SOME OF A THOUSAND WORDS After the success of their 2013 collaboration “Restless Creature,’’ choreographer Brian Brooks and former New York City Ballet star Wendy Whelan (pictured) team up again for an evening of new solos and duets, accompanied live by the dynamic string quartet Brooklyn Rider. July 27-31. $45-$75. Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Becket. 413-243-0745, www.jacobspillow .org

KATE WEARE COMPANY The provocative choreographer and her troupe unfurl dances that are both kinetically thrilling and emotionally charged, somehow stark and intimate at the same time. For this Bates Dance Festival engagement, the company brings two new works. “Dark Lark’’ is set to music by electro-acoustic cellist Chris Lancaster. “Marksman’’ features an original score by Curtis Macdonald. July 29-30. $12-$25. Bates College’s Schaeffer Theatre, Lewiston, ME. 207-786-6161, www.batesdancefestival.org

QUARRY DANCE 5 Windhover Center for the Performing Arts continues its choreographic exploration of quarries around Cape Ann with this latest site-specific work by New York City-based dance company Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre. It celebrates the architecture, cliffs, ledges, paths, and water of Barker’s Quarry in Gloucester’s Lanesville neighborhood. July 29-31. Free. Barker’s Quarry, Leverett St., Gloucester. 978-546-3611, www.windhover.org

ARIAS COMPANY Bryan Arias may be best known as a powerhouse performer with Nederlands Dans Theater and Kidd Pivott. But three years ago, he started his own troupe to explore his choreographic interests, and now he offers the premiere of “a rather lovely thing,’’ which challenges notions of identity and stereotypes. July 27-31. $25-$45. Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Becket. 413-243-0745, www.jacobspillow.org KAREN CAMPBELL

Karen Campbell can be reached at karencampbell4@rcn.com.