Dance festival a rare convergence of NW choreographers

Is it something in the rain? How else to explain that three of the 20th century's most influential choreographers hail from the Northwest?

Merce Cunningham (born in Centralia), Trisha Brown (Aberdeen) and Mark Morris (Seattle) are undisputed masters of their craft. Yet it's rare to see their work here, especially since Morris no longer brings his company to Meany Hall each spring (at least for the time being). It's even rarer to see their work in proximity to each other's, which is just one reason to anticipate Pacific Northwest Ballet's Celebrate Seattle Festival.

The inevitable comparisons should prove enlightening. While in some ways the three choreographers' styles couldn't be more distinct (Morris' dances are almost hyper-musical, while Cunningham's merely coexist with music), all share a brainy interest in composition that never fails to intrigue. During the three-week festival, you'll have ample time to contemplate them all, starting with a two-week run of Morris' "Pacific" (paired on a bill with Kent Stowell's crowd-pleasing if bombastic "Carmina Burana"). Following that is a six-day bonanza of short works by Cunningham, Brown and a passel of other talented dancemakers with Northwest connections (Robert Joffrey, Sonia Dawkins, Donald Byrd, Mary Sheldon Scott and others) — on three separate mixed bills.

"Pacific"/"Carmina Burana" runs Thursday through April 15; $18-$145; and mixed-repertory programs run April 17-22, McCaw Hall, Seattle Center; $20-$80 (206-441-2424 or www.pnb.org; see Web site for complete lineup).