Donate

Reviews

Gulping the Heady, Thin Air of Creativity
August 7, 2012
By Alastair, Macaulay, The New York Times

  • "The [2012 Vail International Dance Festival's] program began strongly with Mr. Neenan's Switch Phase, in which four men and four women from BalletX display what might be called a modern folk style."
  • "BalletX's…dance style [is] appealing…powerfully bending… [and] especially refreshing."

Jodie Gates & Peter Quanz: Gotham Dance Festival at the Joyce
June 7, 2012
By Darrell Wood, NYC Dance Stuff

  • "Subtle tenderness, athleticism of movement…just plain sexy."

Wobbles and Jumbles, but also Magic
June 4, 2012
By Brian Seibert, The New York Times

  • "The dancers of BalletX,from Philadelphia, look sleek."

From BalletX, exciting color, moves, premieres
July 13, 2012
By Merilyn Jackson, for the Inquirer

  • "Mysterious, sexy, funny, and surprising"
  • "BalletX regularly conceives scintillating programs!"

Review: BalletX Marks the Spot
July 13, 2012
By Kat Richter, The Dance Journal

  • "A little nugget of choreographic genius."
  • "An electric evening!"
  • "The result is silly, irreverent and completely brilliant."

Sophisticated Fun
July 15, 2012
By Janet Anderson in Broad Street Review


BalletX: Classical Meets Whimsy
April 21, 2012
by Kat Richter, The Dance Journal

  • "The seven-year old company [is]…still as quirky as ever."
  • "The choreography showcased the dancers…in a variety of seemingly impossible angles."
  • "The Last Glass was sexy, surprising, bold and fun."

Forward Movement
April 21, 2012
by Janet Anderson, Philadelphia City Paper

  • "No one mixes and matches movement and music as exuberantly as Neenan does…they looked fabulous."

BalletX’s Fall Series
November 22nd, 2011
By Janet Anderson in Broad Street Review

  • “BalletX founders Matthew Neenan and Christine Cox started with a dream of pursuing the new and the different in movement.”
  • “[BalletX] is not only changing dance, but also changing people’s lives in the process.”
  • “Jackson Sounds may be Neenan’s most important and influential work.”

At lovely BalletX opener, even intermission’s exciting
November 18th, 2011
By Merilyn Jackson in The Philadelphia Inquirer

  • “Surprising and lovely performances.”
  • “[BalletX performances are] like taking an expansive breath.”
  • “BalletX, even when fooling around with its schoolyard playmates, is quite grown-up.”

Two Ochoa world premieres highlight BalletX program
By Merilyn Jackson
For The Philadelphia Inquirer Published: July 22, 2011

  • “Charming tenderness…entwining and uncoupling as if drowsy with morning love.”

BalletX Summer Series
By Janet Anderson
For Broad Street Review Published: July 26,2011

  • “Spunky.”
  • “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 professionally and usually excitingly new.”
  • “A dazzling program of new works from young choreographers who came from all over the U.S. and Europe with choreography that was seriously composed and joyfully danced.”

BalletX Summer Series
By Jim Rutter
For Broad Street Review Published: July 26, 2011

  • “Dance at its most powerful.”

Dancers, actors, and musicians unite - to hilarious effect
by Merilyn Jackson
For The Inquirer Published:
April 15, 2011

  • “a good dose of comedic uncertainty and imbalance”

BalletX And The Wilma Theater Team Up To Present Proliferation of the Imagination
by Linda Haas
GPTMC/ Uwishunu.com Published: April 15, 2011

  • “Proliferation of the Imagination combines outrageous stories, folk-like music, modern ballet, hilarious banter, and a good ol’ fashioned rapping baby.”

BalletX and Wilma re-imagine Apollinaire
by Jonathan M. Stein
Broad Street Review Published: April 15, 2011

  • “[A] gloriously playful onstage riot.”
  • “Freshest, most original offering of the current Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts…”
  • “Inspired, cabaret ballet-theater.”
  • “BalletX, the Wilma, and their collaborators took a risky leap…This grand success…lit up a few stars up there for Apollinaire.”

The Surreality Of Popping Balloon-Breasts At The Wilma Plus Wanamaker in Paris at the Arden
by Aaron Mettey
Philadelphia Magazine Published: April 15, 2011

  • “The vivacity of their performances was infectious.”
  • “The music and choreography are joyful, energetic, and odd.”

A Proliferation of the Absurd
by Lindsay Warner
Arts and Culture Blog Published: April 23, 2011

  • “Joyful, absurd, funny and utterly ludicrous.”
  • “BalletX – joyful, kinetic, and dynamic.”

The Sweetest Fruit
by Janet Anderson
Philadelphia City Paper 11/23/2010

  • “With a fantastic troupe…BalletX has morphed from a local startup to an institution with an edge.”
  • “Fantastic choreographic imagination.”
  • “Wildly imaginative, totally zonkers, always beautifully performed – this was BalletX at its finest.”

BalletX is on a Roll
by Jonathan M. Stein
Broad Street Review 11/23/2010

  • “[Matthew] Neenan is a dynamic, resourceful choreographer who maintains our attention, awakening our senses and preparing us for surprise and change. He may employ quirky gestures, or wringing funky un-balletic movements from his otherwise graceful dancers.”

Don’t Miss BalletX’s Fall Series At The Wilma Theater Through This Sunday
by Sarah Thiebaud
Uwishunu.com/GPTCM blog 11/19/2010

  • “truly enchanting…”
  • “BalletX’s unique performances definitely live up to their reputation, with exceptionally engaging dancers and with their limitless endurance and ability.”

Wilma Theater's BalletX opens strong, gracefully
by Merilyn Jackson
For The Inquirer Published: Jul. 23, 2010

  • “Great heights and sustained excellence.”

Summer Series @ Wilma Theater
Posted by Sarah Thiebaud
For uwishunu.com Published: July 23, 2010

  • “Powerfully explosive movements.”
  • “[BalletX] reflected emotions of joy, angst, and romance, and was a delight to watch…It was truly a night of celebration and dancing, highlighting the heart and soul of every dancer.”

Summer Series
by Julia Askenase
For Philadelphia City Paper Published: July 22, 2010

  • “The Last Glass called for a night of bohemian revelry…Co-Artistic director Matthew Neenan placed his dancers in a whimsical, if slightly inebriated world where they took on the joyous and tormented stories of several lovers.”

On a mission to redefine ballet
By Jim Rutter
For Broad Street Review. Review II published: July 27, 2010

  • “Soft, fluid balletic movements…warm and emotive touches…”
  • “Tremendous new works…”

A 'Cat in Hat' dance, full of lovely Things
by Ellen Dunkel
For The Inquirer Published: Apr. 7, 2009

  • “We were rewarded with a charming little hit.”
  • “The three-piece program is BalletX’s most beautiful and touching yet.”

Power Play
by Janet Anderson
City Paper Published: Apr. 7, 2009

  • “Pushing movement boundaries.”
  • “Odd, introspective, elegant moves.”

BalletX Both Fanciful And Versatile
by Lindsay Warner
The Bulletin Published: Apr. 7, 2009

  • “Fun, flippant movements that…push and pull the dancers across the stage with a magnetic force.”
  • “The company performs with the carefully honed movements of dancers under the influence of two fine artistic directors, who maintain a fine sense of precision.”

Moving and growing
Three-year-old BalletX surprises and delights with a mature depth at the Wilma.

by Ellen Dunkel
For The Inquirer Published: Nov. 8, 2008

  • “Co-artistic directors Christine Cox [and Matthew Neenan] are growing their company in the right direction.”

Searching for meaning in modern dance (without program notes, yet)
by Jim Rutter
Broad Street Review Published: Nov. 10, 2008


X Goes Next Level
by Deni Kasrel
City Paper, Published: Nov 7, 2007

  • “Enthusiastic, well-executed performance.”

BalletX succeeds in three premieres
By Ellen Dunkel
For The Inquirer 11/03/2007


BalletX's dancers better than ever
By Ellen Dunkel
For The Inquirer June 15, 2007

  • “Clever and humorous choreography, soothing music, dramatic lighting and gorgeous bodies hit all the right notes.”

What The Critics Say about BalletX and its Co-founders

Critics Picks, WRTI.org
9/7/2005

  • “Abstract and sporty…the performance was first class.”
  • “Powerfully performed…It’s worth repeating.”

DanceMagazine.com
4/2005

  • “Quick-tempo, asymmetric movement…joyously represented the creative intimacy here.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer
3/11/2005

  • “Inventive partnering…extremes of intimacy.”

Dance Magazine
2/2005

  • “Sheer exhilaration to witness the way [Neenan] weds a choreographic idea with a musical score to make magic on the stage…”

Ballet-Dance Magazine
2005

  • “Neenan’s choreography was innovative – showing off the company’s athleticism and individual strengths – as well as visually refreshing, with strong ensemble segments and wonderful use of space and patterns.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer
8/10/2001

  • “Neenan’s thoroughly magnetic Frequencies…was a masterpiece.”
  • “Innate classicism…cool sophistication…a hint of sass.”
  • “When dance is like this, it can make me feel as if I were in heaven.”

BalletX Feature Articles

BalletX incorporates the music and commotion of Philly youth
Peter Crimmins, WHYY Radio
11/19/2011

BalletX Graces Jackson School
Joseph Myers, South Philly Review
11/10/2011

Pointe Magazine
December 2005 / January 2006

  • “Inventiveness and variety.”

 

 
By year:
 
     

 

2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005 and before

Media contact:

John Van Heest
Public Relations Manager
302.593.2586
jvanheest@balletx.org