Founder, Artistic & Executive Director

CHRISTINE COXFounder

MATTHEW NEENAN

BalletX

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SUBTLE TENDERNESS, ATHLETICISM OF MOVEMENT… JUST PLAIN

SEXY. NYC DANCE STUFF

WILDLY IMAGIN- ATIVE, TOTALLY ZONKERS, ALWAYS BEAUTIFULLY PERFORMED… PHILADELPHIA CITY PAPER

AN eclectic

EVENING. THE DANCE JOURNAL

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refreshing...THE NEW YORK TIMES

[ BA L L E T X ] I S M AT U R I N G

F R O M A P H I L A D E L P H I A T R E AS U R E I N TO

A N AT I O N A L LY R E C O G N I Z E D PA R AG O N . THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

Fresh, touching, musical, original.

THE NEW YORK TIMES

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SEXY. NYC DANCE STUFF

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AN eclectic

EVENING. THE DANCE JOURNAL

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[ BA L L E T X ] I S M AT U R I N G

F R O M A P H I L A D E L P H I A T R E AS U R E I N TO

A N AT I O N A L LY R E C O G N I Z E D PA R AG O N . THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

BalletX, Philadelphia’s premier contemporary ballet, unites distinguished choreographers with an outstanding company of world-class dancers to forge new works of athleticism, emotion, and grace. Through the daring vision of its award-winning founders Christine Cox and Matthew Neenan, and now under the leadership of Cox as Artistic & Executive Director, BalletX challenges the boundaries of classical ballet by encourag-ing formal experimentation while preserving rigorous technique. The company is committed to producing new works of the highest quality and integrity that bring the combined visions of choreographers and dancers to life and culti-vate in audiences a collective appetite for bold, new dance. Since the company’s founding in 2005, BalletX has expanded its repertoire with 58 world premieres by internationally renowned artists including Jorma Elo, Nicolo Fonte, Jodie Gates, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Edwaard Liang, Adam Hougland, Matthew Neenan, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Gabrielle Lamb, Joshua L. Peugh, James Gregg, Olivier Wevers, Tobin Del Cuore, and Mauro Astolfi, among others. Firmly rooted in ballet technique, these contemporary pieces challenge BalletX’s dancers with the innovative possibilities of ballet in the 21st century. With four annual performance series in Philadelphia, BalletX has reached diverse audi-ences of all ages and backgrounds as the Resident Dance Company of The Wilma Theater. Now recognized worldwide for its unique repertoire, the company participates in a growing number of national and international tours, including performances at prestigious venues and festivals such as The Joyce Theater in New York City, Vail International Dance Festival in Colorado, Laguna Dance Festival in California, Festival de Ballet in Colombia, Ballet EXPO in South Korea, Sweet Pea Festival in Montana, Spring to Dance Festival in St. Louis, and DANCECleveland, among others. BalletX’s distinctive contribution to the American dance community has been recognized and supported in recent years by generous grants from the William Penn Foundation, Shubert Founda-tion, Jerome Robbins New Essential Works (NEW) Program, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Engaging Dance Audiences (a program of Dance/USA), Wyncote Foundation, Barra Foundation, PECO, National Endowment for the Arts, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and Philadelphia Cultural Fund.

A B O U T T H E C O M PA N Y

CHRISTINE COXFounder, Artistic & Executive Director

Christine Cox began her training with the School of Pennsylvania Ballet and continued at the Philadel-phia High School for the Performing Arts, spending summer sessions at the Joffrey and San Francisco Ballet schools. After high school, she danced with BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio for five years before moving to New York. There, Christine danced as a guest artist with Ballet Hispanico and performed for President George H.W. Bush at Ford’s Theatre. She then spent one year with American Repertory Ballet before joining Pennsylvania Ballet from 1993 to 2006. Cox has premiered works by a

number of gifted choreographers, including Ib Anderson, Rennie Harris, James Kudelka, John McFall, Trey McIntyre, Matthew Neenan, Kevin O'Day, David Parsons, Kirk Peterson, and Christopher Wheeldon. Some of her featured roles include Rum and Coca Cola in Paul Taylor's Company B, Vortex in Alvin Ailey's The River, Choleric in George Balanchine's The Four Temperaments, Eve in Margo Sappington's Rodin, Mis En Vie the Cowgirl in Agnes DeMille's Rodeo, and principal female roles in Jerome Robbins' Fancy Free and The Concert. Prior to retiring as a full-time company member in 2006, she staged Matthew Neenan's 11:11 on Pennsylvania Ballet and rehearsed the company for the premiere at New York City Center. For ten years, she served as the rehearsal assistant of the children’s corp for Pennsylvania Ballet’s annual production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. Christine continues to teach and choreograph at University of the Arts. Her talent has been recognized with two Rocky Awards for outstanding achievement in the arts, as well as fellowships from the Independence Foundation (2002) and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (2006 and 2008). In 2005, Cox co-founded BalletX with Matthew Neenan and is the visionary behind the company’s continuing success. Her leadership has been instrumental in establishing BalletX’s community outreach initiatives, including The X-Process and Dance eXchange, as well as overseeing the development of the administrative and artistic staff. Christine is the proud mother of two young sons.

MATTHEW NEENANFounder

Matthew Neenan began his dance training at the Boston Ballet School with noted teachers Nan C. Keating and Jacqueline Cronsberg. He later attended the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts and the School of American Ballet in New York. From 1994-2007, Neenan danced with Penn-sylvania Ballet including numerous principal roles in works by George Balanchine, John Cranko, Paul Taylor, Peter Martins, Val Caniparoli, Jorma Elo, Lila York, Meredith Rainey, Christopher Wheeldon, and Jerome Robbins. In 2005, Neenan co-founded BalletX with fellow dancer Christine Cox.

In 2007, he was named Choreographer in Residence at the Pennsylvania Ballet. Neenan’s choreography has been featured and performed by BalletX, Pennsylvania Ballet, The Washington Ballet, Colorado Ballet, Ballet Memphis, Milwaukee Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Tulsa Ballet, Juilliard Dance, New York City Ballet’s Choreographic Institute, Sacramento Ballet, Nevada Ballet Theatre, Indiana University, Opera Philadelphia, and LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts, among others. Neenan has received numerous awards and grants for his choreography from the National Endowment for the Arts, Dance Advance funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Choo San Goh Foundation, and Independence Foundation. He is a four-time recipient of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship, the winner of Sacramento Ballet’s Capital Choreography Competition, and the first recipient of the Jerome Robbins New Essential Works Program Fellowship for his work At the border for Penn-sylvania Ballet. Since 2010, Matthew sits on the board of Dance/USA. Matthew’s choreography has been praised in The New York Times, The Dance Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Philadelphia Magazine. Alastair Macau-lay has singled him out as “one of today’s foremost dance poets.”

A B O U T T H E C O M PA N Y

P R E S E N T E R T E S T I M O N I A LS

“BalletX is simply and wonderfully unique-from their thrilling performances on the stage to their meaningful community work, they represent what contemporary ballet can be in the 21st century.”Damien WoetzelVail International Dance Festival

“It was wonderful to have you and your talented company in Akron. The performance was remarkable and the audience certainly loved it. The rousing and continuous [standing] ovation was followed by many emails and phone calls praising BalletX.”Pamela YoungExecutive Director of DANCECleveland

“Within the first 8 bars I knew this was a clean, technically stunning, articulate company- the rest of the evening I could sit back and smile, comfortable and confident in the knowledge that this sharp engaging ensemble of performers was going to deliver a memorable evening of dance for the Hope and Holland communities.”Linda GrahamChair of Hope College Department of Dance

“BalletX is one of my favorite companies in the nation to work with both as a choreographer and as a presenter. They are a compelling company that has a wide breadth of sophisticated international repertory and exquisite dancers. I have presented the company twice at the Laguna Dance Festival in California, and each time they bring the audience to their feet with stunning dancers, diverse programming and a fantastic vision, all in one!”Jodie GatesVice Dean and Director of USC Kaufman School of Dance

“BalletX is everything that is good with American dance. Talented. Accessible. Creative.”Michael UthoffArtistic and Executive Director of Dance St. Louis

“The quality of the performance coupled with the fresh originality of such intriguing and new choreography led to an evening that enchanted all audience members. This was a marvelous performance truly enriching the lives of a nearly sold out house filled with community members and students.”Dr. Paula RubensteinCoordinator of Cultural Affairs at Westchester Community College

TALSIKANPREMIERE: February 18, 2015 CHOREOGRAPHY: Norbert De La Cruz IIIMUSIC: Composed by Ben Juodvalkis TIME: 25 Minutes“Language falls short of the wonder of [BalletX’s] performance” Thinking Dance

MALASANGRECOMPANY PREMIERE: February 18, 2015 CHOREOGRAPHY: Cayetano SotoMUSIC: La Lupe TIME: 13 Minutes“The movement vocabulary has a rich consistency that is sure to trap you.” Broad Street Review

INCREASINGPREMIERE: August 4, 2014 CHOREOGRAPHY: Matthew NeenanMUSIC: Franz Schubert DANCERS: 10 TIME: 19 Minutes“…vulnerable, openhearted and, above all, marvelously free” The New York Times

GRAN PARTITAPREMIERE: November 19, 2014 CHOREOGRAPHY: Jorma EloMUSIC: Alban Berg, Mozart, Claudio Monteverdi, Nathan Milstein, Johann Sebastian Bach DANCERS: 10 TIME: 25 Minutes“Fresh and raw” The Dance Journal

SLUMPCOMPANY PREMIERE: February 12, 2014 CHOREOGRAPHY: Joshua L. Peugh MUSIC: Klezmer Juice, Yma Sumac, Ella Fitzgerald DANCERS: 8 TIME: 14 minutes“[Slump is] a comedy of frivolous, sexually provocative manners” Dallas Morning News

TO U R I N G R E P E R TO I R E

INSTANTLY BOUNDPREMIERE: April 17, 2013 CHOREOGRAPHY: Olivier Wevers MUSIC: Klimek, Ezekiel Honig, Jóhann JóhannssonDANCERS: 6 TIME: 17 minutes“Instantly Bound is inspired by loss – but also by the birth of the accidental community formed by the people who have been touched by such a tragedy.” Olivier Wevers

SWITCH PHASEPREMIERE: August 6, 2012 CHOREOGRAPHY: Matthew Neenan MUSIC: Brooklyn Rider DANCERS: 8 TIME: 28 minutes“The dance style, appealing, combines idiosyncratic arm gestures, a powerfully bending use of the torso, lively ballet legwork and many different uses of the floor.” The New York Times

MASHUPPREMIERE: July 11, 2012 CHOREOGRAPHY: Adam Hougland MUSIC: Big Daddy DANCERS: 5 TIME: 27 minutes “[Hougland’s] choreography strikes me as the perfect way to introduce non-theatre goers to the world of classical ballet” The Dance Journal

DELICATE BALANCEPREMIERE: APRIL 13, 2012 CHOREOGRAPHY: JODIE GATES

MUSIC: Arvo Pärt, Henryk Gorecki, Gavin Byers & David Lang, Max Richter DANCERS: 10 TIME: 21 minutes“The dancers of BalletX look sleek in a style derived from William Forsythe, a mentor to Ms. Gates.” The New York Times

CASTRATIPREMIERE: July 20, 2011 CHOREOGRAPHY: Annabelle Lopez Ochoa MUSIC: David van Bouwel, Nicola Antionio Porpora, Friedrich Handel DANCERS: 7 TIME: 25 minutes“Castrati reflects on the phenomena of the castrated singers during the 16th-18th century in Spain and Italy.” Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

TO U R I N G R E P E R TO I R E

IT’S NOT A CRYPREMIERE: July 20, 2011 CHOREOGRAPHY: Amy SeiwertMUSIC: Jeff Buckley (cover of “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen) DANCERS: 2 TIME: 7 minutes“Amy Seiwert displayed dance at its most powerful for distilling human experience to its essence.” Broad Street Review

BAREPREMIERE: July 20, 2011 CHOREOGRAPHY: Annabelle Lopez Ochoa MUSIC: Gustavo Santaolalla DANCERS: 2 TIME: 7 minutes“Bare, adjective: open to view; unconcealed; undisguised.” Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

BESIDE MYSELFPREMIERE: November 17, 2010 CHOREOGRAPHY: Tobin Del CuoreMUSIC: Ben Frost, Beats Antique, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Mason Bates & Chanticleer, Nico Muhly, Sigur Ros DANCERS: 4 TIME: 26 minutes“A captivating performance combining hip-hop beats and soulful rhythms creates a metaphoric journey through darkness and light.” Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation

THE LAST GLASSPREMIERE: July 21, 2010 CHOREOGRAPHY: Matthew NeenanMUSIC: Beirut DANCERS: 10 TIME: 24 minutes“[Matthew Neenan’s The Last Glass] creates a world both social and psychological, public and private, and it connects ballet to the language of today movingly.” The New York Times

SILTPREMIERE: November 19, 2009 CHOREOGRAPHY: Alex Ketley MUSIC: Musical collage by Tar@JMB – Chris Clark, Giovanni Pergolesi, Arvo Part DANCERS: 6 TIME: 19 minutes “The 20 minutes of movement in Alex Ketley’s mesmerizing Silt expressed more about the human condition than most playwrights achieve with two hours of text.” Broad Street Review

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LARGO PREMIERE: April 4, 2009 CHOREOGRAPHY: Edwaard Liang MUSIC: J.S. Bach, Goldberg Variations DANCERS: 6 TIME: 20 minutes“This is a sophisticated work in the Balanchine manner, with totally abstract movement intersecting perfectly with music to suggest a storyline when none is given.” Philadelphia City Paper

STILL@LIFEPREMIERE: July 23, 2008 CHOREOGRAPHY: Annabelle Lopez OchoaMUSIC: J.S. Bach, Wassenaer DANCERS: 9 TIME: 24 minutes“Playful and buoyant. [The dancers] come to life and explode into vibrant colors.” Broad Street Review

RISK OF FLIGHTPREMIERE: November 4, 2007 CHOREOGRAPHY: Adam HouglandMUSIC: Zoë Keating DANCERS: 10 TIME: 20 minutes“In [...] Risk of Flight, eight shadowy dancers leaned toward hard light from the wings and broke into motion that at times felt mournful. Its difficult half-lifts and turns ended as if in stop motion.” The Philadelphia Inquirer

SCENES VIEW 2PREMIERE: September 6, 2006 CHOREOGRAPHY: Jorma EloMUSIC: J.S. BachDANCERS: 7 TIME: 20 minutes“Elo possesses the instincts of a storyteller and the theatricality of his European roots.” Broad Street Review

BROKE APARTPREMIERE: September 6, 2006 CHOREOGRAPHY: Matthew NeenanMUSIC: Joanna Newsom, Cynthia Hopkins, Martha Wainwright, Cyndi Lauper, She-Haw SET DESIGN: Matt Pappajohn DANCERS: 7 TIME: 22 minutes“A modern ballet with beautiful lifts, turns, jumps, and connecting moves.” The Philadelphia Inquirer

SUNSET, o639 HOURSPREMIERE: July 9, 2014 CHOREOGRAPHY: Matthew NeenanSET DESIGN: Maiko Matsushima MUSIC: Composed by Rosie Langabeer DANCERS: 10 MUSCIANS: 4 TIME: 80 minutesA truly unique performance experience choreographed by Matthew Neenan, Sunset o639 Hours includes original live music, composed by Rosie Langabeer. Neenan uses his unique ability to bring stories to life through movement to convey the love, loss and bravery of pilot Edwin Musick’s 1938 inaugural airmail flight across the Pacific. On stage, the 10 company dancers and 4 live musicians seamlessly embody the story’s many characters. This transformative ballet has left tearful audiences cheering on their feet.

Matthew Neenan’s “fresh, touching, musical, original” choreography “creates a coherent, poetic realm of the imagination.” New York Times

“Riveting!” Crystal L. Sturt, Facebook

BEASTS PREMIERE: November 18, 2015 CHOREOGRAPHY: Nicolo Fonte SET DESIGN: Mimi Lien MUSIC: Henrik Schwarz, Joby Talbot, Ella Fitzgerald, Ólafur Arnalds, Pete Townshend, Bryce Dessner, Pink Martini, Ólafur Arnalds and Alice Sara Ott, Patti Smith, Debussy DANCERS: 10 TIME: 40 minutes with 20 minute intermissionIn Beasts, Nicolo Fonte explores the sociological concept of nature and nurture, melding a variety of dance styles and societal themes. Featuring sets designed by McArthur Fellow Mimi Lien, and supported by music as varied as the questions it poses, this evocative ballet explores the animal instincts that drive us, and the emotions that keep us human.

“Wonderful, wonderful - and yet again - wonderful. [Beasts] was so good, I wanted to see it again while it was still happening.” The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Performance to be remembered for a lifetime.” Lynda Cass Kelly, Facebook

BEAUTIFUL DECAYPREMIERE: July 10, 2013 CHOREOGRAPHY: Nicolo Fonte MUSIC: Antonio Vivaldi, Max Richter, Ólafur Arnalds DANCERS: 12 TIME: 76 minutesThis ballet explores the aging body with a multi-generational cast of dancers. The musical selections evoke the passage of time, and an impressive set by McArthur Fellow Mimi Lien allows the dancers to move through different stages of life. Beautiful Decay gets at the truth of the human experience, in two acts.

“…the sheer professionalism of all 12 performers, and the emotional impact of the evening, are undeniable.” The Philadelphia Inquirer

“Our first full-length ballet by a visiting choreographer moved me in ways that words cannot express.” Christine Cox

*Contact Lois Welk, lwelk@balletx.org, regarding all special requirements.

F U L L- L E N G T H R E P E R TO I R E

BOOKING BalletXContact Lois Welk, lwelk@balletx.org

Engaging repertoire for your audiencesWith a company of world-class dancers and a unique repertoire of works by diverse and distinguished choreographers, BalletX presents dynamic program-ming that showcases contemporary ballet for today’s dance patrons. The company’s repertoire includes works for up to 10 dancers and features a wide range of musical selections ranging from Bach to Beirut. Full evening-length performances and abbreviated performances can be designed for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Technical Requirements:≥ Even wood floor, preferably sprung (must not be concrete floor)*≥ Marley dance flooring covering entire dance surface≥ Minimum stage dimensions 40 ft. wide by 40 ft. deep≥ Sound system with CD player and auxiliary plugin≥ Standard lighting set-up including side light capabilities ≥ Minimum 4 hour tech time (not including set up of lighting and floor)

For specific performance requirementsContact Drew Billiau, Production Manager at 215-694-7661 or drew@drewbilliau.com

*BalletX’s Portable Dance Floor is available to rent for outdoor or non-traditional performance venues. Floor rental fee will be added to engagement fee.

P R O G R A M I N F O R M AT I O N OUTREACH & WORKSHOPSIn addition to engaging audiences with stunning new work, BalletX enriches the dance-going experience with education and outreach programs that strive to ignite expression and build enthusiasm for the arts in audiences of all ages.

Dance eXchangeCHILDREN AGES 5-12

Dance eXchange, launched in 2014, is an educational outreach program that expands BalletX’s reach in the community. Based on the award-winning meth-odology of the National Dance Institute in New York City, Dance eXchange takes BalletX teaching artists and live musicians into the classroom, where they use dance to build students’ self-confidence and set goals for personal standards of excellence. This program can be adapted to accommodate ages 5-12, and requires a live musician supplied by the presenter.

Inside the Mind of a DancerALL AGES, NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY

Inside the Mind of a Dancer is a unique lecture and demonstration designed for participants to experience the perspective, insights, and mindset of a profes-sional ballet dancer through creative thinking, basic ballet technique, and expression through movement.

Master ClassesINTERMEDIATE THROUGH ADVANCED BALLET TRAINING

Master Classes offer students the opportunity to learn classical ballet technique while exploring contemporary expression led by motivating teachers from the Bal-letX artistic staff in a traditional ballet class environment.

BalletX Repertoire WorkshopsINTERMEDIATE THROUGH ADVANCED BALLET TRAINING

Led by the BalletX dancers and artistic staff, participants are led through a classical ballet warm-up before learning signature BalletX repertoire, where the students are exposed to the company’s methodology as well as the nuances and inflections of each choreographer’s voice.

Choreographic WorkshopsBEGINNER THROUGH ADVANCED BALLET TRAINING

Uniquely tailored to the age and training level of each group, these workshops invite dancers to discover and develop their own artistic identities through fun and innovative exercises designed to inspire creativity in a supportive environment.

Representation:

Lois WelkPHONE: 607-329-0467 EMAIL: lwelk@balletx.org

C O N TAC T S A N D AC C E S S

BalletX Contact Information:

Artistic and Executive Director: Christine CoxPHONE: 215-917-1513 EMAIL: cox@balletx.org

Associate Artistic Director: Tara KeatingPHONE: 908-425-7296 EMAIL: tkeating@balletx.org

Marketing and PR Specialist: Josh OlmsteadPHONE: 215-893-9456 ext. 128 EMAIL: jolmstead@balletx.org

Production Manager: Drew BilliauPHONE: 215-694-7661 EMAIL: lddrew@earthlink.net

View Presenter Information and Technical Riders at:www.balletx.org/presentersRequires password. Available upon request.

View Videos at: www.balletx.org/worksamples

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…MYSTERIOUS, SEXY, FUNNY, AND SURPRISING.THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

[A] daring and non-traditional approach to ballet. PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY. .

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