Phantasia

If Christmas gets an annual ballet in The Nutcracker, why not poor, maligned Halloween? With that in mind, Psophonia Dance Company co-artistic directors Sonia Noriega and Sophia Torres created Phantasia in 2004. The seasonal ballet, which has a different theme each year, celebrates the eerie darkness of the holiday through modern dance — which, for the uninitiated, can be as scary as a haunted house. Fortunately, Psophonia is one of modern dance’s more accessible troupes, thanks to its creative use of props and indulgence in fantasy, making even the darker Phantasia a fun, sensual jaunt. This year’s incarnation, Phantasia: Etched & Extracted, uses high-tech props and lighting effects to examine what we leave behind when we use technology to march relentlessly into the future. 7:30 p.m. today and Friday. Zilkha Hall, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, 800 Bagby. For information, call 713-315-2525 or visit www.psophonia.com. $15 to $25.
Fri., Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m., 2007