Rednerrus Feil Dance Company's first evening-length performance since moving to Houston is our pick for Friday. Artistic Director Amy Llanes focused on intimacy for the program. The show's title, Into-Me-See, defines Llanes's idea of the concept. "That's what intimacy is, letting someone see into me," she tells us. One of the program's works, Goodbye, Grace, explores the loss of innocence. "I know people might think of that in sexual terms, but I mean it as more than that. I mean the first time you were lied to, or the first time you told a lie," she explains. A Houston Press 2013 100 Creatives, Llanes is also presenting M2, a work that centers on the changing body image of women dealing with breast cancer.
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Barn, 2201 Preston. For information, call 713‑224-3262 or visit the company's Web site. $10 to $15.
Inked Magazine presents The SuicideGirls: The Blackheart Burlesque Tour, at House of Blues for Saturday night only, seeks to bring burlesque into the 21st century. The wink-and-smile from the past has been replaced with rock-star-caliber choreography from Manwe Sauls-Addison, who has worked with Beyoncé and JLo, and futuristic costumes inspired by the Steampunk aesthetic by designer Junker. The 45-date tour, sponsored by early-Internet alt-porn site SuicideGirls and Inked Magazine, marks a return to the stage for the group following a six-year hiatus.
"We did a tour from 2003 to 2006 that was much smaller in scale. We were kind of the only group doing modern burlesque at the time," says Missy Suicide, founder of the site, which showcases heavily tattooed and pierced models. During that hiatus, suicidegirls.com, which turns 12 this year, branched out into everything from book publishing to gaming to model cameos on network TV shows. "Burlesque got a lot more mainstream," says Suicide (whose real name is Selena Mooney). "We knew if we were going to go on tour again, we'd have to up our game. In traditional burlesque, the core of it is about the tease and the reveal, so we kept that," she said. "But ours is set to modern music with very intense, exciting dancing. The costumes are postapocalyptic couture." Notable routines, according to Suicide, include a Big Lebowski-inspired performance and a tribute to Planet of the Apes.
9 p.m. 1204 Caroline. For information, visit the tour's Web site. $35.
Just to be clear, Día de los Muertos is not a Mexican version of Halloween. Yes, there are lots of skeletons, candles, pictures of dead folks and the like, but no, this is not Halloween. Día de los Muertos remembers and honors loved ones who have died. The folks over at Casa Ramirez Folkart Gallery, Macario Ramirez and Chrissie Dickerson Ramirez, host their annual Día de los Muertos Family Fiesta on Saturday. The two have spent the past 20 or so years not only celebrating genuine Day of the Dead holiday traditions, but they've also helped others to do the same thing. Macario Ramirez learned about the celebration when he was a boy living in in Saltillo, Mexico. "The first time it just scared the hell out of me, with sugar skulls, the incense and these old photographs," he admits, laughing. "And now I teach it." Fearing the tradition would be lost to future generations, Ramirez began hosting Día de los Muertos events locally in 1985. Since then, Ramirez has added classes, a community ofrenda (altar) and an annual Día de los Muertos Fiesta. For today's festivities, Danza Azteca Teokallide Houston performs and leads a procession (everyone's invited to join in), Jesús and Maria provide the music, and altars are on display in the gallery (ofrendas remain on exhibit through November 11).
5:30 p.m. 241 West 19th. For information, call 713-880-2420. Free.
Also on Saturday, the Houston Book Rave brings together some 50 authors for two mass signing sessions, meet-and-greet parties and, of course, plenty of books for sale (including e-books). The morning party is for young-adult authors and readers (no signings at the party, please), while the afternoon get-together is dedicated to new-adult and adult fiction. There will be signing sessions sandwiched between parties. Authors include Sophie Jordon, B.C. Burgess and Diana Castilleja. Pick up your VIR (Very Important Reader) pass and enjoy a host of extra perks, including an invitation to an exclusive blogger and author party, admission to the head of the line for signings, and a literary goodie bag. The fun continues at the Houston Book Rave After Party with a costume-optional Día de Los Muertos theme (9 p.m., $23.).
The Book Rave kicks off at 8 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m. The Zotz Education Center, 13801 Holly Park Dr. For information, including detailed information about bringing books for signing, visit the event's Web site. Free.
Conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto is reunited with the Houston Symphony for La Triste Historia, a special Día de los Muertos presentation of work by Mexican composers, and our pick for Sunday. (Prieto, now music director of the Louisiana Philharmonic, was an audience favorite when he was an associate conductor with the Houston Symphony several years ago.) The program includes the world premiere of Juan Trigos's Symphony No. 3, Ofrenda a los muertos. The performance of Ofrenda is accompanied by the film La Triste Historia, which recounts the tragic tale of two young lovers. Set during the Mexican Revolution, the story ends with a Día de los Muertos celebration.
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, 615 Louisiana. For information, call 713‑224‑7575 or visit the Symphony's Web site. $25 to $119.
Brittanie Shey, Karen Branch and Nancy Ford contributed to this post.
