Choreographer Trey McIntyre was in New York's Central Park, listening to the Kronos CD, when he saw a dog chase a squirrel up a tree. That sparked his concept for Chasing Squirrel.

For Kronos violinist and album producer David Harrington, walks through Mexico City provided Nuevo's inspiration. The Cincinnati Ballet company will use five tracks, each brimming with color, energy and playfulness.

"El Sinaloense," a famous band song about a man from the northern state of Sinaloa, is ramped up to a sizzling dance number in an arrangement by famed composer Osvaldo Golijov. It returns in another guise, as a heavily sampled, funky Mexican dance mix by Plankton Man, known for his mix of traditional folk and freewheeling jazz.

The music cools down with "Se me hizo facil" by Agustin Lara, one of Mexico's most important songwriters and film-score composers. "Chavosuite" samples themes from popular Mexican TV shows.

"Plasmaht," arranged by Kronos, is a spacey collage that blends street sounds into a dreamy soundscape.

Janelle Gelfand