Top 10 (+ 1) Dances With Big Heart in 2011

1) 'CÉDRIC ANDRIEUX' (Jérôme Bel at Fusebox Festival) Bel's performance portraits of dancers smudge the performer-audience and performer-character distinctions: The dancers address the audience with autobiographical details; they hum, dance, and change costumes to illustrate roles and styles they favor and detest. Cédric Andrieux is the tale of Andrieux's life as a dancer, tightly edited by Bel and refiltered through Andrieux. Personal triumphs and setbacks appear both precious and matter-of-fact; the mortality of the piece, with its subject-performer, contributes to its drama.

2) 'SOLO SOLO' (READY|SET|GO!)

3) PROGRAM C: BUTOH (Big Range Dance Festival)

4) 'POET'S LOVE' (READY|SET|GO!)

5) 'PARAMPARA PART II' (Austin Dance India)

6) 'JOURNEY NO. 5' (Sharon Marroquín at Ballet East Dance Company)

7) AARA KRUMPE AS THE SYLPH IN 'LA SYLPHIDE' (Ballet Austin)

8) 'APHRODITE DANCES: CHOCOLATE' (Voice Dance Company/American Repertory Ensemble)

9) 'WOLFTANZT' (Ballet Austin)

10) 'THE TRASH PROJECT' (Forklift Dance­works)

11) 'FLASHDANCE, BUT FLASHIER: 30 MORE DANCES IN 60 MINUTES' (Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company)