Too often, dance is perceived as the least accessible of all the performing arts. Whereas people are willing to risk an evening on theater, drop $100 to hear a musician, or expand their horizons with opera,they all too casually dismiss dance as esoteric and confusing.

I’ve long been of the opinion that the New York dance world needs to integrate the art form more fully into the city’s cultural offerings and its popular culture. I’ve noted progress recently, some deliberate, some accidental. Either way,the net result is bringing more eyes to the stage by reaching new audiences or connecting with audiences that are receptive to the arts. Here are some of the people, performances, and trends that have allowed dance to expand its appeal:

The nexus of fashion and dance There’s more to this than just skinny people admiring each other. Fashion is elevated by association with high art; dance benefits by association with luxury, glamour, and that elusive “cool” factor.

On a more practical level, luxury brands often are owned by big companies that make good corporate partners. American Ballet Theatre now has key partnerships with Saks Fifth Avenue and Cole Haan. Giorgio Armani is a sponsor of the Brooklyn Academy of Music and hosted a gala event after a performance of Grupo Corpo. Movado is behind New York City Ballet, which recently had a gala hosted by the fashion label Chloe.The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has a relationship with Essence magazine, which ran a splashy photo spread using dancers as models.When Vogue contributor Andre Leon Tally performed with the Martha Graham Dance Company, the lobby was packed with fashion leaders. And there is designer Isaac Mizrahi’s ongoing support of the Mark Morris Dance Group.

That may seem like a long list, but it’s just the beginning. Both sides can be much more creative in further exploring the mutual benefits.

Choreographers who reach out to other artists When worlds collide, everybody wins: Participants gain a new perspective, and loyal audience members are drawn out of their routines. Take it from choreographer Stephen Petronio, who at the Joyce Theater in March presented “Bud,” a dance set to a song by Rufus Wainwright, with costumes by fashion designer Tara Subkoff.

“I love having an audience that includes artist friends,Tara’s friends, and people who are there for the music,” Mr. Petronio said at the time. “If one or two people in the fashion world get turned on to dance, and if some of the dance world says, ‘What was that?’ – that kind of chemistry, I live for that.”

He’s not the only one, of course. Choreographers regularly commission original scores from contemporary composers – and there are classic combinations like Merce Cunningham and John Cage. But choreographers also look to visual artists, such as when City Ballet’s master in chief, Peter Martins, tapped Danish painter Per Kirkeby to create the sets and costumes for the “Swan Lake” production that takes the stage next month. Building these relationships broadens the reach of dance. The more it happens, the better off dance will be.

Arlene Shuler, president and CEO of New York City Center Her position is unique: As a leader of a dance-centric venue – rather than a company or a venue that presents everything – she can operate in a way that benefits a broad slice of the industry.And she has.

Under Ms. Shuler’s leadership, City Center launched Fall for Dance, a weeklong festival during which audiences see five choreographers each night – for $10. She recently established a promising partnership with Carnegie Hall that will enable City Center to renovate as well as expand its offerings with cross-programming. If anyone is thinking creatively about how to market dance, it is Ms. Shuler.

Matthew Bourne’s “Play Without Words” This work, presented at BAM in March, broke down the distinction between dance and theater. It created expressive movement in the service of an imaginative story that, due to the triple-cast characters onstage at the same time, was far richer than the film that inspired it, 1963’s “The Servant.” The effect was something that’s rare for dance: People were talking about it.

Dance on HDTV This is truly a case of technology in the aid of art. Live performances are always best, of course, but HDTV enhances dance on television so much that it must be recognized as a tool for spreading the word.

Earlier this year, Thirteen/WNET presented ABT’s “Swan Lake” on HDTV, and I was happily surprised by how beautiful it looked. Dance in America had produced the ballet specifically for television and shot it with the new technology.Watching it on an HD-enabled television allowed me to see things I would never see in a typical broadcast – or from a seat at the Met. If dance looked that good on television more often, maybe more people would watch it.

Dance companies that travel internationally Once upon a time, the government sent artists abroad to spread the American idea. Since the end of the Cold War, companies have had to raise private funds to tour, which is becoming increasingly difficult. Still, big companies – like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – raise the money and get to major foreign cities.And smaller troupes, like Jonathan Hollander’s Battery Dance Company, travel light through a variety of communities, giving performances and classes.

This benefits American audiences by fostering greater cultural exchange: American companies later get the chance to reciprocate and play host when foreign companies arrive. The mix of new music and ideas creates an artistic richness, but more importantly, when foreign companies tour the states, it’s newsworthy. We don’t get to see Russian ballet every season. So when the Bolshoi came to town, the Met was packed to the gills – and a lot of the lobby conversation was taking place in Russian. Where are all those Russian speakers during the ABT or NYCB season? If the goal is to get people in seats, greater cultural exchange is one way to do it.

Dance companies that teach underprivileged children Young people who have some exposure to dance – be it ballet, modern, ballroom, or just freedom of movement – can take that with them into their adult lives. They may not become balletomanes, but at least they experience the elegance of dance. This is something the popular film “Mad Hot Ballroom” made clear.

There are plenty of small dance companies working with children in schools around the city. The MorganScott Ballet gives free dance classes to children in the Bronx. New YorkTheater Ballet’s Diana Byer offers classes to children living in homeless shelters. Brooklyn Ballet’s Lynn Parkerson runs the Elevate program, which brings dance and movement classes to public schools. These efforts are important and should be well-supported.

pcatton@nysun.com