Vaslav Nijinsky’s The Rite of Spring might be the most successful failure of all time. Based on a pagan ritual sacrifice, the ballet asked dancers to assume inelegant postures and stomp their feet to Igor Stravinsky’s driving, discordant music. A near riot broke out at the 1913 Paris premiere, and Rite was forced to close a few days later. Yet myriad choreographers have since created their own Rites — perhaps because it defied expectation. The best of those is German dance legend Pina Bausch’s sublime 1975 version, set to the original Stravinsky score, which finally gets its Chicago debut at the Harris Theater October 27–28. Performed by dancers from 14 African countries, it shares the bill with a new work by two elder stateswomen of contemporary dance in Africa: Malou Airaudo and Germaine Acogny. harristheaterchicago.org

1. Spanish flamenco superstar La Lupi (née Susana Lupiañez Pinto) shares the stage with the Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater in a world premiere solo work at the Auditorium Theatre. Oct. 1 

2. Jazz dance standard-bearers Giordano Dance Chicago’s fall program includes a premiere by Cesar Gerardo Salinas, recently named associate artistic director after eight years with the company. Oct. 21–22 

3. In collaboration with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Joffrey Ballet stages two world premieres by Cathy Marston and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa at Symphony Center. Nov. 10–12 — Vicki Crain