During the 2026-2027 season, we’re celebrating the people who make BalletX what it is: our incredible donors.
This month, we’re thrilled to feature Kent Wagner and Rosanna D’Orazio, longtime donors, dedicated BalletX advocates, and champions for expanding BalletX’s reach to new communities.
Tell us about yourselves.
We’ve been married for a very long time (43 years in October)! We’ve lived in the Philadelphia area that whole time, and we’ve both been passionate lovers and supporters of the arts.
I’m Ro, a native South Philadelphian. My life in dance began with deception: when I was three, my mother told the local dance school that I was four so I could start dancing! Dance has been an integral part of my life ever since – from performing in high school and college musicals to working as a local choreographer and dance fitness instructor.
I’m Kent, from Springfield, Ohio. Ro and I met while working at TV Guide magazine, and the rest, as they say, is history! I’m currently an avid land steward volunteer at many Natural Lands properties, in particular for Stoneleigh Natural Garden in Villanova.
How did you first discover BalletX, and what surprised you the most about your first time experiencing the company?
Together we’ve always loved the arts, especially dance. We even have programs that document seeing Christine Cox, Tara Keating, Matthew Neenan, and James Ihde perform with what was then the Pennsylvania Ballet.
We actually discovered BalletX through Pig Iron Theatre. Our dear friend Terry Guerin – Ro’s long-time friend and theater educator/director – is on their Board. She got to know BalletX through Dito [Van Reigersberg] and Matthew [Neenan].
Upon first seeing the dance company, Terry called us immediately afterward: “You have to go see BalletX. You’re going to love them!” And she was right, we were captivated. We thought, “Wow, we’ve never seen anything like this. This is way cool!”
And we still feel that way every time we see them!
As a couple that travels to see BalletX, what’s the most interesting place you’ve gone to see the company?
We have always loved to travel. For the first 10 years of our association with BalletX, we didn’t travel with them. But over time, we started to notice that their tour dates were almost overlapping with our travel plans. Eventually, we thought, “Why not pay attention to BalletX’s schedule?” And that’s how it started.
Our first trip was to Vail in 2016, and we’ve followed them there three more times since. We’ve also traveled to D.C. to see them at the Kennedy Center, to Quebec, and to New York, both in the city at the Joyce, and upstate NY at Chautauqua and Saratoga.
But our most interesting place? That’s a no-brainer. In November of 2022 we traveled to see them in Victoria, British Columbia, where the theater (Dance Victoria) was hosting BalletX as its first performance post-Covid. It was really special to be there and witness a new audience experiencing Ballet X for the first time. We remember being a little nervous about what people would think of their performance. We walked through the lobby during intermission eavesdropping on what people were saying. Not surprisingly the general consensus was always, “That was very exciting!”
We also love to support BalletX at local pop-ups. We’ve seen them at Jenkintown, Longwood Gardens, and Grounds for Sculpture, and it’s always fun to see a different group of people experience the company. The audiences are always so enthusiastic.
With BalletX bringing The Four Seasons Reimagined to Villanova after its Festival at Highmark Mann performance, what excites you about seeing the company reach a new community?
It’s a great opportunity to introduce BalletX to people who may not already be familiar with the company.
I [Kent] have been talking up BalletX to my colleagues at Stoneleigh. That’s important to me because BalletX created several films at Stoneleigh during Covid. Over the years we’ve been able to get friends from Natural Lands on board, including attending The Four Seasons Reimagined at the Highmark Mann.
How do you introduce people to BalletX, and what do you hope someone encountering BalletX for the first time takes away from the experience?
We’ve had friends we invite to BalletX say, “I’m not really into ballet, it’s just not for me.” And we always tell them, “This is something you’ve never seen or experienced before.” Afterwards, they understand what we mean.
BalletX brings together so many different forms of movement and genres of music that there’s something for everyone.
We often say that these are some of the most highly trained ballet dancers we’ve ever seen, and yet, they’re not performing anything you might recognize as traditional ballet. The principles of ballet are still there, but what they do with those principles is completely different. It’s exciting to see them dancing en pointe, but just as exciting to see them performing in tennis shoes.
We also love to talk about Christine Cox’s amazing leadership – both artistically and in business. It is so rare for someone to be good at both! Christine’s message is always “this is not my company but your company too and we would be nowhere without you, our audiences and donors.” We’ve encouraged her to someday write a book sharing her approach to leading BalletX.
What do you think BalletX brings to Philadelphia’s cultural landscape that is distinctive?
BalletX really is a gift to Philadelphia. The company leans into being part of the city and makes itself part of everything happening here, whether through pop-ups, Dance eXchange, or the many ways they engage with the community. They’ve truly woven themselves into the fabric of Philadelphia.
Just look at where they built their studio: Washington Avenue. BalletX is deeply rooted in the city, and they’re constantly showing what makes Philadelphia, Philadelphia. Even during Covid, when so much of the world felt disconnected, the films featured on BalletX Beyond showcased a variety of places throughout the Philadelphia region.
What really differentiates BalletX is the way they tell stories through dance. The dancers are real people with real emotions, and those emotions are expressed on stage. The ballets they develop have soul and substance, and also a tremendous amount of joy.
We’ve watched the dancers develop and form bonds with one another over the years, and it’s clear how much they genuinely enjoy each other. We’re always floored when they take the time to come see us and give us a hug. There’s so much hard work behind what they do, but there’s also so much joy.
When you support BalletX, what do you feel you are helping make possible?
Our own happiness, let’s start there!
On the grand scheme – innovation, on a couple of different levels. Certainly in the world-premiere choreography that BalletX has commissioned, bringing international choreographers into the studio and going worldwide from Philadelphia.
There’s innovation in getting people who don’t typically like ballet to love it.
And then there’s the innovation in the way BalletX approaches its company model, offering 52-week contracts and healthcare, and putting itself on the map as a leader in what a dance company can and should be.
What excites you the most about the future of BalletX?
We’re really curious to see where BalletX goes next. It began as this small “off season” dance company, and it has grown into such a dynamic organization. They’ve added touring, pop-ups and Dance eXchange and fellowships. The Joan DeJean Innovation Fund is especially exciting because it’s the kind of gift that can help take an organization to the next level. And we can’t wait to see what that will mean for BalletX.
We’re excited to continue witnessing the evolution of the company, from a brainchild of Christine and Matthew more than 20 years ago to an organization that exudes vibrancy, enthusiasm and joy, with the vision to carry that momentum forward for the next 20 years.
