From Indian classical to some patriotic ballet, here are the 9 best dance shows coming to Philadelphia this fall

If you like your dance with a good soundtrack, there are a lot of fun options in Philly this fall.

Philadelphia Ballet will open its season with a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, with its orchestra playing “The Stars and Stripes Forever” and other patriotic music and American classics. Philadanco will be dancing to the Sound of Philadelphia at the Kimmel Center in December. Ballets Jazz Montréal will visit the Annenberg with an homage to Leonard Cohen.

And, of course, holiday music will be back with the dance in December when Philadelphia Ballet brings back George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. Plus, A Very SW!NG OUT Holiday is coming to the Annenberg, with a live band playing holiday favorites to the dance.

Most of the Semiquincentennial celebrations happened around July Fourth. But Philadelphia Ballet is continuing the party with its season-opening program. It will be dancing Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free, George Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes and a concert version of Who Cares?, and Eliot Feld’s Variations on “America.” philadelphiaballet.org

Just days after its season opener, Philadelphia Ballet returns to the Academy of Music for its second program, one that focuses on the power and speed of a ballet dancer. Of course, the challenge is not only to make it athletic, but to bring great artistry, as well. For this program, the ballet is bringing back Wayne McGregor’s Chroma, Christopher Wheeldon’s DGV: Danse à Grande Vitesse, and Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room. philadelphiaballet.org

This Canadian company is stopping in Philly for the final tour of Dance Me, an homage to the late singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen, who had authorized the work. The work includes choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa (a frequent BalletX collaborator), Andonis Foniadakis, and Ihsan Rustem. pennlivearts.org

This classical Indian dance company is returning to the Annenberg with the Philadelphia premiere of KHANKHANĀ, The Sound of Dancing Feet. It features three decades of works by artistic director and choreographer Surupa Sen, who specializes in Odissi, one of the nine Indian classical dance styles. pennlivearts.org

This French company is returning to Philadelphia with Sol Invictus, a work that focuses on love and peace. The style is a combination of contemporary dance, hip-hop, capoeira, and martial arts, and it is set to music by Mikael Karlsson, Steve Reich, and Maxime Bodson. pennlivearts.org

BalletX is revisiting Prohibition-era Philadelphia in its fall series, with a world premiere from New Zealand choreographer Loughlan Prior. The company mentions jazz, glamour, and danger. Sounds fun! It will also include the return of 2023’s Switching the Groove by Amy Hall Garner and last year’s In the Wake by Christian Denice. balletx.org

This season, Philadanco will be celebrating Philly’s Black culture legacy two ways: via its own history and through the Sound of Philadelphia. The program looks meaningful and highly entertaining, featuring world premieres by Rennie Harris and Dawn Marie Bazemore, as well as Sweet Agony by Gene Hill Sagan, Promise Me You Won’t Call by company co-artistic director Tommie-Waheed Evans, and a reimagined version of Dwight Rhoden’s Tribute. The music will be from the Philadelphia International Records catalog and include songs from Patti LaBelle, Teddy Pendergrass, the O’Jays, and others. On opening night, the company will celebrate founder and artistic adviser Joan Myers Brown’s 95th birthday. ensembleartsphilly.org

If you’ve ever seen one ballet, chances are it’s The Nutcracker. If you’ve ever performed in a ballet, it’s likely The Nutcracker. If you ever felt like there’s one performance that really makes it feel like Christmas, it’s likely The Nutcracker. Philadelphia Ballet offers many chances to get that holiday spirit, with performances throughout most of December. The delightful children, Sugar Plum Fairy, snow on stage, and red-coated Philadelphia Boys Choir are fun to see every year. philadelphiaballet.org

If you’d like a different type of Christmas dance show, choreographer Caleb Teicher is bringing some holiday Lindy Hop, based on the show SW!NG OUT, which visited the Annenberg in 2023. The show also features holiday music played live by the Eyal Vilner Big Band. pennlivearts.org