A lively new year in ballet, modern, experimental

The good news is that 2019 is chock full of dance all around the bay. The less-good news is that there will be hard choices to make among ballet, modern and experimental genres; local companies and visiting artists; and show dates that sometimes overlap (talk about an embarrassment of riches). Here are a handful of performances worth prioritizing.

The return of “Fury”: Inspired by George Miller’s apocalyptic cult movie “Mad Max: Fury Road,” the immersive ballet-rock mashup “Fury” was a soldout smash in the fall. Live Nation is presenting a refreshed version Feb. 1-2 at August Hall, with the band Yassou live; returning Lines dancers Babatunji, Adji Cissoko and Michael Montgomery with new cast members Brett Conway, Katerina Eng, Britt Juleen and Ramona Kelley; and the same end-of-the-world party atmosphere. www.furyshow.com

A triple dip of ODC/Dance: ODC/ Dance is bringing back last season’s glorious “Path of Miracles,” featuring KT Nelson’s choreography and the a cappella choir Volti in Grace Cathedral, Feb. 28-March 2. “World’s on Fire,” choreographed by Kate Weare and co-directed with Brenda Way, premieres March 7-10 in S.F., and then “Clyne & Strauss,” Nelson’s collaboration with Berkeley Symphony, premieres May 2 at Zellerbach Hall. www.odc.dance “Nevertheless” persists at Z Space: The buzz was so big on Ka-nei-see collective’s “Nevertheless,” a contemporary dance-theater work about sexual harassment that premiered last April, that even Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren got wind of it and sent congratulations to Oakland choreographer Tanya Chianese. An expanded version — with a cast of 25, even more bad-touch dancing and barbed a cappella songs by the Cat Call Choir — comes to Z Space March 7-19. www.kaneisee.org

Akram Khan’s last stand: Don’t miss your last chance to see the celebrated choreographer and dancer Akram Khan perform — after the current tour of his epic solo “Xenos,” coming March 2-3 to Zellerbach Hall, this captivating artist will retire from performing major works. Khan’s mesmerizing blend of contemporary dance and classical Indian kathak is matched by his dramatic power in “Xenos,” a reflection on the centenary of World War I that has been hailed worldwide. www.calperforman ces.org

Dorrance Dance doubles down: There’s no knowing where tap wunderkind and 2015 MacArthur Fellow Michelle Dorrance will take her choreography, so just sit back and let your mind get blown. In “ETM: Double Down,” coming to YBCA Theater May 9-11, eight dancers including Dorrance and spectacular B-girl Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie create their own music using body rhythms and “instruments” devised by award-winning composer Nicholas Van Young. www.sfperformances.org

Claudia Bauer is a Bay Area freelance writer.

RJ Muna ODC/Dance’s busy spring season includes the world premiere of “Worlds on Fire.”

Jean-Louis Fernandez Akram Khan is winding down his heralded performance career with a tour of the solo “Xenos,” coming March 2-3 to Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley.