Adventure awaits the hearty traveler

EAT your heart out, L.A.: The Southland’s two indispensable dance events this summer take place hours outside the city limits.

From June 21 to 23, Mikhail Baryshnikov and a group of young artists called Hell’s Kitchen Dance are performing new works by Aszure Barton and Benjamin Millepied at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara. Now 58, Baryshnikov is arguably the greatest dance star of the last 30 years, with an appetite for choreographic adventure second to none.

Tap phenomenon Savion Glover is another fearless innovator, and he’ll be dancing with Yaelisa and Son de la Frontera during the New World Flamenco Festival (Aug. 8 and 9) at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. As in “Classical Savion,” Glover is taking his incomparable percussive mastery far from normally tap territory. But don’t expect Spanish-style ruffled shirts or polka dots. Once again, all that matters is ‘da Beat.

Closer to home, the Dance Camera West festival is back in L.A., Westwood and Santa Monica (June 2 to 21) with a slate of entertaining and sometimes groundbreaking collaborations between filmmakers and choreographers. Those unfamiliar with the festival (now in its fifth year) might want to check out the free retrospective program Aug. 5 at the Watercourt in California Plaza in downtown L.A. Downtown summer performances also include masterpieces of 20th century choreography presented by Miami City Ballet at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (June 30, July 1 and 2).

Finally, the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood usually offers the most extensive and unusual slate of summer dance events -- and the 2006 schedule represents a kaleidoscopic array of resident and visiting companies. Look for performances by Ballet Moderno y Folklorico Nacional de Guatemala (Saturday), Istanbul Ballet in “East Side Story” (Aug. 24 and 25) and “Karishma: An Enchanting Evening of Bollywood Dance” (Sept. 2). Yes, that’s “East Side” and “Bollywood.” As always, summer dance in Southern California teems with alternative visions -- so start saving up the gas money.

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-- Lewis Segal