BalletX celebrates each decade of work in two-part series for 20th Anniversary Retrospective

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- BalletX is presenting an epic 20th Anniversary Retrospective at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre.

"In 2005, Matthew Neenan and I co-founded BalletX," says Christine Cox, Artistic and Executive Director of BalletX. "And we just had this desire, this urgent feeling, that ballet could be so much more and we wanted to explore what that meant."

The company has become a pioneer in contemporary ballet.

"We've commissioned over 150 world-premiere ballets," she says. "We've been able to work with so many artists from around the world."

In a two-part series, the company is highlighting excerpts from its repertory catalogue.

"Program A: The First Decade" runs October 29 through November 2.

"We're pulling out five-minute, six-minute pieces from each year of our first decade of existence," she says.

The program opens with a work by Matthew Neenan called "Frequencies."

"We call it the angel trio," she says. "And then we're also featuring a quartet that he created called 'Die Menschheit,'" she says.

"Program B: The Second Decade" runs November 5 through the 9th.

"We're gonna feature the world premiere of our Rehearsal Director and Community Liaison, Keelan Whitmore," she says.

"The work that I'm presenting for BalletX's 20th anniversary is called 'Resilire,' which is the Latin root word for resilience," says Whitmore.

It incorporates the entire company of 16 dancers.

"This is going to be sort of a celebration of rhythm," he says.

BalletX is leaning into its vision, which Cox says is, "to create an extraordinary dance experience that inspires human connection," to further its mission moving forward.

"It's creating a space for ballet to be for everybody," she says. "My hope is that we continue to break down any barriers, that we change people's impression of what ballet is, and we continue to build this exciting, robust community around us."

Cox says she's excited about how they'll "pave the way to the future."

BalletX's 20th Anniversary Retrospective series starts on October 29, 2025 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre. BalletX will also hold their 20th Anniversary Gala on October 28 starting at 5:30pm at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre.

For more information:
BalletX 20th Anniversary Retrospective, "Program A: The First Decade" - Oct. 29 - Nov. 2
Link to "Program A" Tickets at Suzanne Roberts Theatre
BalletX 20th Anniversary Retrospective, "Program B: The Second Decade" - Nov. 5 - 9
Link to "Program B" Tickets at Suzanne Roberts Theatre
BalletX 20th Anniversary Gala - Oct. 28 at 5:30pm
Link to Gala Tickets at Suzanne Roberts Theatre

Suzanne Roberts Theatre
480 S. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146