The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Co. return to open Contemporary Dance Theater's season Oct. 13-14.

As summer starts to wind down, the dance season starts to heat up. So what's in store for dedicated dance fans and recent converts? CONTEMPORARY DANCE THEATER opens its guest artist series Oct. 13-14 at the Aronoff 's Jarson-Kaplan Theater with the legendary, multi-cultural Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company (as part of the group's 20th anniversary tour). The decision to bring the New York-based contemporary troupe back so soon came as no great surprise: Their last visit proved to be one of the more popular choices of recent CDT seasons. And with good reason -- their work is accessible without sacrificing creative vision and artistic merit. I can't wait to see which works they'll present from their vast repertoire. Also courtesy of CDT is the Nov. 19-20 return of Everett Dance Theatre from Providence, R.I. Far from your garden-variety modern dance company, this group explores relevant socio-cultural themes with humanistic, theatrical flair. Judging by its title, their upcoming evening-length piece, "Home Movies," shows signs of delving into personal, provocative subject matter. The multi-layered piece examines four American families of distinctly varied lifestyles and cultures. Company members dug up memories of family life and customs to weave extraordinarily individual yet universally resonant stories. The combining of elements such as video, theater and song with dance promises to provide a rich, engaging experience for viewers. Info: cdt-dance.org. ...

Cincinnati Ballet kicks off its season Oct. 9-10 with two special works you've not seen before -- unless you were a ballet fan in 1938 or attended the recent Vail International Dance Festival. Léonide Massine's "Seventh Symphony" hasn't been produced by another ballet company since the illustrious Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo premiered it 66 years ago. (I'm curious as to why the work hasn't been undertaken before -- a lost masterpiece perhaps?) I found it fascinating that Frederic Franklin, Artistic Director Emeritus for Cincinnati Ballet, danced in the original production and that actual rehearsal footage from the period is being used to reconstruct the first two movements. The program will also feature renowned choreographer Trey McIntyre's new work, "Chasing Squirrel," commissioned by Cincinnati Ballet. Themes address men's and women's often divergent points of view set against a backdrop of Latin popular culture. Sounds like fun, so long as it doesn't take its more complex undertones too seriously. The public will also have the chance to see two of the newest company dancers, Adiarys Almeida and Cervilio Amador. The Cuban pair will perform a time-tested but spirited pas de deux from Don Quixote. Bet it will be a fiery one. Info: cincinnatiballet.com. ...

Cincinnati finally has a resident modern dance company again. (Hats off to its founder and artistic director, Colleen McCarty, for this valiant undertaking.) Newly-hatched company MOVING ART's premiere performances are slated for Nov. 5-6 and 12-13 at Gabriel's Corner in Over-the-Rhine. McCarty is geared up to choreograph the opening show "Movement, Music, Breath." She says, "The mission of Moving Art is to fuse various movement styles and art forms together to generate new performances and new audiences." With original atmospheric music played live mixed with breath and vocal work, McCarty hopes to draw a diverse cross-section of patrons beyond the dance crowd. Most of all, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to watch a fresh, collaborative company develop a choreographic style and find a voice (in this case, maybe literally). It's also refreshing to have all local artists on board. McCarty sums it up, "This is Cincinnati's talent. This is Cincinnati's dance company." A Web site is due up soon: moving-artdance.com.