As BalletX celebrates its 20th Anniversary Season, we\u2019re highlighting members of our community whose journey to dance has taken unexpected \u2014 and inspiring \u2014 turns. We\u2019re thrilled to feature Bob and Toni Newton<\/strong>, who first encountered BalletX in 2019 and quickly became passionate supporters of the company.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was anything but traditional ballet \u2014 inventive, challenging, and impossible to ignore.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Before BalletX, Toni had taken tap and ballet as a kid \u2014 pretty typical at the time \u2014 and had a light, occasional interest. Bob hadn\u2019t been exposed to dance at all and, to be honest, found most ballet (especially The Nutcracker) pretty sleep-inducing.<\/p>\n We were on a business trip to San Francisco in 2019 and looking for a performance to attend one evening. Our first thought was the orchestra, which we both enjoy, but they were playing a symphony we had recently heard. Toni noticed a flyer for a modern ballet performance at the Opera House, and we thought it might be interesting. The synchronization and athleticism of the dancers was immediately stunning. The way choreography, music, and lighting worked together \u2014 along with the variety of musical styles and movement \u2014 was striking. This was anything but traditional ballet: inventive, challenging, and impossible to ignore.<\/p>\n It was immediately clear to us that BalletX is a gem of an organization \u2014 something that needed to be kept alive. Some artistic assets are truly unique and contribute to the cultural vitality of a city. BalletX is one of those assets, and we felt compelled to support it.<\/p>\n As we\u2019ve gotten more involved, the personal nature of the company has become more and more evident. We support other arts organizations, but BalletX stands out as especially welcoming \u2014 opening doors to behind-the-scenes experiences and sharing insights that deepen our appreciation for the dancers and their work.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve brought each of our children \u2014 none of whom were really exposed to ballet growing up \u2014 and each one was captivated at their very first BalletX performance. It\u2019s not what you might expect, and you only need to experience it once to understand how exceptional it is.<\/p>\n As relatively new members of the BalletX community, we\u2019ve met others who have given us a sense of the company\u2019s deep history. Twenty years may not seem long, but it shows just how strong the company\u2019s roots are \u2014 and how much it has blossomed. We\u2019ve seen BalletX evolve and grow more stimulating each year, and we look forward to even more dynamic performances in the years ahead.<\/p>\n BalletX Donor Feature: \u201cWe Didn\u2019t Think Ballet Was for Us\u201d As BalletX celebrates its 20th Anniversary Season, we\u2019re highlighting members of our community whose journey to dance has taken unexpected…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":54200,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[220,217],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-interview"],"acf":[],"cp_meta_data":{"_wp_page_template":["default","default"],"_edit_lock":["1757685222:1204"],"_edit_last":["1204"],"_thumbnail_id":["54200"],"_mepr_unauthorized_message_type":["default"],"_mepr_unauthorized_message":[""],"_mepr_unauth_login":["default"],"_mepr_unauth_excerpt_type":["default"],"_mepr_unauth_excerpt_size":["100"],"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":["217"],"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":["30"],"_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":["3"],"_eael_post_view_count":["309"],"_elementor_page_assets":["a:0:{}"]},"yoast_head":"\nBefore discovering BalletX, what was your relationship with dance or ballet?<\/h4>\n
\nWhat drew you to attend your first BalletX performance?<\/h4>\n
\nThe performance was dramatically different from anything we\u2019d ever seen. When we returned to Philadelphia, we looked up local modern dance companies and discovered BalletX. We bought tickets to our first performance and were so impressed, we immediately made a contribution \u2014 and have attended just about every show since.<\/p>\n\nWhat surprised you about the experience?<\/h4>\n
\nWhat inspired you to support the company?<\/h4>\n
\nHow has your view of dance changed since becoming part of the BalletX community?<\/h4>\n
\nWhat would you tell someone who thinks ballet \u201cisn\u2019t for them\u201d?<\/h4>\n
\nWhat does it mean to you to be part of BalletX as it celebrates its 20th Anniversary Season \u2014 and what are you most looking forward to?<\/h4>\n
Inspired by Bob and Toni\u2019s story? Learn more about how you can support BalletX and be part of what\u2019s next at BalletX.org\/support.<\/em><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"