Matthew Neenan on his World Premiere for Spring Series 2026
Alongside two returning works, BalletX’s Spring Series 2026 will feature a world premiere by Matthew Neenan that marks both a new chapter and a deliberate shift in choreographic focus.
Film by Daniel Madoff
A Long-Awaited Collaboration
The new work brings Neenan together with composer Scott Ordway, a collaboration years in the making. “We’d been meeting on and off for several years, just sharing ideas,” Neenan says. “There was no pressure. I had projects booked far in advance, and the music was usually already set.” That changed about a year and a half ago, when both artists found themselves ready to commit. “Scott was like, ‘I want to plan something. I want to do something new,’” Neenan recalls. “That’s when we really started going back and forth.” Ordway, known for his work with strings, proposed a major shift: an electronic score that he will perform live. “He said, ‘I don’t want to do strings this time. I want to try something new,’” Neenan says. “Some elements will be pre-recorded, some live, and each performance will probably be a little different.”
Design as Architecture
The visual world of the piece is just as central as the choreography. Designed by Christopher Ash, who also serves as lighting designer, the set emphasizes shape, color, and form.
“It’s very simple,” Neenan explains. “The perspective can shift even though the design itself is minimal.”
Bold, vibrant colors inspired by 1980s aesthetics play a major role. “The focus is on shape, human form, and movement,” he says. “Dancers will be arranged in distinct color groups and the set will respond to their movement. Even simple shapes can feel dynamic as the choreography unfolds.”
“There’s a colorful robustness to it,” Neenan adds. “That decade was my early childhood, so those colors and textures are really ingrained in me. It’s about bringing that energy and nostalgia into a contemporary context.”
A New Movement Vocabulary
Choreographically, the premiere reflects Neenan’s ongoing evolution. “I want to explore a different vocabulary,” he says. “My older works are often circular and fluid; in this piece, I’m experimenting with new forms and repetition, letting the visuals speak as much as the steps. The dancers’ movements interact with vibrant shapes and colors on stage, and the live electronic score adds another layer of energy—so the music, the set, and the choreography all respond to each other. It’s about creating a fully immersive experience where every gesture, every formation, contributes to the overall impact.”
Time, Perspective, and Legacy
While the premiere is still in development, Neenan emphasizes the excitement of seeing new dancers bring his vision to life. “Even revisiting older pieces shows how time has passed and how dancers grow. But creating something completely new—there’s nothing like that energy, that moment of discovery.”View this post on Instagram
