Dance in November?

A reader writes:

Hi Heather,
We are making our almost annual trip to New York in November. My 10-year-old granddaughter will be making her first trip to New York. She takes many hours of dance lessons each week. The ballet will be dark. Do you know of any dance studios or schools we might visit? Any other shows? We have tickets to "Little Mermaid." We were so disappointed to learn the Rockettes will open the week after we are there. Rats! Thanks so much for any tips you have.

The good news about visiting New York City is that there are many different ways to experience a dance performance while you're visiting, even if the New York City Ballet doesn't begin its winter season until the end of November. It's still a bit early to get tickets for many performances, as full schedules haven't always been released yet, but here are a few ideas:

• See a performance at The Joyce Theatre in Chelsea. The Joyce is one of the premier venues for dance performances and hosts performances from a variety of dance companies.
• Check out Billy Elliot on Broadway. This musical is about how a young boy learns to dance despite social and economic challenges, and has been nominated for a Tony Award.
• Although they haven't announced performances for the fall yet, you can contact the Ballet Academy East to see what they have planned for your visit.
• Juilliard will be announcing their 2009-2010 season performances soon.
• Symphony Space offers an affordable series of contemporary dance performances.
• For more contemporary dance performances, check out the Dance Theater Workshop when they release their fall schedule.