At 20, BalletX has developed into a contemporary company of strong dancers that consistently brings Philadelphia audiences something new. While most dance companies commission new work, BalletX leans heavily into the world premieres.
This approach is largely a win for both the dancers and audiences. But when a standout work comes along, it can be a long wait before it returns.
BalletX premiered Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s The Little Prince in 2019 and brought it on tour, giving the company ample time to deepen its relationship with this delightful piece. But Wednesday’s opening night of the summer season at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre marked the first opportunity for Philly audiences to see it again in seven years.
Nearly all of the dancers are new since 2016, and many of the costumes have been refreshed. Even so, assembling the finished product turned out to be a struggle. Three dancers were injured, artistic and executive director Christine Cox said in a pre-show introduction.
The finished product was as charming as it was when it premiered.
The story on stage is clear, though reading the novella — or at least the program synopsis — beforehand adds helpful context. It is about a pilot who crashes his plane on an asteroid and meets a little prince who tells him a story about meeting wacky characters on various planets. The prince wants to get to earth to save his precious rose, but later discovers that she is not the only rose in the universe.
Meanwhile, death — in the former of a snake — slithers through the story, tempting both characters at every turn.
For both the little prince and the pilot, the story is a journey toward returning home, giving it echoes of The Wizard of Oz. It also recalls BalletX’s other signature evening-length work, company co-founder Matthew Neenan’s Sunset, o639 Hours, which likewise centers on a plane crash and features live music performed onstage.
In 2019, the role of the snake was so alluringly danced by former BalletX dancer Stanley Glover that it was hard to imagine it performed by anyone else. But Lopez Ochoa designed the role to be performed alternatively by a man and a woman, and Wednesday night it was performed by Ashley Simpson.
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Simpson doesn’t have Glover’s impossibly long limbs, but her technique is stellar and she made the role her own. She commands the stage, her fellow dancers, composer Peter Salem (who performs live on stage), and even the audience. Simpson has excelled in many BalletX roles, but this performance showcases her unmistakeable star quality.
Eli Alford is a charming little prince who takes us through the story (Nancy Meckler was the librettist and dramaturgist) and interacts with all the characters.
Jonathan Montepara is another who got his moment in this unexpectedly smaller cast. Dancing the role of the pilot, he showed a range of emotion and movie-star good looks.
Though the story explores weighty themes of fear, despair and death, Lopez Ochoa balances them with a sense of wonder. Matt Saunders’ set — built from dozens of white boxes that suggest the limitless possibilities of a child’s imagination — and dancers darting across the stage carrying whimsical props keep the production visually playful.
The Little Prince closes BalletX’s 20th anniversary season, which largely revisited works from the company’s repertory. The ballet runs through Sunday before returning to the archives.
BalletX in “The Little Prince”
Through Sunday, July 19. Suzanne Roberts Theatre. $50-$90, 215-225-5389 ext. 250 or [email protected]
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