district, Jacob Jonas/The Company begin performing in their new home. First up, the premiere of Jonas’ Early Bird paired with the return of his Juxtapose showcasing the troupe’s highly trained, uber-athletic dancers. at The Water Garden, 1620 26th St., Santa Monica; $35. Wed.-Fri., Nov. 16-18, 7:30pm, $15. Jacob Jonas/The Company.

Encore

A breakout favorite at the 5^th Dance at the Odyssey Festival, Galiana & Nikolchev’s The Useless Room returns with four performances of Insula, a highly physical duet between a traumatized man and several props, including a table, after a hurricane. Dancer Gabriel Eduardo Jimenez Montes returns for his riveting solo. Gema Galiana choreographed and directed. Anthony Nikochev is credited with the text along with Calderon de la Barca, Peter Handke, Karl Ove Knausgaard and a hurricane survival booklet. Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, 2955 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West LA; Fri.&Sat., Nov. 11&12, 18&19, 7:30pm, $25. Odyssey Theatre.

Collaborative dancemaking

Over the next two weeks, four events and a gallery exhibition are all part of Latin and Afro-Brazilian dance troupe CONTRA-TIEMPO’s ¡AZÚCAR! Project. Saturday includes the opening reception of a companion photography exhibit, screening of the film CAŃA, and opportunity to chat with the artists about plans to create a new work ¡AZÚCAR! during the two week project. Sunday afternoon offers a chance to participate in a choreography workshop and be part of the creation of the new work. Next Saturday’s workshop explores social dance practices rooted in the African and Afro-Latin diaspora. Sunday’s closing considers what has been created, the closing of the gallery exhibit, and a final screening of CAŃA.  Helms Bakery, Washington Corridor Gallery, 8723 Washington Blvd., Culver City; Sat., Nov. 12 & Sun., Nov. 20, 6 pm, Sun., Nov. 13 & Sat., Nov. 19, 1-3pm, free with reservation at Contra Tiempo.

When love turns to hate

Drawing on Euripedes’ observation in Medea that a lover’s hate is stronger than a lover’s love, the dance theatre company VOLTA teams with the Institute of Art and Olfaction for Milk, examining feminine desire and destruction. Institute for Art and Olfaction, 932 Chung King Rd., Old Chinatown; Thurs.-Sat., Nov. 10-12, 6pm, $20. Volta Collective.

At least dancers get along

Ukraine’s forces may be pushing the Russians into retreat in the east while Russia is bombing Ukraine’s infrastructure into the stone age, but a reminder of their deep, shared artistic heritage is onstage this week as 18 ballet dancers with ties to Ukraine and Russia perform together in a special one-night only performance under the banner Reunited in Dance. The evening’s artistic director, Xander Parish was formerly with Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet has assembled a program brimming with classical ballet’s greatest hits from Swan Lake, Le Corsaire, Paquita, Don Quixote, and La Bayadere, along with a contemporary ballets from Christopher Wheeldon and some new works. While the show is sold out, it will be livestreamed for free in the venue’s plaza. The livestream is at 8pm with the plaza open for festival-seating starting at 5:30pm. A complete listing of the dancers, the program, and the event at the website. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Sat., Nov. 12, 8pm, $59-$79. SCFTA.

Maybe a wait list

The contemporary troupe LA Unbound presents an array of dance. Both shows are sold out. Check with company regarding any wait list. Studio A, 2306 Hyperion Ave., Silverlake; Sat., Nov. 12, 7 & 8:30pm, LA Unbound.

Desert dancing

Five SoCal companies are among the dozen finalists in this year’s Palm Desert Choreography Festival. The annual event showcases new danceworks, mostly in contemporary dance. Local choreography contenders include Seda Aybay (Kybele Dance Theater), Aidan Carberry & Jordan Johnson (JA Collective), Boroka Nagy (Re:born Dance Interactive), Mate Szentes (Ballet Project OC), and soloist Dasha Tertova. McCallum Theatre, 7300 Fred Waring Dr., Palm Desert; Sat., Nov. 12, 7pm, $15-$50. McCallum Theatre.

Last picture show?

One of the notable dance film series that emerged during the pandemic lockdown was Films.Dance, with new, international dance films released one-at-a-time on Monday. Curated by choreographer Jacob Jonas and collaborators from his troupe Jacob Jonas/The Company, the debut series launched a second series, and now this third. Thankfully, live performance has returned, but dance films, especially international dance films, are a window into how others move and how differently movement is viewed around the world. After its release this Monday, the last film joins those from preceding weeks for viewing on the website. Mon., Nov. 14, sign up to receive weekly link or view released films at Films.Dance.

A Peek At Next Week

BalletRED – Frequency Vol. 1 at Athletic Garage, 121 Waverly Dr., Pasadena; Fri.-Sat., Nov. 18-19, 7:30pm, $45-$65. BalletRED.

Donna Sternberg & Dancers – Mending at Temple Akiba, 5249 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City; Sat., Nov., 19, 8pm, Sun., Nov. 20, 3pm, advance purchase $25, $20 students & seniors, at the door $30, $25 students & seniors. Tix: Eventbrite Info: Donna Sternberg & Dancers.

Cihtli Ocampo at Corazon Performing Arts, 125 S. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga; Sun., Nov. 20, 8pm,$25-$40. Eventbrite. Info at Corazon Performing Arts.

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company – What Problem? at UCLA Royce Hall, 10745 Dickson Court, Westwood; Sat., Nov. 19, 8pm, $39-$59, CAP UCLA.

MashUp Contemporary Dance Company at The Stomping Ground, 5453 Alhambra Ave., El Sereno; Sat., Nov. 19, 7:30pm, free or pay what you will with reservation at MashUP Dance.

HomeLA – The We in Me: House of RESILIENCE at The Box Gallery parking lot, 822 E. Third St., downtown; Sat., Nov. 19, 2:30pm, free w/reservation at Eventbrite.

Backhausdance at Old Town Temecula Community Theater, 42051 Main St., Temecula; Sat., Nov. 19, 8pm, $25, $20 seniors, $15 students. Temecula Theater.

Palm Springs Dance Project – The Connoiseur Club at Indian Canyons Golf Resort, 1100 Murray Canyon Dr., Palm Springs; Sat., Nov. 19, 5:30 & 8pm, $150. Palm Springs Dance Project.