danceJournal » Robert Maggio

Afternoon Delights with BalletX

Steven Weisz — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 14:38:31 +0000

I should probably start this dance review with the disclaimer that I am a big fan of BalletX. But then it is hard not be, when you have seen a company grow over the past six years and get so many things so right. My afternoon at the Wilma Theater started with an immediate immersion in to the arts, as the University of the Arts pop acapella group Vox greeted guests in the lobby with enchanting harmonies while we waited with anticipation for house doors to open. This would be one of several treats and surprises as part of the “Expand the Arts” program funded through the Knights Arts Foundation in partnership with BalletX. What struck me the most during this waiting period was the makeup and diversity of the audience in attendance. It was not the usual incestuous dance community and family members that make up the majority of so many of the performances that I attend, but rather a delightful cross section of ages, gender, ethnicity, dancers and non-dancers. Don’t get me wrong, there were die-hard BalletX supporters and friends but there were an equally large number of new faces. The crowd was not just the “grey hairs”, those fifty-five plus something supporters of the arts as I like to call them, but also families and young professionals. The strength of such a diverse audience was obvious as this was another “sold out” performance. Once we moved in to the theater, myself and fellow guests were offered a brief introduction by co-artistic directors Christine Cox and Matthew Neenan. Their charm immediately ingratiated the audience, offering more than the usual introduction, but the excitement of two beaming proud parents, who were inviting you in to their home to see what their children had so brilliantly created. The program opened with Two Ears, One Mouth, a world premiere by New York choreographer Loni Landon. This piece attempted to look at dialogs that we have all had, where the other person simply seems not to be listening. However, the meaning of this piece was somewhat lost upon the audience. Never-the-less, we were drawn in to movement by BalletX veteran Colby Damon and the interplay between Anitra Keegan and Barry Kerollis, where the simplest of phrases created incredible textures and emotion. During the brief intermission that ensued, we were treated to another Expand the Arts surprise as two young ladies in my row suddenly popped up to sing a bit of opera. It was not until the end of the program that I learned that they were from the Philadelphia Opera Company. While these brief treats are a welcome to Philadelphia’s incredible arts offerings, an acknowledgement of the performers is very much needed. "Silt" (2009) by Alex Ketley. Featuring (l-r) Eric Otto, Anitra N. Keegan. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev. The program continued with a collage of music and the choreography of Alex Ketley in the presentation of Silt. This was a subtle look at how personal concepts of self all too often become lost in the context of our lives. Silt opens with two dancers creating harmonious yet distinct lines through a series of poses, while the remaining cast looks on, seated in chairs on stage. Movements in this first section were staccato-like, but then evolved in the next section to become more fluid and slender, and then finally erupted in a canonized stomping of rhythms. While solid performances were offered by William Cannon, Adam Hundt, Tara Keating, Jaime Lennon and Allison Walsh, it was the stream of movement created by Jesse Sani that truly stood out. This BalletX newbie and local of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, created an unusual depth of performance, textures and visual imagery that carried with me well after the piece was completed. After another intermission and a bit of comedic storytelling with an Celtic twist that seemed out of place, a movie screen was lowered offering an introduction to our next piece, Jackson Sounds with choreography by Matthew Neenan and original composition by Robert Maggio. Matthew, Robert and several of the BalletX’ers visited the Andrew Jackson School in South Philly, with funding by the Philadelphia chapter of the American Composers Forum, to draw on inspiration from the creativity and interactions of the students there. Utilizing school sounds and live performances by student’s in the music program, Maggio was able to weave together a most impressive score that captured the hallways, classrooms and playgrounds of that school. Matthew, then began to explore movement created by the students as they interpreted what they heard and felt from this new score. As the screen is raised, two live cellists, Jie Jin and Thomas Kraines, present Maggio’s score as the female members of the company on pointe flirt with the male half of the company and the hallways of the Jackson School come to life in a coy playfulness, that transports us back to those memorable school days. Subtle, yet perfect lighting design by Drew Billiau and costuming by Martha Chamberlain created the environment for the interplay of the entire cast, which seemed to have as much fun with this piece as the audience did. The performance was followed by a post-discussion with Neenan, Cox and Maggio allowing us further insight in to the inner workings of this Jackson Sounds as well as the truly wonderful, collaborative spirit of BalletX. Truly a great afternoon of dance in Philadelphia!

BalletX Announces the 2011-2012 Season

Steven Weisz — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 22:42:17 +0000

A Season of Firsts while Embracing Memorable Favorites

Contemporary dance company BalletX is pleased to announce its 2011–2012 Season with an interweaving of new and re-imagined endeavors. This season audiences will be introduced to five innovative World Premieres in addition to several BalletX favorites. Now in its fourth season at The Wilma Theater on the Avenue of the Arts, BalletX will continue to punctuate its season with exclusive collaborations with critically-acclaimed composers, choreographers, and artists. As Philadelphia dance critic Janet Anderson states, “Whether they’re creating their own work or bringing in intriguing experimenters from around the world, the Ballet Xers rarely produce anything that isn’t totally professional and usually excitingly new.” Fall Series 2011 will run November 16 – 20, 2011; Spring Series 2012 will run April 18 – 22, 2012; and Summer Series 2012 will run July 11 – 15, 2012. About the 2011–2012 Season, Co-Artistic Director Christine Cox remarks, “We are excited to offer a stimulating programme of dance, music, and aesthetic display that represents the highest standard of artistic excellence. We are always inspired by innovation resulting from the unexpected and for the 2011–2012 Season, we continue to pioneer new work with 5 World Premieres by outstanding artists who we feel are changing the landscape of choreography today. Our returning favorites will enhance our series’ variety and we look forward to sharing our distinctive work with our audience.” BalletX performs at The Wilma Theater at 265 South Broad Street in Philadelphia. For more information and tickets, visit balletx.org or 215.546.7824. BalletX’s 2011 – 2012 Season will include: Fall Series 2011; November 16 – 20, 2011 The 2011–2012 Season opens with Fall Series 2011, a sequence of surprising collaborations, intricate movements and exploration of personal perception. Inspired by the personal stories of students who attend Andrew Jackson Public School in Philadelphia, BalletX Co-Artistic Director Matthew Neenan will present a World Premiere Ballet that will unite the students’ cultural heritage and musical preferences into one collective narrative of movement and music. Matthew Neenan’s new ballet is the first installment of the collaborative venture, Inside the Mind of the Composer, with award-winning composer Robert Maggio. The original composition for two cellos will be played live on stage by Pennsylvania Ballet musicians Jennie Lorenzo and Mark Ward with BalletX Company dancers. Layer Cake, a World Premiere by Loni Landon, will entice the imagination of dancers and non-dancers alike as it will express a journey of movement that is in all of us; a journey that takes us from our surface down to our center-self. The series of events unfold, peeling away layer by layer to reveal often surprising results. Landon is a New York City-based freelance choreographer, co-founder of The Playground, and winner of Northwest Dance Project’s “Pretty Creatives.” Lastly, a BalletX original favorite returns this fall. Described by critic Jim Rutter in the Broad Street Review as a “mesmerizing work,” Silt, by Alex Ketley, explores the malleability of personal ideas of oneself. Ketley is a San Francisco-based independent choreographer, Co-Artistic Director of The Foundry, and recipient of the Princess Grace Award for Choreography. Silt, which first premiered by BalletX in 2009, is set to music by Chris Clark, Giovanni Pergolesi and Arvo Pärt. Spring Series 2012; April 18 – April 22, 2012 The 2011–2012 Season will continue with Spring Series 2012. Audiences can expect two exciting BalletX homecomings and a World Premiere by the internationally recognized choreographer Jodie Gates. Choreographer Edwaard Liang will bring his work Largo back to the BalletX stage. Inspired by the decorative tableaux Progress of Love by French painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Largo emulates the paintings’ bucolic composition and conveys the paintings’ pastoral intimacy through a progression of courtship. Liang is a two-time nominee of the Golden Mask Theater Award and winner of the 2006 National Choreographic Competition. Lastly, BalletX is pleased to revisit Matthew Neenan’s popular The Last Glass, inspired by Indie-folk musician Zach Condon and his band Beirut, which delighted critics and audiences alike. Summer Series 2012; July 11 – 15, 2012 BalletX will close its 2011–2012 Season with two World Premieres during Summer Series 2012. The first premiere is an all-new work by Adam Hougland, Principal Choreographer for The Louisville Ballet for which he created five critically acclaimed original works. In 2009, he was named Resident Choreographer for Cincinnati Ballet. Hougland celebrated his BalletX debut with Rush of Light which premiered during BalletX’s first season at the Wilma Theater. Summer Series 2012 will also feature a World Premiere by 2007 Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship Award recipient, Darrell Grand Moultrie. In October 2010, Moultrie was invited to participate in Sacramento Ballet’s Capital Choreography Competition. His work took home both judges and audience awards. Both Adam Hougland and Darrell Grand Moultrie are graduates of Juilliard’s school of Dance. Tickets Subscription prices start at $22 per show; a 20% discount from single ticket prices. Single tickets start at $30 with discounts available for seniors, students and groups. Subscriptions and tickets are on sale at The Wilma Theater Box Office, 265 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, 215.546.7824 or at www.balletx.org. About BalletX Founded in 2005, BalletX is an innovative and adventurous company that produces sophisticated and striking choreography reflective of the BalletX vision to integrate athleticism, emotion and intimacy into dance. Recognizing the synergistic power of artistic collaboration, BalletX taps into the creativity and passion of a diverse pool of national and international choreographers who produce outcomes that are often surprising and compelling. ***Photos by Alexander Iziliaev