Dance spotlight: Kyle Abraham at Walker Art Center

Thursday-Saturday: New York's Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion is earning well-deserved recognition for deeply personal and relevant work. "Live! The Realest MC" uses the story of "Pinocchio" as a jumping-off point for an incisive exploration of gender roles and masculinity in the black community. The Bessie Award-winning Abraham (whose work has been performed locally by Zenon Dance Company) brings some serious innovation to the stage with his singular combination of contemporary dance and street-based movement. "Live!" challenges aspects of conformity and acceptance in the realm of hip-hop celebrity culture. (8 p.m. Thu.-Sat. $15-$22. Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. 612-375-7600 or www.walkerart.org. )