Zenon Dance Co's THE NUTCRACKER ACCORDING TO MOTHER GOOSE Returns 10/12

Hot on the heels of its 27th Fall Season, Zenon Dance Company (zenondance.org) returns to the Ritz Theater with a holiday favorite for all ages: "The Nutcracker According to Mother Goose." Zenon Dance Company, a professional modern- and jazz-dance company, blends nursery rhymes with Tchaikovsky in this witty, madcap holiday romp with a significant pedigree. The story was written by Bruce Lansky (famed Minnesota author of children's books and "King of Giggle Poetry" www.meadowbrookpress.com/author info.aspx?aid+32), directed by Kay Cummings (actor, teacher, director of Symphony Space http://dance.tisch.nyu.edu/object/CummingsK.html) and choreographed by Seán Curran (prior work for Zenon includes "Hard Bargain" http://www.seancurrancompany.com/).

Fast becoming a December must-do for families with small children-and in-the-know adults-the 50-minute show enchants children with a real Mother Goose (Zenon artistic director Linda Z. Andrews) and entourage of Wee Willie Winkie, Mary Quite Contrary, Little Bo Peep and more. Still, the show's embedded with enough winks and nudges to keep the adults entertained. The impeccable Zenon dancers flaunt their versatile acting skills, in addition to leaping sky high and twirling with panache. "The entire production has a cozy-cottage-and-gingerbread feel that...appeals to kids from 3 to 93," said the Pioneer Press.

Zenon Dance Company, one of the nation's only professional modern- and jazz-dance repertory troupes, continues to build its eclectic repertory by commissioning significant works from such acclaimed American choreographers as Bill T. Jones, Doug Varone, Bebe Miller, Tere O'Connor and Seán Curran. The Zenon dancers are renowned for their tremendous stylistic diversity, technical virtuosity and artistic integrity. They're also a national favorite among critics and audiences for their fearless physicality and emotional intelligence. Repertory works showcase the dancers' flexible embrace of contemporary dance, and offer presenters a signature evening by a peerless troupe described as "the dance company that can do it all" and "in a league of its own" by the Star Tribune.

When: Sat, Dec. 12, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Sun, Dec. 13, 1 p.m.

Sat, Dec. 19, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Sun, Dec. 20, 1 p.m.

Where: Ritz Theater, 345 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis

Tickets: $18 adults, $10 children under 12. 612.436.1129 ritzdolls.org