Balletx, Philadelphia’s Premier Contemporary Ballet Company, to Perform at The Joyce Theater

Program Features Three New York Premieres by Three Acclaimed Choreographers

BalletX, Philadelphia’s premiere contemporary ballet company, is set to unveil its most ambitious and inspiring season to date with three New York premieres at The Joyce Theater from September 25 through September 29, 2024. The program features Takehiro Ueyama’s Heroes, Jodie Gates’s Beautiful Once, and Loughlan Prior’s Macaroni. Performances are Wednesday, September 25 at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, September 27 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 28 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, September 29 at 2 p.m.

Hailed as an “epicenter of creation” by Dance Magazine and a “place of choreographic innovation” by The New Yorker, BalletX has commissioned nearly 130 world premiere ballets by more than 75 choreographers, a testament to its commitment to artistic excellence and community engagement. Led by Artistic and Executive Director Christine Cox, the trailblazing company launches a groundbreaking expansion heading into their 20th anniversary. “BalletX is embarking on a season of unparalleled artistry, commitment to community, and dedication to building human connection through dance,” said Cox. “No other company commissions this many works, and with the support of our community, we are pushing the boundaries of creativity and bringing our vision to life on stages both near and far.”

Powered by an extraordinary $7.4 million legacy gift from renowned historian Dr. Joan DeJean, BalletX will increase its company from 10 to 16 dancers, introduce year-round contracts for company members, and move to the iconic Suzanne Roberts Theatre on Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts to support its growing audience. The 2024/2025 Season will feature six world premieres, including a highly anticipated full-length ballet by Jennifer Archibald to debut on the grandest of stages – the 14,000 capacity Mann Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. The company will kick things off with their largest ever fall slate of performances, featuring tours to such landmark venues as The Kennedy Center, Harris Theater in Chicago, and the Joyce.

Tickets can be purchased online here.

Jodie Gates’s Beautiful Once
Jodie Gates’s Beautiful Once (2017) was hailed by The Philadelphia Inquirer for its “beautiful partnering, clean lines, symmetrical patterns,” and features original music by Ryan Lott of Son Lux, a recent Oscar Award nominee for his score in the Best Picture Oscar winner, Everything Everywhere All at Once. Gates said, “Beautiful Once with BalletX holds a special place in my heart, and revisiting the ballet seven years after its birth has been incredibly rewarding. The ballet in an abstract form is about community, about our relationships over time, and what it means to experience loss and receive a warm hug from a loved one at times that seem hopeless. Collaborating and creating with BalletX in Philadelphia since 2009 has been such a thrill. The integrity, dedication, fearless qualities, and welcoming spirit from company leadership, the staff, and dancers have been such a terrific influence during the course of my choreographic career.”

A former dancer, Gates is an artistic director, choreographer, arts educator, and stager. She was a principal ballerina with the Joffrey Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet, as well as an international guest artist. She most recently was Artistic Director of Cincinnati Ballet and is currently Founder and Artistic Director of Laguna Dance Festival based in Laguna Beach, California, and Founding Director of the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance in Los Angeles. She has been commissioned by Staatsballett Berlin, American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, Ballet West, Colorado Ballet, BalletX, Kansas City Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and Vail International Dance Festival.

Takehiro Ueyama’s Heroes
Takehiro Ueyama’s Heroes (2019) features an original score co-composed by Kato Hideki and Ana Milosavljevic, who will both play live. The second movement is set to the evocative score of John Adams’s The Chairman Dances. Heroes is inspired by the resilience of post-World War II Japan and is a testament to dedication and perseverance in the face of adversity. Ueyama, a former dancer with Paul Taylor Dance Company and founder of TAKE Dance, infuses his choreography with depth and emotion, promising an unforgettable performance. “Heroes gripped us with the riveting story of a resurgent Japan after World War II,” said Broad Street Review. “The piece honors the struggle of Ueyama’s parents’ generation to rebuild Japan from rubble into an economic powerhouse.”

Born and raised in Tokyo, Ueyama moved to the United States in 1991 to study dance at The Juilliard School. Upon graduation, he was invited to join the Paul Taylor Dance Company, and toured the world with the company for eight years. In 2003, Ueyama debuted his first choreographic work, Tsubasa, performed with fellow Taylor dancers at the McKenna Theatre at SUNY New Paltz, and in 2005, he founded TAKE Dance. His Sakura Sakura was a prizewinner at the International Modern Dance Choreographic Competition in Burgos, Spain, and he was one of four choreographers selected for the 2006 Free to Rep at FSU’s Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography. In 2010, he was the first choreographer to win the S & R Foundation’s prestigious Washington Award. Ueyama received the 2015 Jadin Wong Award for Emerging Asian American choreographer by Asian American Arts Alliance. Most recently, he was awarded a 2022 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship Grant.

Loughlan Prior’s Macaroni
Loughlan Prior’s Macaroni explores the 1772 Macaroni Scandal. Macaroni intertwines camp humor with a provocative reflection on the satirical discrimination of the past, echoing modern queerphobic attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community. This premiere not only entertains but also educates audiences about the true origins of the “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” “It’s fascinating how the famously patriotic anthem “Yankee Doodle” actually takes its satirical lyrics from the gender-bending style of the fabulously queer 18th-century Macaronies,” said Prior. “I wanted to dig deep into this etymology and the Macaroni Scandal of 1772, to create a piece that speaks to the past while also embracing and celebrating modern camp culture. With an eclectic new soundtrack from Claire Cowan and inspiring designs by Emma Kingsbury, we are redefining Macaroni fashion and honoring this flamboyant chapter of queer history.” Observed Fjord Review, “Prior and Cowan surely did their homework on the song that has featured in many historic events since the 1750s and continues to evolve with current events. Both the choreography and Cowan’s zany score, along with Emma Kingsbury’s electric chartreuse bodysuits and stylized periwigs, created an atmosphere that celebrated post-Pride month.”

Described by Dance Aotearoa New Zealand as “a creative tour de force,” Loughlan Prior is an award-winning choreographer and creative director. He is the Artistic Director of Lo|Co Arts and Choreographer in Residence at the Royal New Zealand Ballet. With a portfolio of more than forty works spanning stage, film, and television, Prior’s passion for dance-storytelling is at the core of his creative practice. Alongside his own company, Loughlan holds choreographic relationships with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Queensland Ballet, Singapore Ballet, Alberta Ballet, BalletX, Oregon Ballet Theatre, BalletCollective Aotearoa, and TVNZ ‘Dancing with the Stars.’

Audience members are invited to enjoy a post-show Curtain Chat with BalletX company members on Thursday, September 26, and a Family Matinee on Saturday, September 28

About BalletX
BalletX, Philadelphia’s premier contemporary ballet, unites artistic innovation with technical excellence to forge new works of athleticism, emotion, and grace. Founded in 2005 and led by Artistic & Executive Director Christine Cox, the company has commissioned over 70 choreographers from around the world to produce 130 world premieres that are “fresh, inclusive, and connect to what people want” (Philadelphia Citizen). With a versatile and diverse ensemble of 16 dancers, hailed as “among America’s best” by The New York Times, BalletX pushes the boundaries of classical ballet to tell today’s stories with passion, creativity, and exuberance. As a vibrant global incubator for artistic talent, the company makes ballet accessible and inviting, captivating audiences at prestigious venues including The Kennedy Center, Vail Dance Festival, The Joyce Theater, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Through performances, international touring, and meaningful community outreach, BalletX creates extraordinary dance experiences that inspire human connection.