BalletX Winter Series 2025 To Feature World Premieres by Gregory Dawson and Caili Quan

BalletX makes its return to the Suzanne Roberts Theatre following a sold-out Fall Series 2024, with a dynamic and joyous Winter Series 2025 showcase, running Feb. 12-16. 

The series promises a captivating blend of live music and inspiring choreography, including a World Premiere from former BalletX company dancer, Caili Quan; a jazz-infused new work from Gregory Dawson – an 18 year standout of Alonzo King LINES Ballet – and the dramatic return of Nicolo Fonte's Steep Drop, Euphoric, a celebrated 2019 BalletX premiere.

“2024 was a monumental year for BalletX,” explains Artistic & Executive Director, Christine Cox. “We presented 40 performances, produced 13 world premieres, toured 7 cities, brought 6 free Pop-Ups to our community, and impacted over 400 Philadelphia students through our Dance eXchange program. We are thrilled to kick off another expansive year in 2025 with an awe-inspiring Winter Series, featuring world premieres by Caili Quan and Gregory Dawson.”

Caili Quan's World Premiere 

Caili Quan has become one of the most sought after young authors of ballet in the U.S. after her very first World Premiere for BalletX – 2020's Love Letter  – vaulted her onto the world stage of professional dance. Playbill hailed Love Letter as “a heartfelt exploration of yearning.” And since, Caili has choreographed for the Vail Dance Festival, where she was awarded Artist-in-Residence in 2022, New York Choreographic Institute, Sacramento Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Flight Path Dance Project, The School of American Ballet, Ballet Academy East, Opera Saratoga, Ballet West, The Juilliard School, where she is a Creative Associate, and this fall for New York City Ballet's Fashion Gala.

Quan was a BalletX dancer for 8 seasons and credits the intensely creative atmosphere within the company, working with choreographers like Matthew Neenan, Nicolo Fonte, Gabrielle Lamb and others, as well as the encouragement of Artistic Director Christine Cox, with inspiring her to create dances of her own. “BalletX was my education for creating work,” Quan told Broad Street Review in a 2024 interview, “Companies don't make that much new work ever!” 

Known for her joyous choreography that features a quirky and musical movement style, Quan's Winter Series World Premiere is a vibrant new ballet inspired by timeless music of the 40s, 50s, and 60s.

Gregory Dawson's World Premiere 

A former dancer with the Alonzo King LINES Ballet for 18 seasons, Gregory Dawson is the Founder and Artistic Director of dawsondancesf, as well as a renowned educator, Chair of Dance for the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) and faculty member for LINES Ballet BFA and Professional Training programs.

He has made over 70 works since founding dawsondancesf in 2007. The company has “steadily delivered risk-taking, muscularly elegant performances,” raves San Francisco Gate, and Gregory has commissioned new ballets for Boston Conservatory, Menlowe Ballet, Robert Moses' Kin, Tacoma Metropolitan Ballet, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company, and compositions for all of Alonzo King LINES Ballet's education programs. 

Dawson uses the classical vernacular of ballet to push choreographic boundaries in unpredictable ways. Balancing grace with highly kinetic motion, he allows his dancers to utilize and showcase every ounce of their animal energy. He is known for his collaborations with jazz artists, including seven works with the heralded Richard Howell Quintet. This is Gregory's first world premiere with BalletX and will feature live music and composition by renowned Philadelphia pianist Luke Carlos O'Reilly and his band.

Nicolo Fonte's Steep Drop, Euphoric

“Gleefully dramatic and technically challenging…This is what dance can be, Fonte seems to be saying, and isn't it glorious?” raved Thinking Dance about the 2019 world premiere of Nicolo Fonte's Steep Drop, Euphoric for BalletX. The piece returns to a Philadelphia stage for the first time and promises to be a dramatic addition to Winter Series 2025.

Fonte, renowned for his captivating fusion of ideas, dance, and design, studied at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York, San Francisco Ballet, School of American Ballet and also completed a Bachelor Degree of Fine Arts at SUNY Purchase. His dance career took him from Peridance in NYC, to Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, and, ultimately to Nacho Duato's Compañia Nacional de Danza in Madrid.

Fonte's choreography has been performed by companies large and small all over the globe – from Het National Ballet in Amsterdam to the National Dance Company of El Salvador. From 2002 to 2006 Nicolo enjoyed an ongoing creative partnership with The Gothenburg Ballet in Sweden, and has been an important contributor to the repertories of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet as well as BalletX. He is currently the Resident Choreographer for Ballet West in Salt Lake City and has contributed numerous successful works to the repertory of this acclaimed ensemble.

Winter Series 2025 will take place at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, Feb. 12 at 7:30pm, Feb. 13 at 7:30pm, Feb. 14 at 7:30pm, Feb. 15 at 2pm and 7:30pm and Feb. 16 at 2pm and 7:00pm. For more information, tickets, and subscriptions, visit balletx.org.

Feb. 13 will feature a Post-Show Curtain Chat moderated by BalletX Rehearsal Director and Community Liaison, Keelan Whitmore. 

Feb. 14 will be Young Xers night, featuring a post-show cocktail hour with BalletX dancers including complimentary beverages. 

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