DANCES AT THE LAKES
Friday-Saturday: The Lake Harriet Rose Garden in Minneapolis is a delightful destination on any summer night, but this weekend it'll be particularly lively thanks to the 12th annual Dances at the Lakes Festival presented by Christopher Watson Dance Company. Professional and student dancers will join the troupe for two free concerts on the grassy lawn. The lineup includes Anda Flamenco, Eclectic Edge Ensemble, Kinetic Evolutions, Oyin Dance Collective, Young Dance (Saturday only), Amy Slater with Stacy Pottinger, and many more. (7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., free, Lyndale Park Gardens, 4124 Roseway Rd., Mpls., 612-670-0839, christopherwatsondance.org.)

GROUNDBREAKER BATTLE
Saturday: The fifth annual Groundbreaker Battle Festival will rock the Butler Square parking lot at Hennepin Avenue S. and Fifth Street on Saturday. The annual celebration of all things hip-hop will host its biggest match-up yet, with 28 dance crews from Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, Tulsa and Denver, among others, vying for the top title (and $4,000 in cash prizes), with live music from DJ Nikoless and DJ Los Boogie. The day will also feature performances by nationally known artists B-Boy Profo Won, Dancin' Dave, B-Boy J-Sun and Ill-Chemistry. Emcees Desdamona and Carnage the Executioner will help to keep the party going. (Noon-8 p.m. Sat., free, Cowles Center, 528 Hennepin Av., Mpls., 612-206-3600, www.thecowlescenter.org.)

TARA KING
Monday-Tuesday: Tara King (of wild woman dance art trio Mad King Thomas) will celebrate her 30th birthday by inviting a big assortment of artistic colleagues to create 30 "bite-sized" works set to the No. 1 hit songs from July 15, 1983, to the present. Performers include local dance luminaries, including Emily Johnson, HIJACK, Megan Mayer, Sally Rousse, Chris Schlichting, SuperGroup and Laurie Van Wieren. (7 p.m. Mon. & Tues., $6-$15, Bryant-Lake Bowl, 810 W. Lake St., Mpls. 612-825-8949. www.bryantlakebowl.com.)