It won’t actually reduce anyone’s carbon footprint, but the Chautauqua Institution’s resident ballet company is jumping on the popular environmentally conscious wave of “thinking green” for its 2009 dance season. Along with the usual mix of new works, classical masterworks and a few recycled favorites from seasons past, there will be a taste of programs addressing issues of environmental concern, improving at least the entertainment environment of audiences this summer.

The Chautauqua dance season, featuring the North Carolina Ballet Theatre, kicks off Thursday with the Chautauqua Dance Salon’s “Green Pieces,” a program of new dance works choreographed by Chautauqua Ballet’s associate artistic director Mark Diamond and

North Carolina Dance Theatre principal dancer Sasha Janes – all with environmental themes.

The Diamond and Janes show has become a regular occurrence in the annual Salon evening, where live music and intimate dance take center stage.

The program begins with three works from Diamond including “Higher Consciousness,” a ballet mixing levity and beatnik music with more serious statements on the environment; the duet “Time Is Of The Essence (Save the World)” set to music by Chopin in which an environmental activist couple laments not being able to fit saving the world into their busy schedules; and “Rainforest,” where a pair of rain forest natives see the world around them crumbling.

Then its Janes’ turn with three of his works: a dance about global warming, a duet about a mining accident and a ballet about a tree-sitting conservationist.

The program concludes with Diamond’s “audience-interactive” work, “Recycling.” Humor, garbage, classical piano music and a makeshift runway show all come together in this ballet about turning trash into fashion, which reportedly involves dancers going into the audience to gather some props for the performance.

Extended stay

While the Chautauqua Institution has been for years North Carolina Dance Theatre’s annual summer home, this season the company takes up residency two weeks earlier, staying six weeks instead of the usual four. This is great news for audiences who will not only benefit from seeing talented dancers sooner, but from the top-flight repertory the company will bring with them.

On July 14, the North Carolina Dance Theatre joins with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra under the baton of guest conductor Grant Cooper.

On the program will be a reprise of Alonzo King’s striking contemporary ballet “Map,” set to music by Arvo Part and last performed at Chautauqua in 2004. Also on the program will be excerpts from a new work by Diamond to Gustav Holst’s “The Planets,” a work by the group’s resident choreographer Dwight Rhoden, and some Christmas in July in the form of excerpts from the second act of artistic director Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s “The Nutcracker.”

On July 29, North Carolina Dance Theatre presents its annual event, “An Evening of Pas de Deux.”

Slated are a mix of contemporary and classical works including Victor Gsovsky’s “Grand Pas Classique” (1972); the balcony scene pas de deux from

Bonnefoux’s “Romeo and Juliet”; works by Diamond and Janes and George Balanchine’s famous “Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux” (1960), a ballet originated by the evening’s honoree, longtime Chautauqua dance teacher and dance icon Violette Verdy.

The program will also include the premiere showing of a new video about Verdy produced at the Institution.

The popular program “Dance Innovations” returns Aug. 5 with excerpts from Rhoden’s steamy “Dirty Truth And Pretty Lies,” inspired by Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and set to torch songs by Nina Simone. Also on the program will be Balanchine’s Ballet Russes masterwork “Apollon Musagete” (1928) as well as choreographer Mark Godden’s “Romeo and Juliet”-inspired

“Constructing Juliet” (2002), and Diamond’s “There Again, Not Slowly” (2003) set to music by British duo Chemical Brothers. The 2009 dance season wraps up Aug. 15 with the Dance Theatre once again being joined by the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in a program celebrating Chautauqua School of Dance teacher and former New York City Ballet star Patricia McBride’s 20th anniversary at the Institution. The program will feature a new ballet from husband Bonnefoux set to Rossini’s Overtures; Diamond’s “Immortal Design,” inspired by the film classic “Death Takes a Holiday” and its remake “Meet Joe Black;” and Balanchine’s “Western Symphony,” staged by McBride.

2009 Chautauqua Institution Dance Season

When: Performances begin Thursday through Aug. 15 (all shows at 8:15 p. m.)

Where: Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater

Tickets/Info: $17-$38, (716) 357-6250 or www.ciweb.org