Whoever said Las Vegas entertainment is lacking culture has never been to a performance of the Nevada Ballet Theatre.

This season gets underway this weekend with “Timeless Innovation,” featuring George Balanchine’s “Rubies” from his full-length ballet “Jewels.” There also will be two Las Vegas premieres – “Coco,” homage to Coco Chanel by James Canfield, and “Jungle,” which is set to the music of electronic group Future Sound of London. Shows are set for 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee at UNLV’s Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway near Flamingo Road. Tickets are $10 and $20.

“Rubies” premiered in 1967 and comprises one-third of Balanchine’s “Jewels.” An audience favorite, “Rubies” features Igor Stravinsky’s “Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra, 1929” as its score. According to the Nevada Ballet Theatre, although “Rubies” is without plot, it was said to be created after Balanchine viewed the work of famous jeweler Van Cleef and Arpels.

French singer Edith Piaf sings the score of Canfield’s “Coco,” which tells the trials and tribulations of the famed fashion icon. The piece is set in the 1940s and dancers are joined on stage by a floating violin and couture-clothed dress forms. The piece captures Chanel’s career success and failed attempts at love.

“Timeless Innovation” concludes with Canfield’s “walk on the wild side” with the rambunctious “Jungle.” A combination of classic technique and modern dance, “Jungle” provides seven scenes representing city dwellers relating to each other in an urban jungle. Hand-painted body stocking costumes by Tom Cramer, as well as a multi-colored, hand-painted backdrop helps the piece to pop off the stage.

If you’re going to go, get there early. “Insights,” held in the lobby 45 minutes before curtain, will give audience members a pre-performance perspective and an insider’s view. Following performances, the company will present talk back sessions, where dancers and audience members interact through a question-and-answer session. According to the Nevada Ballet Theatre, the sessions will offer audience members a better understanding of the art of dance and the artists behind the scenes.

Those interested in “Timeless Innovation” can call the UNLV Box Office at 895-2787 or visit www.nevadaballet.com.