1. Oakland Ballet Performances

The Buzz -- This well-regarded troupe performs at the eye-popping Paramount Theatre, a refurbished Art Deco treasure that seats 3,000. In the autumn, arts patrons fill the seats for performances by what the New York Times has called "one of America's most interesting companies." Performances run the gamut from historic master works like Ravel's "Bolero" to newer material like Loring's "Billy the Kid."