At first I was disheartened to learn that 2009-2010 marks the final season for the Dayton-based, internationally recognized Americana live music and dance ensemble, Rhythm in Shoes. Then I found out it was a positive choice. I was surprised to learn that founding Artistic Directors Sharon Leahy and Rick Good decided of their own accord to stop. Unlike so many struggling arts organizations, economic woes were not the reason for disbanding; the company was doing fine fiscally. Leahy explains they actually made the choice well before the current financial climate hit. After 23 years, they’re simply ready to do something else. “We decided to close it with honor and dignity and go on with what’s next in our lives,” Leahy says. “Then all hell broke loose, and we said, ‘Oh, good choices!’” Contemporary Dance Theater brings Rhythm in Shoes to the Aronoff Center for a final go-round in Banjo Dance: A Celebration of the American Spirit, featuring traditional Appalachian forms with a twist. Don’t miss this last local opportunity to catch Rhythm in Shoes’s singular style of lively dancing to live music. 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $17-$27.
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