Rhinestone Gorilla Burlesque & Dating Game

Modern burlesque is nothing if not glamorous, but New York-based Rhinestone Gorilla Burlesque is all about taking the glamour out of the equation. The self-proclaimed "art-school delinquents" go back to the roots of the term "burlesque," which is more along the lines of satire, offering up original pop culture and literary adaptations, lowbrow comedy, cheesy disco covers, self-indulgent '90s nostalgia and audience competitions. That's where the "dating game" comes in: Lucky contestants will compete for a date with a member of the troupe via a strip-off, in which volunteers provocatively remove a single item of their clothing, along with an interpretive dance competition and a round-robin quiz. -Jahna Peloquin

'Anytown: Stories of America'

For four decades, Bruce Springsteen has written songs about working-class heroes, and it was inevitable that someone would find a way to set dance to his words. This weekend the Guthrie Theater presents the return of Shapiro & Smith Dance's "Anytown," a hard-hitting and ultimately uplifting work about family ties -- by blood or by choice -- set to tunes by Springsteen as well as E Street Band members Patti Scialfa and Soozie Tyrell (choreographer Joanie Smith's half-sister). Many original cast members from this 2004 work (including Carl Flink and Laura Selle-Virtucio) will return for performances in the Guthrie's Dowling Studio. -Caroline Palmer