Alonzo King's LINES Ballet at the Ruth Seaton James auditorium tonight and tomorrow night at 8 p.m. The innovative LINES Ballet will be the Bermuda Festival's first dance offering of the season.

The LINES Ballet, a San Francisco based contemporary dance company, was formed in 1982 by choreographer Alonzo King. It has been referred to as "intensely and deliberately poetic" by Janice Bennan, of the San Francisco Chronicle.

LINES prides itself on its collaborations with musicians from diverse backgrounds including jazz great Pharoah Sanders, India's Zakir Hussain, Nubian oud Master Hamza al Din and Polish composer Pawel Szymanski.

Mr. King is one of the leading dance artists in the United States, known for his unique vision of movement, music and rhythm. He has worked with more than fifty companies throughout the world including the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey, Joffrey Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Dresden Ballet, to name a few.

Mr. King has also created two works for prima ballerina Natalia Makarova.

Renowned for his skill as a teacher, Mr. King was guest ballet master for the National Ballet of Canada, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, San Francisco Ballet, Ballet Rambert, and others. In 1989, he inaugurated the San Francisco Dance Center, which is the largest dance centre outside of New York City. The Dance Center teaches more than 2,000 students per month of all levels.

LINES Ballet and the San Francisco Dance Center celebrated their 20th Anniversary in 2002, marking an important milestone in the Company's continued commitment to and leadership in the creation of innovative dance. For more information contact the Bermuda Festival Office at 296-5774 or at www.bermudafestival.com .