Compagnie la Baraka

The notion that the French are more chic than you or I may be a cliché, but it may also be true. Either way, for his Compagnie la Baraka, choreographer Abou Lagraa makes dances so sleek they’re almost slippery. Born in France of Algerian descent, Lagraa brings the multiple influences of his heritage to his artwork, mixing ballet and contemporary dance with aspects of hip-hop and African dance. His new ensemble work, Un Monde en Soi (A World in Itself), with live music by the Debussy String Quartet, charts a history of the world “from primitive chaos to the latest complexity.” SANDRA KURTZ

March 3-5, 8 p.m., 2011