It’s no rest for the weary in Chicago dance, which hits the ground running this winter. Two international heavy-hitters make their Chicago debuts, while locals like Visceral Dance Chicago and Trinity Irish Dance Company take big swings with new, ambitious works. A decidedly dance-y musical from Justin Peck honors the Prairie State, and it’s not the only time Chicagoans can see that prevailing choreographer’s work. New York City Ballet returns for a long three-day run (long for dance, anyway) at the Harris Theater — that company’s first visit since launching the Harris’ presenting series nearly two decades ago.

And while February and March have much to admire, Chicago’s dance card extends well into May. In those warmer months, look for good stuff ahead from Giordano Dance Chicago and South Chicago Dance Theatre, plus Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s annual Chicago pilgrimage.

Here are the top 10 dance events this winter:

“Illinoise”: Tony Award winning director/choreographer Justin Peck tries his hand at an original piece, New York City Ballet’s resident choreographer having found crossover success with revivals of “Carousel” and “West Side Story.” Sufjan Stevens’ 2005 concept album honoring the Prairie State provides the musical foundation, so it just makes sense that “Illinoise” should come here after last summer’s New York test run. Far, far from “Carousel,” it’s an easy pick for the winter dance calendar. Though technically a musical, the cast is chock full of great dancers (including Peck’s NYCB pal Robbie Fairchild). Look for two former Chicagoans: Ahmad Simmons and Gaby Diaz, the latter a “So You Think You Can Dance” champion who danced for a brief time with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Jan. 28-Feb. 18 at The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, 800 E. Grand Ave.; tickets $45-$125 at 312-595-5600 and chicagoshakes.com

Compañía Nacional de Danza: Former American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet dancer Joaquín De Luz is just a few years into his tenure leading Spain’s national dance company, which makes its Chicago debut this winter. Upon guiding the company through the pandemic, Du Luz created “Passengers Within” to a hypnotic Philip Glass score. The theme? Society’s dependence on our iThings and disengagement from the I.R.L. world. Sol León and Paul Lightfoot’s 1998 deep dive into mambo and Nacho Duato’s “White Darkness” complete the program, the latter a feverish, remarkable requiem for Duato’s sister created in 2001. Feb. 10 at Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive; tickets $40-$135 at 312-341-2300 and auditoriumtheatre.org

Joffrey Ballet: Andrew McNicol’s stunning “Yonder Blue” returns for the first time since 2019 as part of “Studies in Blue,” Joffrey’s first mixed rep in well over a year. Belgian choreographer Stina Quagebeur — best known this side of the pond for her dancing with English National Ballet — makes her Joffrey debut in a piece exploring psychological aspects of addiction. And Joffrey adds to its growing catalog of works by late choreographer Liam Scarlett with “Hummingbird,” a trio of pas de deux set to a mesmerizing Philip Glass score. Feb. 15-25 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; tickets $36-$179 at 312-386-8905 and joffrey.org

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago: The company’s annual two-week residency at the MCA is a highlight of the season — more so than ever with this year’s program, “Of Hope.” Rennie Harris’ love note to Chicago house, “Dear Frankie,” returns, plus world premieres from resident choreographer Aszure Barton and Hubbard alums Alice Klock and Florian Lochner. In a fun twist, Latin jazz expert Maria Torres sets a new ballroom-inspired piece, showing once again these dancers are capable of pretty much anything. Feb. 23-March 3 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.; tickets $15-$95 at 312-850-9744 and hubbardstreetdance.com

Black Grace: The kiwi contemporary dance company’s Chicago debut will include selections epitomizing their cross-cultural aesthetic blending Samoan and Maori forms. The result of this pairing is an athletic, uncompromising ferocity infused with pinpoint precision that simply should not be missed. March 1 (family matinee March 2) at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.; tickets $20-$105 at 312-334-7777 and harristheaterchicago.org

Trinity Irish Dance Company: Chicago’s premier Irish dance company continues to push the form’s envelope for their annual one-day-only home engagement. Choreographer Harrison McEldowney is known for his wit and whimsy — but not exactly for Irish step dance. McEldowney emerges from retirement in a cross-genre collaboration called “P.O.V.,” using GoPro cameras to bring the audience onstage with the dancers. Favorites like “Soles,” “Black Rose” and “Push” are on the program too, plus a new vaudeville-styled suite of dance vignettes by co-directors Mark Howard and Chelsea Hoy tracing the Irish immigrant experience in America. March 3 at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr.; tickets $25-$75 at 312-341-2300 and auditoriumtheatre.org

The Jazz Continuum: New York-based choreographer LaTasha Barnes brings her acclaimed primer on jazz dance and music to the Dance Center, which marks its 50th season of dance programming this year. Barnes’ “Jazz Continuum” oozes joy, tracing contemporary jazz’s origins through Black vernacular dances, lindy hop and swing — all the way through to hip-hop and house — colliding and coalescing all of those with extraordinary care and infectious exuberance. March 7-9 at the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, 1306 S. Michigan Ave.; tickets $30 on sale Jan. 22 at 312-369-8330 and dance.colum.edu

Nejla Yatkin: Most works by Nejla Yatkin these days involve close communion with nature and the audience. “Ouroboros” is no exception — though she’ll be indoors this time. Expect to get out of your chair; this dance theater piece uses hand-in-hand circles to connect with ancient and current dance practices around the world. In so doing, Yatkin traces her nomadic lineage and present-day wanderlust. “Ouroboros” is vulnerable for Yatkin, and for us. But better than most, she has a way of lowering an audience’s defenses and bringing us along on a healing, spiritual journey. March 8-10 at Links Hall, 3111 N. Western Ave.; tickets $16-$42 at ny2dance.com

Visceral Dance Chicago: This 10-year-old contemporary company brought in an almost entirely new roster of impeccable dancers last year, all supremely capable of the stellar mixed rep program ahead. What a treat to see them up close in Visceral’s newish black box theater, where they will debut new works by director Nick Pupillo and former Forsythe Company member Roderick George. An extra goodie: the company premiere of Gustavo Ramirez Sansano’s mambo-infused career retrospective, “18+1.” Sansano’s work has not enough been seen in Chicago since his Luna Negra Dance Theatre went belly up; fortunately, it’s not the last time Visceral will tackle his unparalleled oeuvre this year. March 8-17 at the Ann Barzel Theater, 3121 N. Rockwell St.; tickets $25-$60 at 773-772-1771 and visceraldance.com

New York City Ballet: Now in its 75th season, the ballet company founded by George Balanchine returns to Chicago for the first time since 2006. One program celebrates the NYCB’s foundations, with Balanchine’s “Serenade” and “The Four Temperaments” plus the far end of Jerome Robbins’ classicism with his Chopin-inspired “In the Night.” A second offering is firmly planted in this century, with works by Justin Peck, Christopher Wheeldon, Pam Tanowitz and Kyle Abraham. March 21-23 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.; tickets $35-$180 at 312-334-7777 and harristheaterchicago.org

Lauren Warnecke is a freelance critic.