Drexel Graduate Students at Ballet X

by Kelli Fletcher

During each term, the AAGA sponsors Organized Arts Trips, popularly known as OATS. These trips are open to graduate students from any program at Drexel. Approximately 19 people from Drexel attended this session’s outing on November 4^th to see BalletX. The company, founded by former Pennsylvania Ballet members Christine Cox and Matthew Neenan, is in its first season as the resident ballet company at the Wilma Theater.

On the whole, BalletX presented a truly enjoyable, well-rounded program. The three works presented were: Once Again by Matthew Neenan, M.O.M My Own Memory by Christine Cox and Risk of Flight by guest choreographer Adam Hougland. At first, it seemed unusual that there would be two full intermissions between each of the dances. However, looking more closely at the program, it was obvious the dancers would need a break. This was definitely the case; there were no short dances. All were full length, showcasing the athleticism of the performers. And unlike classical ballet, the work of these three choreographers had these ballerinas leaping, rolling on the floor and flexing their feet.

The company has not dismissed classical ballet in its entirety, though. One of the highlights was the pas de deux by PA Ballet members Heidi Cruz-Austin and Meredith Rainey in Hougland’s Risk of Flight. Of the three works that afternoon, this piece as a whole, was perhaps the most though-provoking. It began with all of the dancers running in slow motion in a surreal, dreamlike quality. The literal and abstract blended into a beautiful piece that drew you in and asked you to empathize, if only for a moment. The dancers, many of whom are also connected with the Pennsylvania Ballet, met this challenge and expressed their art beautifully. If you missed this opportunity to see this emerging company, I highly encourage you to make the effort to attend their spring season!

Kelli Fletcher is an Administrative Assistant and Teaching Artist at the Institute for the Arts in Education and a current student in Drexel’s Arts Administration graduate program.