Almost all dance fans can recount, usually in delicious detail, a pivotal experience that forever hooked them on live dance performance. Presenters trying to retain existing fans and entice new ones into braving clogged freeways should take a page from this new festival offering $10 tickets to see 10 premier U.S. and international dance companies. The first two nights feature Boston Ballet, Susan Marshall & Company, Seattle’s Pacific Northwest Ballet, Via Katlehong Dance and Nina Rajarani Dance Creations. The final two shows include Charles Moulton’s Ball Passing Project, Dutch National Ballet, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, Rennie Harris Puremovement and Martha Graham Dance Company. The concept and name are borrowed from New York’s highly successful festival, with some elements tweaked to inject SoCal flavors: free outdoor events, including the aerial troupe Project Bandaloop, and an al fresco lounge area where performers and audience can linger and mingle after the shows. For $10 — the cost of a movie — see one show. Throw in the price of popcorn and a coke, and see all 10 companies for $20. It’s a great value, and just the thing to encourage audiences to take a chance on dance. Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa; Thurs.-Sat. Oct. 11-13, 7:30 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 14, 3 p.m.; $10. (714) 556-2787 or www.ocpac.org.

—Ann Haskins

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