The Houston Ballet returns to the Twin Cities with two evenings of world-class dance presented by the Northrop Dance series at the Orpheum Theatre. Each performance will include Jorma Elo's "ONE/end/ONE" (2011), the first recipient of the Rudolf Nureyev Prize for New Dance, and the Christopher Wheeldon pas de deux "Rush" (2003). Friday's show will also feature artistic director Stanton Welch's fast-paced 1999 work "Indigo," while Saturday's program includes a 1970 one-act ballet from Jerome Robbins, "In the Night." Learn more about the Houston Ballet at a special preview starting at 6:45 p.m. at Solera, next to the theater. -Caroline Palmer

Over the next two weekends, experimental theater Patrick's Cabaret celebrates 25 years of artistic provocation by taking up one of the year's biggest hot-button political issues: the proposed gay marriage amendment. The Patrick Scully-curated "Not Guilty! (Your Honor, It's the Laws That Are Wrong)" will be sure to push some buttons of its own with a revue of the venue's best-loved performers offering their artistic reactions to the issue. The lineup includes gender-bending musician and artist Venus DeMars of All the Pretty Horses fame, performance artist Heidi Arneson, dancer/choreographer Denise Armstead, comedian/activist Farheen Hakeem, soul singer Mari Harris and experimental dancer Kevin Kortan. For his part, Scully will perform a duet with his lover, Kortan. -Jahna Peloquin

If nothing else inspires you to hit the gym, how about watching a bunch of professional dancers and models walk around in skimpy swimwear? ARENA Dances' fifth annual ARENA Bikini event combines dance performances with a swimwear fashion show for what has to be the sexiest fundraiser in town. Held at the Calhoun Beach Club, this year's also promises to be the splashiest. Models from Arquette & Associates will walk the runway in fashions from local designers Emma Berg, Adrienne Yancy, Jay Anderson, Kelly Ver Duin, and Anita Jensen, and boutiques including Nani Nalu, Drama and MartinPatrick3. The night also features a silent auction, appetizers and a cash bar. -Jahna Peloquin