Today in the roundup: Elledanceworks helps out fellow dancers, Spider-Man returns and generating your artist statement.

An exciting weekend in Dallas — yes, yes, of course, for the Mavs (sorry, a little hoarse this morning from screaming at the teevee). But hey, it was also exciting for contemporary dance: the Bruce Wood Dance Project debuted. And now, just in time, comes a new blog to cover the local dance scene.

Today in the roundup: The rise of the amateur performer, the many Billy Elliots and J. Peterman comes to town.

It’s the revenge of the minstrel show. At the Undermain, Young Jean Lee’s “The Shipment” is a brilliantly assaultive comic vaudeville about race relations. As a hilarious attack on the pop-culture images of African-Americans, “The Shipment” hits a lot of targets — rap videos, edgy stand-up comics — but ultimately loses itself in the smoke.

The tour of ‘Billy Elliot’ is at the Winspear. The affecting film about a mining-town boy defying his father to dance has become a big, Tony-winning Broadway musical — with all the advantages and disadvantages.

In March, I sat down with Broadway dancer and native Texan Kurt Froman to talk Billy Elliot, which opens Wednesday at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. In an empty Winspear Opera House with a crew building a set behind us, we talked dancer-to-dancer about the ins-and-outs of our career choice in a place more comfortable than both of our homes – a stage.

He’s danced with New York City Ballet and Twyla Tharp, and his choreography has won national acclaim. But his own company closed down in 2006. Now Bruce Wood, North Texas’ leading contemporary choreographer, is starting over – in Dallas’ Arts District.

The Fort Worth native discusses his latest endeavor, the Bruce Wood Dance Project.

Guest blogger Danielle Georgiou reviews the premiere of “Nina Simone Project” and other works presented in the company’s Spring Celebration Series, which runs through Sunday.

For the occasion, we offer this rare footage of the late, great Gregory Hines in action — fluid, joyful and seemingly effortless.