As inextricably planted as the blooming cherry, dogwood, and apple trees that decorate New York in spring are the dance institutions that dominate Lincoln Center during these months: New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. But while any heads-up on what’s dancing in April and May should begin with these two companies, the largest in America, spring will bring at least one dance event for every flowering tree in the entire city.

New York City Ballet has dedicated its spring season to co-founder Lincoln Kirstein. The season, running from April 24 to June 24, begins with a weeklong tribute, “For Lincoln: 10 Modern Classics,” all of them ballets by George Balanchine, whom Kirstein brought to this country in 1934. On May 1, artistic director Peter Martins’s production of Prokofiev’s three-act “Romeo and Juliet” makes its premiere using company dancers as well as students from the School of American Ballet.

Senior ballerina Kyra Nichols will retire this season, but will dance frequently until her final performance in June. And June 8 marks the arrival the world premiere of a new ballet by Christopher Wheeldon.

Across the Lincoln Center plaza, ABT begins its annual Metropolitan Opera season on May 14, running until July 7. The company opens with a gala and will then roll out a repertory that begins with what promises to be a very hot week of Natalia Makarova’s 1980 staging of Petipa’s 1877 “La Bayadère.” At the first performance, Paloma Herrera, Angel Corella, and Gillian Murphy will dance the romantic triangle of Indian temple dancer, perfidious warrior, and ruthless princess. Also dancing Nikiya, the temple dancer heroine, are Nina Ananiashvili, Irina Dvorovenko, Veronika Part, and Diana Vishneva.

This will be Alessandra Ferri’s last season with ABT, after 22 years with the company. Ms. Ferri will dance Shakespeare’s Desdemona when the company revives Lar Lubovitch’s three-act “Othello.” Guest artists Desmond Richardson and Rasta Thomas will tackle the title role, in addition to ABT’s Marcelo Gomes and David Hallberg.

Mr. Thomas will also appear with Mr. Gomes and the Limon Dance Company as guests of Mr. Lubovitch’s company when it performs at New York University’s Skirball Center, between April 17 and 21.

Based in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Boris Eifman company alights at City Center between April 13 and 29. An opening-night gala will highlight some of Mr. Eifman’s rare early pas de deux, but his stock-in-trade are evening-length dance dramas based on mighty Russian figures. This year, he brings to New York his recent evening-length work inspired by Chekhov’s “The Sea Gull.”

Two of the season’s most distinguished foreign visitors are Aurélie Dupont and Manuel Legris, Paris Opera Ballet etoiles who rarely perform in New York. They will head the bill at the annual Youth America Grand Prix gala at City Center on April 30.

Finally, an interdisciplinary note. Before the Metropolitan Opera cedes its house to ABT in May, it will ring up the curtain on four performances of a new production of Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Euridice,” staged and choreographed by Mark Morris. Gluck’s operas contain multiple ballets, as well as possibilities for staged movement, and Mr. Morris will undoubtedly have a field day.