Lava's 'High Tide'

LOVE, VELOCITY , abstract art, and conflict resolution – the themes for this performance – might seem like a lot of topics to cover in one acrobatic-dance-theater piece, but only if you've never had the monumental pleasure of seeing Lava at work. Led by Obie- and Bessie-winning choreographer Sarah East Johnson and drawing on the circus arts, contact sports, and social dancing for inspiration, the six-woman, Brooklyn, N.Y.-based troupe brings grace, intelligence, a sharp, playful sense of humor, and joyously original proofs of physical strength to every performance. At this year's National Queer Arts Festival, Lava presents High Tide, a piece incorporating song, dance, theatrical vignettes, and extreme athleticism. Set to music by the Butchies, Beck, and the Beach Boys, High Tide premiered in New York City last month and is very, very seriously not to be missed. Thurs/26-Fri/27, 8 p.m.; Sat/28, 10 p.m.; Sun/29, 7 p.m., Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St., S.F. $17 in advance, $20 doors, $10 for 11 and under. (415) 273-4633, www.dancemission.com. For the NQAF's schedule go to www.queerculturalcenter.org. (Lynn Rapoport)

'AttaGirl Book Reading and Release Party'

There haven't been that many quality all-male gay literary anthologies since Penguin Putnam dropped its Men on Men series. All the more welcome, then, is M2M: New Literary Fiction, a new collection put out by the nascent AttaGirl Press. Featuring talented writers both new and established, M2M is edited by Lambda Literary Award winner Karl Woelz and includes the work of queer wordsmiths such as Edmund White, Andrew Holleran, Felice Picano, and Trebor Healey. The latter two read excerpts from the anthology this week at a book-release party hosted by AttaGirl editor in chief Krandall Kraus. "I love the theater," Kraus says. "But great literature is different than theater. These authors read their work as they wrote it on the page. The words stand on their own." Don't miss the Pride event that guarantees you something entertaining to take home to bed. Fri/27, 7:30 p.m., Books Inc., 2275 Market, S.F. Free. www.attagirlpress.com. (Broder)

'Gender Pirates'

First of all, this recent addition to the already cool list of monthlies at 26 Mix has a great name. Yo ho, yo ho, a gender pirate's life for us! People who are proud to be trannies, genderqueers, gender punks, gender freaks, and any other kind of twisted, raunchy variation on the zillion possible identities that pogo happily in between "male" and "female," this dance club-open mic is for you. Get totally hot with DJs Cari Campbell and Sam Davis as they spin '80s music and punk rock! Come early and learn to DJ! Thrill to tranny wrestling and hairy breast contests! Club sponsors promise that "all genders, all hormone levels, all anatomies" are welcome, and one-third of the $3 admission goes to United Genders of the Universe, a genderqueer support group and education outreach organization. 8 p.m.-2 a.m., 26 Mix, 3024 Mission, S.F. $3. (415) 826-7378. (Annalee Newitz)