Luiz Silva's meteoric journey from his first dance class to the ranks of the esteemed Miami City Ballet in only five years is astonishing. He'll perform with the company in George Balanchine's classic work.

There's no doubt that live performances are back, and our resilient Bay Area dance community, and visiting ensembles, have emerged with a dazzling line-up of plans for the fall.

Voting is open for the Bay Area Reporter's readers' poll known as the Besties.

Choreographic luminary Amy Seiwert brings the twelfth iteration of her annual 'Sketch' collaborative series to Fort Mason's Cowell Theater July 15 & 16, with world premieres by Natasha Adorlee and New Mexico-based choreographer Joshua L. Peugh.

San Diego will see an inaugural queer arts festival this month. A queer San Francisco Bay Area native is the visionary behind the event.

Combining social commentary with saucy sexy strip sketches, SF Baloney, seen mostly locally at Oasis, has received the documentary treatment from auteur Joshua Guerci, who directed, shot and edited the 75-minute film, now viewable online.

The most inclusive showcase of trans, queer, disabled and gender-nonconforming artists is this year online June 16-19, with five programs of recorded performances in music, dance, performance and other genres. Also, it's free!

Having danced with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for an astounding 25 years, dancer Vernard J. Gilmore's love and passion for the company, and in particular the classic work "Revelations," is still radiant.

San Francisco Ballet is back in the Opera House, looking strong, with two very different yet captivating programs of premieres and repertory works by choreographers Helgi Tomasson, Cathy Marston, William Forsythe, George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.

Zaccho Dance Theatre's long-delayed site-specific performance installation brings an aerial, ethereal new breath to the spiritual haven of Grace Cathedral.

The ins & outs and ups & downs of scheduling changes for arts and nightlife events are certainly keeping us on our toes, but we'll try to keep up with happenings around the Bay Area this week. If you're making plans, call ahead or check venues' websites.

Dancer Joshua Thake's life journey has brought him from rural Massachusetts to some of the world's most revered stages as a member of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the celebrated all-male drag ballet troupe.

When Lady Camden sashayed into the spotlight for the first time on RuPaul's Drag Race in the Season 14 premiere, proudly proclaiming, "Hello, you sexy bitches!," drag aficionados got to meet one of Northern California's most uniquely talented queens.

SF Ballet's new production of Helgi Tomasson's 'Nutcracker' shines, with principal dancers and soloists even in minor roles acting on a par with the dancing. Also, advance coverage of Mark Morris Dance Group this weekend at Zellerbach Hall.