There always seemed to be something missing on Franklin Street, ever since the San Francisco Ballet built its modestly sleek headquarters there in 1983. Given the Ballet's rich history, the fact that it is the nation's oldest company and often ranked among the best of the best, it seemed only fitting that its building should carry the name of someone who helped make the company what it is now.

Judith Jamison can recall vividly the April 1989 lunch in St. Louis when Alvin Ailey designated her his artistic heir. "He said, 'I'm not doing well; you know I'm sick, and I'd like you to take over the company.' I said, 'Sure, of course, Alvin.'

Lined up in sweats and leotards, hundreds of sinewy dancers wait with paper numbers pinned to their chests and a singular hope within. Under gray, rainy skies, in dance shoes and bare feet, they've come to an open audition at a place called Center Staging with one dream: dancing on the Academy Awards.

The ruggedly handsome Jiri Jelinek, who has been praised all over the world for his powerful stage presence and strong partnering skills, is the latest coup for National Ballet artistic director Karen Kain as she carefully crafts the company of her dreams. But Kain didn’t go out and recruit the 32-year-old Czech as a principal dancer. It was Jelinek who came calling.

Classical ballet demands grace under pressure, but for Houston Ballet principal Mireille Hassenboehler, that could take on a whole new meaning. Artistic director Stanton Welch has been toying with using live snakes in his new production of La Bayadere (Feb. 25-March 7). The 19th century classic, set in ancient India, has a famous scene where a venomous asp bites the heroine Nikiya, who refuses an antidote because her lover Solar has deserted her. In true Bollywood spirit, Welch had his ballerinas pose with some harmless snakes for the publicity shoot.

In 1985, the San Francisco Ballet took a huge risk in appointing Helgi Tomasson as its artistic director and the successor to Lew Christensen. Tomasson had just retired from a distinguished dancing career at New York City Ballet and elsewhere, winning acclaim for the purity of his movement style. He had earned his share of honors, including the silver medal at the first International Ballet Competition in Moscow in 1970 (the same year that Mikhail Baryshnikov took the gold).

On March 25, 1983, Michael Jackson took one small, backward step onto a television stage — and one giant leap into dance-floor history. The thin, angular pop star was only 24 years old when he took an obscure break-dancing move and transformed it into one of the most recognizable routines of all time.

After hours of researching summer ballet programs, you’ve finally settled on your top choices. Now only one thing stands between you and an inspiring, worthwhile summer: the summer study audition. You know you have what it takes, but how can you make sure the panel knows too? As with any audition, your success comes down to more than good, solid technique. The impression you make also depends on your attitude, presentation, and state of mind, since panelists look for strong dancers who are also promising students.

SO many bookstalls still carry tributes to Michael Jackson that we’re constantly reminded that 2009 brought his death. Thanks to video, his dancing — best in the years before he became a bizarre self-parody — stays remarkable.

After nearly an hour of hemming and hawing, filler segments and musical performances, Tom and Samantha finally got down to business and revealed the final three couples remaining on “Dancing With the Stars” Season 9. Those left standing on the ballroom floor were somewhat surprising.

St. John the Baptist Church in Lawrenceville may be no more, but its buildings live on in new ways -- the historic main church has been a popular brewpub and restaurant since 1996, and now its former rectory will become a residence for teenage students at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School.

Ballet officials completed their $290,000 purchase of the building, located next to the Church Brew Works on Liberty Avenue, earlier this week, said Harris Ferris, the ballet company's executive director. It is a few blocks from the ballet headquarters and school at 2900 Liberty Ave.