In the summer of 2007, a relatively under-the-radar local choreographer, Cathy Wright, premiered "Return," a dark, raw, ritualistic and riveting dance work set to a speed-metal score by Matthew S. Smith.

It was not for the faint of heart. But "Return" signaled the emergence of a talent whose thrashing, preening, sometimes dreamy, often symbolic movement vocabulary contained, at its core, a primal scream.

This weekend, Wright and Smith are back at it with a new work, "Admittance." And they're teaming with another local dance artist, Deborah Jinza Thayer. Thayer incorporates various materials (elastic bands, 3M iridescent film) or structures (beehive-like head cages) in her works to create kinetic environments for the exploration of space.

"Admittance" is a multimedia work that reportedly evokes the Cold War terrors of the 1950s, including the U.S. government's love affair with nuclear testing. At the same time, the piece incorporates a fractured narrative about a family with a schizophrenic mother. The combination of Smith's electronic music, Wright's unblinking kinetics and Thayer's spatial intrigue make this new work worth checking out.

When: 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 5 p.m. Saturday (pay-as-able)
Where: Ritz Theater, 345 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis
Tickets: $13-$18
Phone: 612-436-1129
Online

Also this weekend

The New York-based Lar Lubovitch Dance Company has performed at Northrop twice (1977, 1983) in the troupe's 40-year history. Lubovitch's lush musicality and open, expressive modern-dance choreography has inspired critics no less than Anna Kisselgoff, of the New York Times to exclaim of "Concerto Six Twenty-Two" (which is on Friday's program), " Why beat around the bush? The truth is that this is what dance is really about."

Also on the program is "Dvorak Serenade," which features waves of unison movement in constantly shifting patterns. And a more recent work, "Jangle: Four Hungarian Dances," is a folk dance that puts the dancers in street clothes. In other words, variety is a signature of this program, by a choreographer who has made movement for jazz and ballet troupes, Broadway hoofers and ice dancers — as well as for his own modern-dance company.

When: 8 p.m. tonight (Dec. 5)
Where: Northrop Auditorium, 84 Church St. SE, Minneapolis
Tickets: $31-$55
Phone: 612-624-2345
Online