5 Things To Do This Weekend, From A Sci-Fi Film Fest To Gender-Bending Fashion

There are some really unique picks on this week’s lineup, including a gender-bending fashion exhibit and a percussive dance film. But first, I’d be remiss if I didn’t shout out WBUR On Stage at the Wilbur Theatre Thursday night, an evening of live storytelling from WBUR hosts and reporters. Check it out, and read on for more artsy things to do.

'Leipzig Week in Boston' | Through Sunday, Feb. 11 | Boston Symphony Hall and other venues

The Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig, Germany launch a five-year partnership with the first “Leipzig Week in Boston.” The musical and cultural exchange kicked off earlier this week with a series of concerts, featuring the BSO and some of its colleagues from Leipzig, that runs through the weekend. (Hear more about it on WBUR's All Things Considered.)

'Forms & Alterations' | Through March 25 | 808 Gallery, Boston University

“Forms & Alterations” explores gender through the lens of fashion. The exhibit features artists working across media — in sculpture, photography, painting and, of course, fashion — as they examine the ways in which sartorial expression reflects and informs the experience of gender. (Read Pamela Reynolds' feature.)

Boston Science Fiction Film Festival | Friday, Feb. 9 - 19 | Somerville Theatre

One might argue we’re in a golden age of science fiction, what with all the “Star Wars” and “Trek” reboots, the popularity of prestige shows like “Westworld” and “The Leftovers” and the cultural ubiquity of “Black Mirror.” The Boston Science Fiction Film Festival, now in its 43rd year, offers a deeper, more esoteric look into contemporary sci-fi, with a sometimes eccentric lineup that leans heavily toward international and indie fare and culminates in a 24-hour viewing party.

‘Bad Dates’ | Through Feb. 25 | Huntington Avenue Theatre, Boston

Haneefah Wood stars in this one-woman show about a high-achieving urban professional struggling to make meaningful change in her personal life. Funny and probing, the play, which premiered in 2003, has particular resonance in the current era, writes critic Kilian Melloy. (Read his review on The ARTery.)

Sandy Silva’s ‘Migration’ | Thursday, Feb. 8 | The Dance Complex, Cambridge

The Montreal-based dancer and choreographer Sandy Silva is on the forefront of the innovative and ever-evolving world of percussive dance. In her work, Silva fuses traditional idioms, like Appalachian clog and Cape Breton step, with body percussion techniques and contemporary dance. Her film “Migration” brings together a diverse cast of performing artists in a series of vignettes that explore the physical, psychic and metaphorical dimensions of movement.