BalletX, Philadelphia’s Premier Contemporary Ballet and the Resident Dance Company of the Wilma Theater, opens its 9th season with Fall Series 2014 (November 19-23). Highlighting the work of three renowned choreographers, BalletX’s Fall Series 2014 explores the innovative possibilities of ballet in the 21st century.
Fall Series 2014 features the work of Jorma Elo, Olivier Wevers, and Matthew Neenan, all prolific artists with unique approaches to contemporary ballet. A program that showcases the technical virtuosity and emotional complexity of the BalletX dancers, Fall Series 2014 includes a world premiere by Jorma Elo, the return of Olivier Wevers’ Instantly Bound, and Matthew Neenan’s new work Increasingaccompanied live by alumni of The Curtis Institute of Music.
Singled out by Dance Magazine as “the dancemaker everyone wants to talk about,” Jorma Elo is one of today’s most sought after choreographers. Known for combining classical ballet with elements of modern and contemporary dance, Elo’s work focuses on dynamic movement and musicality. A former dancer with NederlandsDans Theater, he has been the Resident Choreographer of Boston Ballet since 2005 and has created work for many of the world’s leading dance companies including American Ballet Theater, San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, among others. In 2006, Elo created Scenes View 2 for BalletX, a daring piece set to Bach’s Violin Partita No. 2 that was praised as possessing “the instincts of a storyteller and the theatricality of his European roots” (Broad Street Review). Elo is thrilled to return to Philadelphia to create a brand new work for BalletX inspired by the film noir classic Touch of Evil.
Instantly Bound, choreographed by Brussels-born dancer and choreographer Olivier Wevers, premiered on BalletX in 2013. An abstract ballet set on three couples, this work explores the timely theme of gun violence and the devastating effects it leaves in its wake. The emotional content of the ballet resonated with Philadelphia audiences, meriting its return to the BalletX repertoire. “Instantly Bound is a beautifully constructed and compelling ballet,” says Artistic & Executive Director Christine Cox, “it speaks to the scary truths about the world today.” Wevers, a former principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet and Royal Winnipeg Ballet, founded the critically acclaimed contemporary dance company Whim W’Him in 2009. He has won countless awards for his work and was honored in 2011 with the City of Seattle’s Mayor’s Arts Award.
BalletX Co-Founder Matthew Neenan’s new work Increasing debuted in August at the Vail International Dance Festival. Featuring New York City Ballet Principal Dancers Tiler Peck and Robert Fairchild alongside the BalletX dancers, the Vail premiere was praised as being “vulnerable, openhearted and, above all, marvelously free” (The New York Times). Fall Series 2014 will feature the East Coast premiere ofIncreasing set to Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major played live by alumni of The Curtis Institute of Music. Neenan says he chose Schubert’s music because he wanted to “showcase the playful richness and dramatic intensity within the arrangement.” As Co-Founder of BalletX, Neenan has created 15 world premieres for the company, and his choreography has been featured and performed by BalletX, Pennsylvania Ballet, The Washington Ballet, Colorado Ballet, and Ballet Memphis, among others.
Performances run November 19-23 at The Wilma Theater, 265 South Broad Street, Philadelphia. Tickets start at $35.
Fall Series Performance Dates/Times:
Wednesday, November 19, 8:00PM, Opening Night
Thursday, November 20, 8:00PM
Friday, November 21, 8:00PM
Saturday, November 22, 2:00PM
Saturday, November 22, 8:00PM
Sunday, November 23, 2:00PM
The 2014-2015 Season will see the continuation of TheX-Process, an audience engagement initiative that began in 2013. During each performance series, The X-Process will feature an interactive lecture and demonstration (A Pie, A Pint & The Process) and a Q&A event (Conversations with the Artists). During Fall Series 2014, Jorma Elo, Matthew Neenan, and Christine Cox will discuss the creative process during Conversations with the Artists. The Fall Series programming for A Pie, A Pint & The Process will focus on the process of designing a performance season, through the eyes of the director, from conversation to commission.
The X-Process Events:
Wednesday, November 19, 7:00PM- Conversations with the Artists (free)
Saturday, November 22, 4:00PM- A Pie, A Pint, & The Process ($5)
Steven is currently the CEO of Delaware Valley on Line, one of the first regional Internet Service Provides that now focuses on business-class web hosting, design, and internet marketing. He is president and founder of Rainbow Promotions Inc., a special events and entertainment agency established in the late 70’s, that services corporate and retail accounts both locally and nationally.
Steven is the Founder of PhiladelphiaDANCE.org,the largest web presence and resource for the dance community in the greater Philadelphia region, and the Founder and Editor of The Dance Journal. His involvement in the dance community extends to being Director of Graffito Works, an international platform for dancers and performing artists to create site-specific work and to make it readily accessible to the public.
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