September 26, 2013
BalletX Kicks off DANCECleveland's 2013-2014 Season in Akron!
"Visually compelling, powerful, beautiful"-The Philadelphia Inquirer
BalletX Makes Northeast Ohio Debut October 5
at University of Akron's E.J. Thomas Hall
DANCECleveland Opens with Innovative Contemporary Troupe
CLEVELAND (Aug. 30, 2013) BalletX, Philadelphia's contemporary ballet company featuring a roster of world-class choreographers, will make its northeast Ohio debut at the University of Akron's E.J. Thomas Hall on October 5 at 8 p.m. to open DANCECleveland's 2013-14 season.
Co-presented by the University of Akron and E.J. Thomas Hall, BalletX was founded in 2005 by award-winning artistic directors Christine Cox and Matthew Neenan. The company challenges the boundaries of classical ballet by exploring the innovative possibilities of ballet in the 21st century.
In Akron, the company will perform a repertory program of three ballets: Still@Life (2008) with choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa; "Silt" (2009) by Alex Ketley; and "The Last Glass" (2010) by Matthew Neenan.
Tickets starting at only $10 are available at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 330-972-7570. Visit www.dancecleveland.org for more information.
Since its inception, BalletX has acquired a repertory of works by renowned artists including Jorma Elo, Jodie Gates, Edwaard Liang, Adam Hougland, Helen Pickett, and Darrell Grand Moultrie, among others. Recognized worldwide for its unique repertory, BalletX participates in a growing number of national and international tours, including the Joyce Theater in New York City, Festival de Ballet in Colombia, Ballet EXPO in South Korea, Vail International Dance Festival in Colorado and Cerriots Center in California.
Co-Artistic Director Cox danced with BalletMet in Columbus, OH for five years before joining Ballet Hispanico as a guest dancer. She danced with Pennsylvania Ballet from 1993-2006. Her talent has been recognized with two Rocky Awards for outstanding achievement in the arts, as well as fellowships from the Independence Foundation and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
Co-Artistic Director and Choreographer Neenan danced with Pennsylvania Ballet from 1994 to 2007, when he was named Choreographer in Residence at the company. In 2009, Neenan was the first recipient of the Jerome Robbins NEW Program Fellowship for his work "At the Border" for Pennsylvania Ballet.
The BalletX performance will be preceded by a week of educational programming by the company with students from the University of Akron's School of Dance and Dance Institute, as well as local community dance students and students from Akron's Firestone High School and Mill-South Visual and Performing Arts Middle School. This programming builds on the momentum of DANCECleveland's six-year relationship with the Akron community that helps build dance audiences and spur economic opportunities.
DANCECleveland, a Cleveland, Ohio based non-profit, is one of a handful of presenters nationally that is dedicated solely to the presentation of modern and contemporary dance. The centerpiece of the organization's programming is its annual performance series. The performances are surrounded by an array of educational outreach events including artist-run master classes, residency programs, student matinees, pre-performance lectures and post-performance Q&A sessions, designed both to break artistic boundaries and provide community access to the dance aesthetic and dance luminaries that DANCECleveland brings to Northeast Ohio.
For more information about BalletX, visit:
www.balletx.org
For more information about DANCECleveland's presenting partners for BalletX visit:
www.uaevents.com and click on E. J. Thomas Hall.
ELECTRONIC PHOTOS AVAILABLE FROM PAM BARR AT 216-932-5060 or barrp@roadrunner.com
Generous support for BalletXprovided by:
Lead sponsor
This project is partially supported by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour, a program developed and funded by The Heinz Endowments; the William Penn Foundation; the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency; and The Pew Charitable Trusts; and administered by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.
This presentation is supported by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Ohio Arts Council and General Mills Foundation.
Additional funding for DANCECleveland and this performance provided by:
The Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, The George Gund Foundation, The George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation, John P. Murphy Foundation and Target.
