The classical season ahead will be edgier and more youthful than in years past, but there still will be plenty of big names, ensembles and favorite pieces in the months to come.

When people talk about music in Miami, the buzz is usually about its nightclub scene, and with good reason: Some of the world’s hottest dance-music venues are in the Magic City, including Mansion, Space and LIV, and they routinely attract the biggest DJs on the planet, especially during Winter Music Conference week every March. But it’s not all about the big electronic beats down here - live music is also alive and well.

While we can expect more concert news later in the season, many intriguing offerings are currently on tap in Latin, world music and jazz.

There’s a week in December (we know it as Art Basel week) when everyone is aware of Miami as a city of art; when collectors, curators and aficionados from around the world gather. But in fact, the visual arts — from architecture to public sculpture to exhibitions and installations — all flourish here around the calendar, and this year is no exception.

A wealth of new pieces, companies, venues and events is on tap for this season’s dance offerings. From big to small, local to international, popularly renowned to daringly experimental, there are ample opportunities to see and experience dance that has never been presented in South Florida, is being created just this season, or that will otherwise stretch your expectations.

What’s new and exciting in South Florida theater for the 2011-2012 season? Plenty, from new (well, newish) companies to new spaces and new collaborations to new theater series. And of course, there will be the usual harvest of new plays as theaters continue to explore the work of a growing group of regional playwrights along with scripts from writers based elsewhere.