Genre Busting

 FRI-SAT 6/24-25

Combining art forms is nothing new to the underground scene, but in the rarefied air of high art, such gambles are generally taken with baby steps or not at all. Fortunately, Ali Tabatabai, curator of the “3 Drops of Blood” quarterly series presented by the Nanos Operetta, doesn’t back down from a challenge, allowing a cast of heavy hitters in the dance, music, and theater worlds to boldly mix it up in a variety of performances. In the sixth installment of the show, critically acclaimed pianist Myra Melford takes the stage with butoh dancer Ledoh Baisang for a piece titled Aghar Rouzi Jodah Shavehm, in addition to a second collaboration with the NYC-based dancer Fay Simpson of Impact Theatre. We’re most looking forward to Solo, an experimental dance piece presented by famed local company Kunst-Stoff and Venizelos Papayannopoulos, who plays the Greek bouzouki, an ancient guitarlike instrument. Also on hand will be the Nanos Operetta regulars, who use classical instruments in unexpected ways, even incorporating elements of film, cartoon, and cabaret music into their pieces. The show plays Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Project Artaud Theater, 450 Florida (at 17th Street), S.F. Admission is $17-20; call 626-4370 or visit www.artaud.org.
-- Michael Leaverton

Silver Ballets
Dancing in the wilds

FRI-SAT 6/24-25

The devil is often in the details, but in this case, he's also in the wind. Or at least that's what the sertanejos of rural Brazil say. So in Mark Foehringer Dance Project/San Francisco's 10-year anniversary performance, Diadorim, the strong gust that blows through frontier gunman Riobaldo's camp brings a scheming Satan with it. Desperate to cross hostile territory, Riobaldo makes a pact, offering his soul in exchange for safe passage. But the payment comes not in his own life, but in that of his beloved -- a female soldier who has been disguised as a man. MFDP/SF's phantasmagorical story combines the classic tale of Faust with Afro-Brazilian spirit worship and homoerotic love. Diadorim starts at 8 both nights at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission (at Third Street), S.F. Tickets are $14-22; call 978-2787 or visit www.yerbabuenaarts.org.
-- Karen Macklin

A Laugh Riot
Gender jokes and devilish dancing

WED 6/22

Heather Gold, star of I Look Like an Egg, But I Identify as a Cookie, and stand-up doyenne Jen Kober join together as a lesbian force of nature for “The C Word Pride Comedy Spectacular,” one night of belly laughs about the daily trials of an out-girl. The show features sketches and songs built into a Broadway-style showcase, but it’s sure to be the X-factor — the improv moments — that’ll bring the house down. Assisting will be the Devil-Ettes, the 15-member go-go dance troupe of ladies who know how and what to shake. “The C Word” plays at 8 and 11 p.m. at 12 Galaxies, 2565 Mission (at 22nd Street), S.F. Admission is $10-15; call 970-9777 or visit www.12galaxies.com. -- Michael Leaverton

Turk-y

WED 6/22

Its proper name is the Turks, but this local band's friends call it "fez-sportin' trash rock." As part of the scrappy, danger-loving, rough-side-of-Burning-Man scene, the group lacks the ability to take itself or anything else too seriously -- how refreshing, in a somewhat uptight music town. Cookie Mongoloid and Bleach 03 from Japan share the stage starting at 9 p.m. at Thee Parkside, 1600 17th St. (at Wisconsin), S.F. Admission is $6; call 503-0393 or visit www.theeparkside.com.
-- Hiya Swanhuyser