Continental Nutcracker

Opening: It's that time of year when the area's ballet companies pull out their holiday finest and show off a variety of "Nutcracker" productions. The Continental Ballet Company has been performing its version for 27 years and while it retains all the old-world classical charm there is also a modern twist. CBC director Riet Velthuisen has replaced the traditional battle with the mice in favor of a friendlier encounter, promoting peace over violence in her take on the production. The cast includes Kate Behrendt (Sugarplum Fairy), Casey Juul (Cavalier), Nancy Cole (Clara) and John Agurkis (Drosselmeyer). (7:30 p.m. Sat., 3 p.m. Sun. Ends Dec. 7; Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 W. 98th St.; $13-$25. 952-563-8562 or www.continentalballet.com.)

Caroline Palmer

Choreographer's Evening

This weekend: Kenna-Camara Cottman is this year's curator for this annual post-Thanksgiving ritual that happily involves something other than eating or shopping. For more than 40 years this Walker Art Center event has offered up a diverse array of Twin Cities dance scene-makers and 2014's program is no different. Cottman's crew includes Kendra Dennard, In New Company (INC), Canaan Mattson, Blake Nellis & Taja Will, Junauda Petrus, Deneane Richburg, Deja Stowers, Darrius Strong, Tonya Williams and Ashley Yergens. (7 & 9:30 p.m. Sat.; Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls.; $25, 612-375-7600 or www.walkerart.org)

Caroline Palmer

2 Pianos/4 Hands

Previews: Park Square Theatre returns this popular and very entertaining piece to the stage. Michael Pearce Donley and Peter Vitale play child pianists with dreams of greatness, following them through 15 years of practice, competitions and the realization that their goals might never be met. A play and a concert in one, it features music by Bach, Beethoven and Jerry Lee Lewis, all of which these dually talented actors can really play. The show is in previews this weekend and opens Dec. 5. (7:30 p.m. Thu.-Sat., 2 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Dec. 28.; Park Square Theatre, 20 W. 7th Pl., St. Paul; $25-$58. 651-291-7005 or parksquaretheatre.org)

Kristin Tillotson