I Scream, You Scream

Dance is like Neapolitan ice cream: Vanilla is ballet (solid and reliably good); strawberry represents jazz-style dancing and modern dance (a little more exciting, especially when you see a whole-strawberry of a piece of a performance); but the real treat in this mix of ice cream has to be the chocolate part, the tap-dancing part. Only the greatest flavor of ice cream could possibly represent tap, the best, most rhythmic style of dance — and arguably the only kind of dancing that can make your heart pound and propel you out of your seat (much like an ice cream truck carrying only chocolate delights could). Experience a modern version of tap when Tap Dogs hits the stage at the Roberts Orpheum Theater (416 North Ninth Street; call 314-241-1888 or visit www.ticketmaster.com for tickets, priced at $35 to $65) at 8 p.m. Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday (February 4 and 5). This company arrives in St. Louis by way of Australia, and, according to the dance group's Web site, the performance "combines the strength and power of male workmen with the precision and talent of tap dancing." Now, that sounds strange and exciting — and kind of like the dance equivalent of rocky road (yum!).
Sat., Feb. 4; Sun., Feb. 5