Get moving with mix of modern dance concerts this week in CT arts

It’s a week of stunning modern dance concerts in Connecticut, as the state starts to thaw and stretch in anticipation of spring.

One of the terpsichorean delights is actually about spring. Momix’s “Botanica Season 2,” an update of the Connecticut-based troupe’s original “Botanica” of a few years ago, is about growth and change with Momix founder Moses Pendleton finding ways for the dancers to portray wasps, flowers and others.

Mayfield Brooks’ “dArK oXyGen,” being performed at the Wesleyan Center for the Arts, is also nature-based, inspired in part by the recent scientific realization that there is oxygen in parts of the ocean so deep that no light permeates the area and photosynthesis does not occur and furthered by other observations about air, breath, light and darkness, from gospel vocal styles to the physical oomph of dance.

The L.A.-based uppercase-spelled BODYTRAFFIC has tackled some outdoorsy themes like flying, dust and burning incense, but the show the company is bringing to two Connecticut venues this week seems more citified, scored with big band music, boisterous blues recordings and early rock and roll. BODYTRAFFIC can get acrobatic, and the dancers can clamber over each other. They look great while doing it, too.

Also this week we get a two-day stand of “Riverdance.” Depending on how you count, the Irish dance and music extravaganza is either 30, 31 or 32 years old. It began in 1994 as a brief interlude at the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1995, it became a full-length show with Bill Whelan’s lively Irish pop instrumental score built up into stunning dance routines based around the Irish character and the history of Ireland. In 1996, “Riverdance” toured the U.S. for the first time. The first Connecticut shows, and many of the subsequent ones, were at the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford. This time it’s dancing into Foxwoods on its 30th anniversary tour subtitled “The New Generation.”

Harmonia Rosales
Amistad Center, 600 Main St., Hartford

The celebrated visual artist Harmonia Rosales holds a book signing for “Chronicles of Ori,” in which she retells African myths and illustrates them with her paintings. Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m. Free; $50 suggested donation; $100 VIP ticket. The Amistad Center is located in the same building as the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. thewadsworth.org.

Twen
Space Ballroom, 295 Treadwell St., Hamden

The indie pop band Twen, formed in Boston and now based in Nashville, is touring behind its latest album Fate Euphoric. The Gym Shorts and Baxbys are also on the bill. Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. $28.75, $24.63 in advance. spaceballroom.com.

Dan Chiasson
RJ Julia Booksellers, 413 Main St., Middletown

“Bernie for Burlington: The Rise of the People’s Politician,” a new book about U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders by Vermont poet/writer Dan Chiasson, will be discussed and signed by the author on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. at RJ Julia Booksellers. The person leading the discussion is as intriguing as Chiasson: famed Maine novelist and newspaper preservationist Nicholson Baker of “The Mezzanine” fame. Free; copies of “Bernie for Burlington” for sale for $35. rjjulia.com.

BODYTRAFFIC
Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, 2132 Hillside Road, Storrs
Quick Center, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield

The modern dance troupe BODYTRAFFIC has devised an evening where it moves to 20th century pop by the likes of Peggy Lee, Etta James and Buddy Holly. There are two Connecticut shows: Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. at UConn’s Jorgensen Center ($35-$40; jorgensen.uconn.edu) and Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. at Fairfield University’s Quick Center ($35, $25 Quick members; quickcenter.fairfield.edu).

The Descendents
Oakdale Theatre, 95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford

One of the most influential bands in American punk rock of the 1980s, The Descendents will take the Oakdale dome room stage with a formidable 21st century British punk/folk act, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls. The female Canadian punk band Nobro is also on the bill. Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. $62. livenation.com.

Alt/Rock/Punk All Original Showcase
Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford

Two Stamford bands, Josh Yavneh and the Suspects and Soft Spot, and The Boardlords of Port Chester New York are part of an Alt/Rock/Punk All Original Showcase at Stamford Palace’s intimate OnStage space. Yavneh, a New York club scene veteran whose previous band was The Culprits, has posted that this is the first official Suspects show. Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. $20.50. palacestamford.org.

dArK oXyGen
Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, 271 Washington Terrace, Middletown

“dArK oXyGen” is a new “sonic dance” based on new theories of underwater sound waves, choreographed by current Wesleyan CFA artist-in-residence Mayfield Brooks and performed by Brooks, the single-named artist Camilo, electric cellist Dorothy Carlos and others. Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. $8. events.wesleyan.edu.

Lúnasa
Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook

The Kate likes to start bringing in the Irish bands well before St. Patrick’s Day. Lúnasa has an impressive lineup of former Waterboys bassist Trevor Hutchinson, former “Riverdance” uilleann piper Cillian Vallely, internationally known Irish flute player Kevin Crawford, fiddler Colin Farrell and folk guitarist Ed Boyd. Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. $50. thekate.org.

Billy F. Gibbons and the BFG Band
Foxwoods Resort Casino, 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket

Billy F. Gibbons, the bearded, hatted ZZ Top co-founder also known as BFG, brings his BFG Band to Foxwoods’ Grand Cedar Showroom on Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. foxwoods.com.

Ruckus Ensemble
UConn’s Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, 2132 Hillside Road, Storrs

The innovative Baroque ensemble known as Ruckus performs works by G.F. Handel, Ignatius Sacho and others. Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. $30-$35. jorgensen.uconn.edu.

Band Capricio
The Webster, 31 Webster St., Hartford

The Indian pop group Band Capricio, whose native language is Telugu, are known for working smoothly in multiple contemporary music genres. Band Capricio is at The Webster on its latest international tour. Feb. 20 at 8:30 p.m. $34.15-$54.15. thewebsterct.com.

‘Late Nite Catechism 3: Til Death Do Us Part!’
The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford

The show is the third of the “sister” series in which a disciplinarian nun treats the audience as if it’s a catechism class she’s teaching. Feb. 21 and 2 and 7 p.m. in The Bushnell’s Great Autorino Hall. $56. bushnell.org.

‘Hartford Live!’
Infinity Music Hall, 32 Front St., Hartford

“Hartford Live!” was the name of the free outdoor summer concert series held at the Old State House for a few years when the city of Hartford was finding ways for residents to get out to shows again following the COVID shutdown. Funding for that series ended last year, but Infinity Music Hall (owned by GoodWorks Entertainment, promoter of the Old State House shows) is keeping the “Hartford Live!” brand alive with indoor shows by local bands. The first “Hartford Live! Inside” concert is stocked with four bands: the tribute act ​​Mystic Dead, the original rock/folk septet The Alpaca Gnomes, the indie groove ensemble The Professors of Sweet Sweet Music (POSSM) and psychedelic funk rockers Roost. Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. $25, free for Infinity Hall members. infinityhall.com.

Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra: American Enginuity
Garde Arts Center, 325 State St., New London

The Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra gets brassy and tough with its “American Enginuity” program. It’s named for the Anthony DeLorenzo piece “Engenuity: Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra,” played here with the ECO’s principal trumpeter Phil Snedecor doing the solo. There’s also Dvořák’s “American Suite,” Kenneth Fuchs’ “American Rhapsody” and Elmer Bernstein’s shoot-’em-up “Theme from ‘The Magnificent Seven.’” Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. $32-$84. gardearts.org.

Masters of the Telecaster
Fairfield Theatre Co., 70 Sanford St., Fairfield

G.E. Smith is widely known as the leader/guitarist of the “Saturday Night Live” band from 1985-1995, for playing on many Hall & Oates hits, for touring with Bob Dylan in the 1990s and being Gilda Radner’s first husband, but Connecticut has a longer memory, remembering him from the wildly popular local act The Scratch Band. Smith is on tour as one of the “Masters of the Telecaster.” Another is Jim Weider,  guitarist for The Band from 1985 to 2000 and later for The Weight Band. Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. $46-$56. fairfieldtheatre.org.

Hank Azaria and the EZ Street Band
Mohegan Sun, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville

From Springfield to Springsteen, “Simpsons” cast member and TV/movie star Hank Azaria (“Huff,” “The Birdcage”) brings his note-perfect impersonation of Bruce Springsteen to Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den on Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. Free. mohegansun.com.

Mike Cannon
Space Ballroom, 295 Treadwell St., Hamden

New York comedian and “Beautiful Boys” podcaster Mike Cannon brings his stand-up act, honed through many years and YouTube specials, to Space Ballroom on Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. $37.99. $32.34 in advance. spaceballroom.com.

Momix: ‘Botanica Season 2’
Warner Theatre, 68 Main St., Torrington

The Connecticut-based movement theater troupe Momix has regrown its nature-themed 2008 piece “Botanica” with some new moments and updated visual effects. It’s a way of accessing the spring season early. There are two performances, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. $55-$66. warnertheatre.org.

‘Riverdance 30: The New Generation’
Foxwoods Resort Casino, 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket

The 30th anniversary edition of the Irish dance spectacle “Riverdance” has two performances on Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 22 at 5 p.m. at Foxwoods’ Premier Theater. $49.35. foxwoods.com.

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