Below are synopses of ballets and dance performances spanning cultures and continents:

• Kaguyahime ("The Moon Princess") Choreographed by Jiri Kylian. Based on a Japanese fairytale, performed by Nederlands Dans Theater. The Moon Princess descends to Earth and resides with a family of bamboo cutters. Although her beauty is meant to evoke serenity and happiness, rivalry for her attentions provokes a war.
• Temptations of the Moon Choreographed by Martha Graham to Bartok's "Dance Suite, Op. 77," inspired by ancient Egyptian lore. The dance involves the seduction a female dancer, representing the crescent moon, by a male dancer, representing the velvet night.
• Moon Water By Taiwan's Cloud Gate Dance Theater. Choreographed by Lin Hwai-Min to Bach's "Six Suites for Solo Cello." Fuses Eastern philosophy and tai chi movements with European influences. The title of the dance originates from a description of the perfect tai chi mental state and a Buddhist proverb.
• The Ramayana Epic Dancers, musicians and artists present this historic drama on and around the full moon from May to October. A thousand-year-old temple provides the backdrop for a story of Hindu derivation involving gods, monkeys, mortals, beautiful women and a giant--to the beat of drums and music of the gamelan. Originally Indian, the drama is now also central to the Indonesian, Thai and Myanmar (Burmese) cultures.
• Borreguita and the Coyote A children's ballet choreographed by Paul Vasterling to Spanish guitar music by John Pell. Borreguita, a little lamb, outwits a coyote in this story, based on a Mexican folk tale that features a dancing moon and mountain.
• Thabol Chongba ("Moonlight Jump") Involves circle dancing by hundreds of adolescent Indian boys and girls to the music of flutes, cymbals and drums at the instant of moonrise.

Dance companies in the U.S. have drawn from the rich well of North American popular, rock, jazz and Cajun music.

• Which One Is Pink Choreographed by Jin-Wen Yu. A multimedia work inspired by and using music from Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon."
• UP Choreographed by James Canfield for the Oregon Ballet Theatre. Sets seven dances to seven versions of Rogers and Hart's "Blue Moon."
• MOON Choreographed by Jennifer Mulle. Set to multiple versions of "Blue Moon."
• Memphis Choreographed by Trey McIntyre for the Ballet Memphis to the music of some of that city's biggest artists. Works include "Blue Moon" by Elvis Presley.
• Under A Cajun Moon Slated for 2004, dancers from Cutno Dance and the Augusta Ballet will perform to Cajun zydeco and jazz provided by members of the Lincoln Center Jazz Ensemble.

See also Dark Side of the Moon, choreographed for the New York stage by Alvin Ailey in 1958, the same year he formed his acclaimed company; Moon of the Falling Leaves, choreographed by Peter Pucci and based on Native American themes set to music by Mohican composer Brent Michael Davids, and Sister Moon, choreographed by Richard Gray to Sting's song of the same title.

Share this website on social media and via email!