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BalletX Company Member Eli Alford · philly has heART

0:15
Hey, Lucinda. Hey, Robert. How's it going? Pretty
0:18
good. It was a great weekend of art. What did
0:20
you do? I got to go to a amazing art party, which
0:27
was a collaboration between the ballet and the
0:31
opera. And at one of the amazing patrons homes
0:38
in Bryn Mawr, Anthony. Costanza, was singing
0:43
opera. He did two songs from The Sound of Music,
0:48
Poolside. Casual. Yeah, with backup singers.
0:53
And then later in the evening, the ballet did
0:58
three dances. One from Carmen with Anthony singing.
1:04
It was so incredible. I mean, the next season
1:07
for both of these institutions is going to be...
1:11
Well, I have my subscriptions to each. And PS
1:15
.com, Carmen is going to be the opener for the
1:20
Philadelphia Ballet next year, right? Yes. I
1:24
believe they're going to do that with the gala
1:28
too. So more information on gala drop coming
1:32
soon. How about yourself? Would you do this again?
1:36
My family and I went to the Philadelphia Theater
1:39
Company's opening of Small Ball. Oh, how was
1:42
that? The pre -show email mentioned it was recommended
1:46
for those no younger than 13. Oh, well, you brought
1:50
two of them. I brought two of them. I knew that
1:54
they were eventually going to pass out probably
1:56
within the first five minutes of the production,
1:58
but they were just acting so rogue that my husband
2:01
took them. home before the curtain even rose.
2:06
Tapped out. The plot had to do with a human -sized
2:10
person on an island of Lilliputians. Huh. Like
2:15
in Gulliver's Travels. Oh, okay. And the set
2:18
design was so impressive from the oversized basketball
2:22
hoop on one end to a regulation basketball hoop
2:26
on the other end and a regular -sized desk and
2:30
a miniature desk. So the miniature desk is where
2:34
the quote unquote human sized person was sitting.
2:37
Gotcha. And then the regular sized desk under
2:40
the huge basketball hoop is where the natives
2:44
to the island were sitting. It was ingenious.
2:48
Also, I will say that there was copious use of
2:52
manipulating lights. silhouettes and shadows
2:56
that allowed two differently sized characters
2:59
playing close proximity and it would blow up
3:02
one silhouette while making the other one standard
3:06
size wow yeah it was so smart the production
3:10
was really offbeat and there was a little bit
3:13
of audience interaction i haven't told you this
3:15
but the antagonist even had a song where he kind
3:20
of slunk off the stage And sat on my aisle armrest
3:25
while he sang. What? After. Your personal serenade?
3:30
After going into another audience member's, really
3:33
a Suzanne Roberts theater volunteer, purse and
3:37
taking a granola bar from her purse and opening
3:40
and snacking on said granola bar. That's some
3:43
interaction. So that was Friday night. And then
3:46
on Saturday, Petit Garçon and I hit pie. Muse.
3:50
Pentimenti and fan galleries. Special shout out
3:54
to Pentimenti, who spied Petit Garçon doing the
3:57
potty dance and allowed him to use the facilities.
4:00
Kind of unheard of. Also, Muse Gallery, the team
4:04
member there, her name was Bonnie, was especially
4:07
interactive with Petit Garçon and talking through
4:10
colors of the abstracts. Oh, yeah. What is their...
4:15
They're so good. What is their exhibition this
4:18
month? Muse Gallery has an exhibition from Jean
4:22
Plough titled Figure Slash Ground. Robert, that's
4:26
all I got. Wow. We have an amazing conversation
4:28
with an amazingly talented dancer. Let's get
4:32
on to it. On to the conversation. This is Robert
4:49
Marsh, and you're listening to Philly Has Heart
4:51
Podcast. In this podcast, we sit down with artists,
4:54
gallerists, educators, curators, and other creatives
4:58
who comprise the Philadelphia art world to discuss
5:01
upcoming performances, exhibits, and other events
5:04
and initiatives that cannot be missed. The art
5:08
scene in Philadelphia is so rich that it can
5:11
seem daunting. Consider this your weekend cultural
5:14
recommendation. With me always is my producer,
5:17
Lucinda Digerland. Hello. And today, we have
5:21
Eli Alford of Ballet X. Hi, everyone. Hi, Robert.
5:27
Hi, Lucinda. Thank you guys so much for having
5:28
me. We're so happy to have you. Yay! So happy.
5:32
Okay, I know we went through this when you stepped
5:34
into Robert's seat a month ago to record the
5:37
intro and outro with me. But I met Eli about
5:40
two years ago at Barry's, that entire Barry's
5:44
team, and we just... finished talking about this
5:46
offline. Both the coaches and the non -coaching
5:49
staff were just the best that era. I look back
5:54
so fondly on that time, mostly because I was
5:56
pregnant. And fun fact, the Barry's coaches were
6:00
some of the first people I told about that pregnancy
6:02
because I was working out. So, I mean, I was
6:05
working out at the time and I wanted to let them
6:07
know, hey, just a quiet heads up with child.
6:12
And then I went on to take classes until I looked
6:15
it up the Monday before the Friday that I went
6:19
into labor. Yeah. Yeah. So all of us there were
6:25
like, when is she going to tap? But at the same
6:28
time, like. We hope it's not soon. Or in class.
6:32
We're going to miss her. Or in class, yeah. We
6:34
hope it's not in the red room. We are not trained
6:35
for that. It's not in the handbook, Lucinda.
6:37
We're going to need you to take that business
6:39
elsewhere. We hope your water break's not in
6:44
the red room. Yes. So, Eli, you are also a little
6:48
bit of a local celebrity in our world. I think
6:51
I mentioned this to you already, Robert, but
6:53
recently you were sitting behind us. at a Philadelphia
6:58
ballet production. I think it was Bolero. And
7:01
the kids were getting really, really rogue and
7:02
rowdy in between the second and third productions,
7:05
so my husband took them home early, and you sat
7:07
next to me. And while we were waiting for Bolero
7:11
to start, you know what I'm going to say, Eli
7:14
was recognized by another audience member as
7:18
a BalletX company member, and she said what a
7:23
huge fan she was. Yes, and that was so sweet.
7:26
It warmed my heart. But I'm not going to claim
7:28
the celebrity status. That was very sweet. But,
7:31
you know, the dance world here, what we love
7:33
about Philly is the arts community is strong
7:35
and close -knit, and they're not scared to come
7:37
up to you and say, hi, you're doing great. And,
7:40
you know, when I'm at another show, I'm in my
7:42
arena, dare I say. So that would be the place,
7:45
I guess, for someone to recognize me. And I'm
7:47
thankful that patrons of one form of dance come
7:51
to another just down the street. But I will say
7:54
it does make me a little excited when that happens.
7:56
And it's really sweet. And also it just reminds
7:58
you, like, you never know, like, who you're touching
8:01
because I've probably never met that person before
8:03
after a show. But to think that, like, they remembered
8:06
it, it was enough to get them to come up to say
8:09
something in, like, a scary world where not a
8:12
lot of us go out of our way to introduce ourselves.
8:16
that's like the biggest compliment ever. 100%.
8:19
And now that person has such a stronger relationship
8:21
because they know you and they have interacted
8:24
with you out in the real world that they're going
8:27
to come back for next season for Ballet X. Well,
8:30
I hope so. You are so gracious. Oh, well, thank
8:33
you. Thank you. Eli, let's take it back and let's
8:37
talk about your dancer origin story. Where did
8:41
this all start? Yes. Okay, so I'm originally
8:44
from Alabama. quite a little bit away from Philly.
8:47
But I was always kind of a theatrical kid. Growing
8:50
up, I just couldn't stop watching Hannah Montana.
8:52
And I was like, I want to be a pop star. I want
8:54
to be in movies, Broadway, something. I did a
8:56
couple musical theater camps and stuff. And I
8:59
was really into it. I loved it. Wanted to maybe
9:01
pursue it further. But then really quickly, my
9:03
voice changed. And I got very insecure of my
9:06
singing voice. And the singing wasn't for me.
9:09
So I really... wanted to start dancing. My mom
9:12
would take me to the Nutcracker every year at
9:13
the Alvin Ballet, and I told her one day, I'm
9:15
going to do that. My mom and my dad apparently
9:18
went back and forth about it, putting me in ballet
9:20
particularly, being boy in Alabama but one year
9:24
I woke up I was 12 years old and hanging on my
9:26
Christmas tree on Christmas morning was a packet
9:28
of papers and Santa had registered me for dance
9:32
classes and I'll never forget that day so it's
9:35
kind of weird because I started in the middle
9:37
of a season you know local dance studios run
9:39
on a school system so I went in in January so
9:43
excited didn't know a thing my mom had to buy
9:44
my first ballet shoes I was the only guy so all
9:47
the girls were looking at me like I was crazy
9:49
I was 12 and that's pretty late for a lot of
9:51
people that start dance at like three. Because
9:53
even though you might not be doing much when
9:54
you're young, you still learn the positions and
9:56
where your arms go. And I didn't know a thing.
9:58
I didn't even know we started with a bar. But
10:00
I took that first class. I came home. I went
10:02
straight to my basement and I just tried to redo
10:04
everything we did. And I knew this is for me.
10:09
I instantly knew. How often were you going to
10:11
dance per week when you started? And the minute
10:14
you left dance, did you put a week countdown
10:17
on the timer and say, go? Oh. absolutely so the
10:22
way it worked out the way santa i guess worked
10:25
was that if i'm registered for ballet i have
10:28
to be registered for hip -hop which is kind of
10:30
foundational i think to my story so i went to
10:32
dance once a week and i took the hip -hop course
10:34
and then i took the ballet course immediately
10:36
after and oh my word was i itching for thursdays
10:41
wednesday nights i was like just get me to thursday
10:43
get me to thursday get me to thursday so i did
10:45
that for half a year like I said, fell in love,
10:48
knew instantly that it was for me. The studio
10:50
that I joined was called Encore Performance Company.
10:52
And they have a competition team in addition
10:54
to just being a recreational dance studio. And
10:56
I knew that to dance more, I needed to be on
11:00
the competition team. But how could I audition
11:02
for a competition team? I had taken one day of
11:05
dance, like a week. But the director was like,
11:07
we would love to have a male. Join the intermediate
11:09
level and we're going to make it work. So I started
11:12
doing that at Encore for their next season that
11:14
same year when I was still 12. And I think it
11:17
was that year or the next year in 2013 where
11:20
the Alabama Ballet got word that there was a
11:24
male and they need someone to play. the little
11:26
prince, you guys have seen the Nutcracker. And
11:28
so I was asked to basically do it for them. And
11:31
that's what introduced me to the Alabama ballet.
11:34
After that, they were like, we would like to
11:35
scholarship you for you to train here at the
11:39
Alabama ballet school, which is just meets pretty
11:41
much every day after school. And I was like,
11:43
well, I'm not leaving Encore because by that
11:45
point I had built a family. I was on the competition
11:47
team. My mom was like, you've made a commitment.
11:49
So we worked it out where I trained in ballet.
11:53
all through the week, never missing an Alabama
11:55
ballet class. But on Sundays, which were the
11:57
competition rehearsal days where we ran all of
11:59
our pieces, did all of our cleanings, I was at
12:01
Encore. And it was able to work out because the
12:04
ballet teachers at Encore were company dancers
12:06
at the Alabama Ballet. And they kind of vouched
12:09
for me when I had to go away for a competition
12:11
one weekend or when I had to miss a competition
12:14
rehearsal to rehearse our variation that we were
12:16
doing at the end of the year ballet show at the
12:18
Alabama Ballet, right? So it was kind of almost
12:19
a partnership that I and a couple of friends
12:22
did that were more serious about dance and wanted
12:24
to get good at our ballet. I went through the
12:26
school. They do the Royal Academy of Dance program.
12:28
So this is a curriculum from London. You take
12:31
an exam at the end of every year. You get marks
12:34
to progress to the next level. I did that all
12:37
through high school. I considered going to the
12:40
Fine Arts High School in Alabama, but they don't
12:43
allow you to go to other studios. So like I said,
12:45
I was committed to Encore where I started. So
12:49
I went to a private Christian high school and
12:52
school always came first. Even though my parents
12:55
could tell I really, really loved dance and that
12:57
was where I was going. I remember specifically
12:59
I had a B on a progress report card and my mom
13:01
drove me to dance and made me watch my class
13:04
happen because I didn't have an A. So it's always
13:06
school first. But I appreciate it so much. First
13:10
of all, Eli's mom is absolutely amazing. Is a
13:14
beautiful, stunning creature. She's my favorite
13:17
person. Absolutely. Such a cheerleader for you.
13:21
Yes. so many of your performances and is such
13:26
a rock. Yeah. I'm so blessed. We FaceTime every
13:28
day. I love it. Yeah. I'm very grateful for her.
13:31
We've been through it and we will continue to
13:33
go through it. But, um, she's the best and has
13:39
always been my, my biggest supporter, but school
13:42
is number one. And so I also kind of knew I was
13:45
looking at a college route come my senior year
13:47
and growing up in like the competition dance
13:49
world. I feel like looking back, that really
13:51
prepares you for a, commercial dance career which
13:55
if you don't understand the difference here i'll
13:57
explain it commercial dance being you typically
13:59
have an agent you are signed with them they either
14:03
put you in front of directors faces or casting
14:06
calls or get you into auditions or send opportunities
14:09
your way you're constantly basically auditioning
14:11
for gigs like commercials like dancing for beyonce
14:15
like this music video these things are always
14:17
happening and you might see certain faces again
14:20
and again because Their agent's probably really
14:21
good. That's like a commercial dance industry.
14:24
Obviously it's more nuanced than that, but concert
14:26
dance, meaning you're in a dance company like
14:28
a ballet X or another dance company, and you
14:31
are contracted with them for a season and you've
14:33
probably renewed that contract and stay with
14:35
them or audition elsewhere. So I knew I wanted
14:37
to take a more. concert dance approach. So the
14:41
schools I was really looking at were Juilliard,
14:43
USC. USC was my dream because it was a amazing
14:47
actual research institution where I could get
14:50
a college degree and full experience on top of
14:53
amazing dance experience. At the time, the director
14:55
was Jody Gates and the endowed professor was
14:58
William Forsyth, who is a major, major, major
15:00
name in the ballet world. And to be able to even
15:03
have one class with him over the course of four
15:04
years, to me is worth it. So I knew I wanted
15:07
to go to USC. And I obviously had to audition
15:09
for a couple of other programs. They're very
15:10
selective. They take around 25 kids in their
15:14
dance program each year. I remember my audition,
15:17
and it was kind of like that dance moment. Again,
15:20
the audition is a full day. You do a ballet class.
15:23
You do a contemporary class. You do improvisation.
15:25
You do hip -hop. You have an interview. You do
15:26
a solo. And it's all there in Los Angeles at
15:29
the school. And I remember coming out of the
15:31
audition, and my mom was shaking, so nervous
15:32
for her baby, her firstborn, to audition and
15:35
everything, all the way outside of Alabama in
15:37
Southern California. And she's like, how did
15:39
it go, baby? And I remember looking at her and
15:41
being like, I'm going here. I am going to this
15:44
school. I just knew it. I felt it within me.
15:47
It was so aligned. Obviously, I had to get accepted,
15:50
but I just knew it. And sure enough, I did. I
15:53
studied there for four years. I got my BFA in
15:55
dance from the USC Gloria Kaufman School of Dance.
15:58
I also pursued and got a minor in the biology
16:01
of human movement, which was way harder. than
16:05
any minor should be why was i on zoom during
16:08
covid throwing bouncy balls up and down in my
16:11
physics classes measuring their changing velocity
16:13
crazy stuff and i thought it was just going to
16:16
be cute to get a little science knowledge on
16:18
my dance movement no i was in the chemistry classes
16:21
with the pre -meds trying to break the curves
16:24
and all the stuff it was very hard it was very
16:27
hard but Grateful for it all because, again,
16:30
that's why I chose USC is I wanted the academic
16:33
rigor on top of the artistic excellence, which
16:35
I definitely got. And because of my experiences
16:38
in high school with my mom kind of pushing me
16:40
and ultimately me pushing me, it made me an amazing
16:43
student both in the studio and in the classroom.
16:46
And I was able to take advantage of USC, I think,
16:50
the best of my ability despite COVID. COVID happened
16:53
while I was there, started my sophomore year.
16:57
my whole junior year was online, which as you
16:59
can imagine for a dancer next to impossible,
17:02
like I really felt like we were just making stuff
17:04
up to do every day because it was so bleak and
17:07
grim during that time. But fortunately I was
17:10
able to be in the apartment that I could no longer,
17:14
I couldn't cancel my lease. I'd already signed
17:15
it in Los Angeles. So I was with my friends,
17:18
and we made it work. We were creating together.
17:21
We kept doing ballet together in our kitchens.
17:23
But the other thing that USC taught me was it
17:25
allowed me to be a student worker within the
17:28
dance school. So I got to do arts admin, operational
17:30
work. I was opening and closing the building.
17:32
I was running the audition that I did just a
17:35
couple years ago, doing discover events to get
17:37
new kids to discover the school. And it just
17:40
opened up my world to what the world of art is.
17:44
what it means functioning in the economy and
17:47
in our country, what it looks like. And from
17:51
there, I auditioned for I think it was close
17:53
to 50 companies, and I got accepted into none
17:58
of them. So I was getting very nervous that my
18:00
four -year degree was looking like it wasn't
18:03
going to be used. So I had auditioned for Ballet
18:05
X. I remember that same feeling, and I told Christine,
18:09
the director, when I was there, I really feel
18:11
like I'm going to dance here. I only had taken
18:13
one ballet class. It wasn't a good class. I know
18:16
I didn't look great in that class. I remember
18:17
it. But I still remember thinking, I belong here.
18:20
After all of my auditions, sending stuff in,
18:22
all the research, the Excel sheets I had created,
18:25
I knew Ballet X was where I was going to be.
18:28
I was on my senior trip in Hawaii. maybe had
18:30
a little too drinks in me. This was long after
18:33
Ballet X had like announced their season. And
18:34
I get an email from Tara saying like, hey, we'd
18:36
like to have a talk with you. And then I knew
18:38
finally manifested it. It worked out. They offered
18:41
me a fellowship. So I moved to Philadelphia in
18:44
August of 2022 after graduating in May, started
18:47
as a fellow, which is basically the ultimate
18:49
understudy at Ballet X. You're not guaranteed
18:51
to perform. There are a couple opportunities
18:53
for it, but you're there on the rehearsal days
18:56
because we're a small company where if someone
18:58
goes out and the choreographer needs to. create
19:00
they need a body you can step in things like
19:02
that it's great learning experience very hard
19:05
taught me a lot but in December there was a position
19:08
available and I was promoted that same year which
19:11
I was grateful because the fellowship position
19:13
is only a year long so I was looking at another
19:15
year of auditioning which is very very hard because
19:18
you have to refilm everything you have to resend
19:20
everything so I was grateful because like I knew
19:23
it I was going to end up at Ballet X and so I've
19:25
been there ever since finishing up my third season
19:28
in August I'll finish the season that's my story
19:31
so long winded you guys but thanks for listening
19:34
Eli, so yes, it's been three years since you've
19:39
been promoted from dance fellow to company member.
19:41
What has been your biggest, most proudest moment
19:44
with Ballet X? It's really hard to say what is
19:48
my most proud moment because... Obvious ones
19:51
that come to mind would be this past season we
19:53
got to perform at the Kennedy Center. And this
19:55
is a venue that you hear about it even if you're
19:58
honestly not a dancer or in the arts. It's just
20:01
like America's performing arts venue. So I learned
20:04
about it on my fifth grade trip to Washington,
20:06
D .C., learning my states and capitals. So that
20:09
is a big moment, but I also have so many proud
20:12
moments, one of them being when I get to see
20:15
our Dance Exchange kids perform and these kids
20:18
that would never experience dance otherwise.
20:20
are performing and smiling and their parents
20:22
are there. That makes me so proud to be a part
20:24
of Ballet X. Or when I'm at work and I find myself
20:28
like having a genuine deep conversation about
20:30
dance or life with someone, I'm so proud to be
20:32
a part of a company where we can support and
20:34
uplift each other. There's a lot of moments.
20:36
Meeting donors or meeting people like you guys
20:39
through art. I never thought that would be a
20:41
part of my professional journey. And I've made
20:43
such great friends with people from so many different
20:46
generations. And that makes me proud that art's
20:49
able to do that. that sorry to not really answer
20:51
your question but there's so much to be proud
20:52
of belly x has been a great partner for the city
20:57
and it seems like at each one of the performances,
21:00
they find great partnerships with other creatives.
21:05
Is there one that has stood out in your time
21:07
over the last three years? Yeah, I think in part
21:10
a lot of that is due to our director, Christine.
21:12
So she's Philly born and raised, West Philly,
21:15
and she'll let you know if you couldn't tell.
21:17
But she's amazing, and I think she has a passion
21:20
for truly fostering collaboration within our
21:23
city, which only invigorates it more. One particularly
21:27
that stands out was recently at our fall series
21:30
that you were at. It might have been the spring
21:33
series. Spring series, yes, where it was Greg
21:36
Dawson's piece. It's called Sojourner. We collaborated
21:39
with a jazz band that was completely curated
21:42
and directed by Luke O 'Reilly, who's here playing
21:45
in the city all the time. I actually just saw
21:47
one of his flyers. I was like, oh, I can't believe
21:48
I missed it. He's amazing. That was great because
21:51
there's a lot of time, you know, we rehearsed
21:53
to a track. We get on stage. There's a string
21:55
quartet there. We're like, oh, great, lovely
21:56
guys. They play, and they're beautiful. It's
21:58
great. It doesn't really feel collaborative.
22:00
But with them, the tracks were different every
22:03
night. And we were telling them, hey, let's try
22:06
this. Let's try that. They were open to suggestion,
22:09
and that really informed our dancing. I felt
22:12
really tuned in. I looked so forward to that
22:15
piece because it was so different every night.
22:17
So that one. That one stood out. That's excellent.
22:19
You recently performed Maslow's Peak, a production
22:24
inspired by Lord of the Flies, at The Man. Lucinda
22:29
was at the Saturday performance when there was
22:35
a downpour during the first act. So the rain
22:38
added to the ambiance of the performance. Can
22:42
you tell us what that experience was like dancing
22:45
through that? Definitely. I call that night the
22:50
immersive experience evening. If only we had
22:54
a little bit more foresight, we could have maybe
22:56
charged a little bit extra to get people to come.
22:59
Although, to be honest with you, it was quite
23:01
frightening. We had heard that maybe some rain
23:04
was coming. If you've never been to The Man,
23:06
it is an amphitheater, so it's outdoors, but
23:07
it's covered. So we knew that rain was coming
23:10
and we were going to be okay, but you guys...
23:12
This was some rain and it was blowing in all
23:15
directions. So the ballet starts, if you didn't
23:18
see it, some of us are hanging from the rafters
23:21
in ropes and on props and we're supposed to look
23:25
like we've just had a plane crash. To hear thunder,
23:27
to feel breezes that are not normally there and
23:30
people shuffling, it was already kind of like
23:33
a... okay, this is going to be a show moment.
23:35
And there's a moment finally when we're all kind
23:38
of together and we're getting a clump and we
23:40
do this unison moment. And at that moment, I
23:42
feel like the rain was at its hardest. I'm really
23:44
making this so dramatic, but it felt dramatic
23:46
on stage. I'm going to be honest with you. It
23:48
felt dramatic and there was lightning and thunder
23:51
and we were hitting these accents. And honestly.
23:54
sorry to cost on the podcast but i was like let's
23:56
fucking go like this is it come on and we just
24:01
kind of pushed through it got a little scary
24:03
especially when we went off stage actually because
24:05
the wind had blown the wings which are curtains
24:08
Almost together. So when you turned around to
24:10
go back on stage, your portal basically on stage
24:13
was no longer there. So like, where are we? You're
24:16
looking at a black curtain when I'm supposed
24:17
to be looking at the stage. So we had to like
24:19
claw our way through back there. It didn't get
24:22
too wet on stage, but it forced everyone to get
24:24
a little bit closer to us, more central and forward.
24:27
So I think that heightened the energy as well.
24:30
And then when the first act finished, we were
24:32
like, well. are we stopping? Are we going? No
24:34
one knew. We kind of just were like, let's see
24:36
it calm down by the second act. But all my hair
24:39
was like standing up on my skin for act one that
24:42
night. And it was great. Ballet X does an amazing
24:44
job of engaging the audience, especially at the
24:47
beginning of each one of the pieces, walking
24:50
them through what the company had done to pull
24:55
the piece together while also explaining the
24:58
piece to the audience. Do you feel that that
25:01
helps? them more and do you feel that that also
25:06
heightens the experience that the audience has
25:09
i i do think it does i've heard positive feedback
25:13
and i also know from being in the audience let's
25:18
say you're with someone there's probably one
25:21
person that's really excited and the other got
25:23
dragged along you know or there's large group
25:26
and there's gonna be different levels of engagement
25:28
from the get -go and I think what you're referring
25:30
to being like the mini video Documentaries that
25:33
we do before each performance that are done by
25:34
a professional videographer. They're edited.
25:36
They show us in rehearsal room They show the
25:38
choreographer talking about some of the intentions
25:39
and the inspirations and stuff. It really does
25:42
kind of palette cleanse also on our triple bill
25:46
shows it sets the tone a little bit because sometimes
25:50
the videos are playful and they get some laughs
25:52
and that when we're behind the curtain we know
25:54
we've kind of got the audience already kind of
25:56
warmed up maybe they're going to be even more
25:58
ready to receive there is a part of me sometime
26:01
that's like and i have to like think critically
26:03
when i these thoughts come up and i'm like are
26:06
we watering down art too much like are we telling
26:09
people a little too much what to experience or
26:12
what to look for and therefore robbing them of
26:15
a true maybe art experience of making their own
26:19
sense of it But I do think we do a pretty good
26:22
job of leaving it open. And when it comes to
26:26
dance today, I just don't think it can be stressed
26:28
enough. Honestly, whatever, to get people in
26:31
there. So what if it's not high art anymore because
26:33
a protection string comes down? People are seeing
26:36
dance and engaging with art that wouldn't have
26:37
walked in the door. And people look forward to
26:40
it. So why not? Why not be creative? And also,
26:44
it's commissioning another artist in a way. The
26:46
video editing, I mean, you guys know from your
26:48
podcasting. an art of its own so to me it feels
26:52
appropriate what has been your favorite venue
26:54
to dance at that's a great question because i'll
26:59
have to list a couple so my senior year at usc
27:03
we had the opportunity to perform in germany
27:06
in a very small suburb of nuremberg They made
27:11
it an educational experience. So we had to do
27:13
some dance learning on the town and everything
27:15
and do some cultural experiences while we were
27:17
there. But ultimately, we were getting to perform.
27:19
And it was our senior year. After we had graduated,
27:21
we had to come back in the summer. Oh, my gosh.
27:23
We loved that because we were already crying
27:25
on graduation day. So to come back and already
27:27
kind of have graduated and just get to dance
27:29
was a dream come true. So that was my first ever
27:32
big international debut. And so I will always
27:35
cherish that performance, that venue in Firth,
27:38
Germany. Performing at the Joyce in New York
27:41
City my first time with Ballet X was huge. The
27:44
set's New York's home for dance. So many amazing
27:47
companies have danced there. I have seen amazing
27:49
companies there, and I was on the same stage
27:51
in the same dressing room. Pinch Me moment. Kennedy
27:54
Center, as I've mentioned, was also very, very
27:56
big. What are you most excited about for next
27:59
season for Ballet X? Well, I'm so happy you asked,
28:01
Robert. Next season is a huge year for Ballet
28:03
X. It's our 20th anniversary season. Wow. Yes,
28:06
20 years. It's really exciting. I'm so happy
28:10
to be here for the 20th. Like, so great. We are
28:13
just on the cusp of doing our season announcement.
28:16
So check us out, BallyX, on pretty much all social
28:20
medias, if you haven't already. And this will
28:23
become public knowledge soon, so I feel like
28:24
I can drop it. But at the man next year. We are
28:27
doing a reimagined four seasons. Now, this is
28:31
kind of commonly done, but the best thing about
28:32
this, I think, is that we're having four different
28:34
choreographers do each season. So it'll be a
28:38
collaborative choreographic effort. And then
28:41
the music itself, Vivaldi's score, is going to
28:44
be reimagined by Dan Deacon, which I don't know
28:46
if you know, but he did this piece called Become
28:49
a Mountain. He works a lot with Justin Peck in
28:51
New York City. He's come and performed with us.
28:53
He performed with us live at the Kennedy Center.
28:54
He sang Become a Mountain live. for us there.
28:56
So we've worked with him before and to hear him
28:59
reimagining the music for choreographers at The
29:02
Man, it's going to be a little bit later in the
29:04
year. So it'll definitely be warm. Hopefully
29:06
no rain this year. I'm really looking forward
29:08
to that one. What are you most excited for short
29:12
term for Ballet X? Definitely. So right now the
29:16
company is gearing up for its summer series,
29:19
which is in July. But even before that, we're
29:22
doing a pop -up performance at Dilworth Park.
29:25
City Hall, and that's going to be on June 12th.
29:29
So coming up very soon, you can catch us right
29:31
out there. And then other than that, it's our
29:33
show in July. You are going to see two world
29:35
premieres. One is Amy Hall Garner's Reimagined
29:39
Petrushka, and that's going to be a preview of
29:42
it. We're going to premiere the full thing with
29:45
the Chamber Music Ensemble at the Kemmel in January
29:48
of 2026. We're also doing a world premiere by
29:51
our choreographic fellow. Her name is Noelle
29:53
Kaiser. And then it is the 10th year anniversary
29:57
of a piece by Matthew Needens called The Last
30:00
Glass. This piece really was, I guess, seminal
30:04
to his choreographic journey. So we're very excited
30:07
to bring that back too. Eli, where can people
30:10
find you online in real life? In real life, I'm
30:13
here in Philly, as long as Ballet X is. And then
30:16
if they're a tour, I'm probably on that tour.
30:18
So you'll find me here. And then online, I'm
30:21
on Instagram at Eli underscore Alford. I think
30:24
that's really the only platform that I update
30:26
or use. You'll also catch me on the Ballet X
30:28
Instagram because we're creating content on there
30:32
for you. So make sure to follow that as well.
30:34
So we have some rapid fire questions to close
30:36
this out. Okay. I'm going to try to get ready.
30:38
I'm nervous for this part actually. Okay. What
30:40
is your favorite Philadelphia neighborhood? I
30:44
would say Rittenhouse because I know it the most,
30:46
but if I knew it better, I feel like it'd be
30:48
old city. Which performance company is the city
30:51
sleeping on? Okay. So I saw this question. I
30:54
want to flip it. I think it's my generation that's
30:58
sleeping on all performance companies. People
31:00
my age need to be in shows and seeing. Music,
31:05
dance, art, theater, drama, anything. So I think
31:08
they're the ones sleeping. Love it. We're working
31:10
hard out here. The performing arts organizations
31:11
are. I'll tell you that. We're not sleeping.
31:16
Cheesesteaks, whiz, or without? So I was vegan
31:18
for six years. So I just broke it, though. So
31:22
I actually have yet to have my Philly cheesesteak
31:25
experience. Oh, my gosh. We got to do it. And
31:27
I feel like if you're going to do it, like, got
31:29
to be with whiz. Like, just go in, right? Yeah.
31:31
So, yeah. If you could see any ballet performance
31:34
in history in its original iteration, no limitations,
31:39
what would it be? So my favorite ballet of all
31:42
time is Glass Pieces by Jerome Robbins. So I
31:45
would love to see its premiere and just like
31:49
be there and be in the crowd. But I also think
31:53
I would want to be at... William Forsythe impressing
31:57
the Tsar. Very experimental for its time. And
32:00
if you've seen clips on YouTube, it's crazy that
32:03
this man was doing this theatrical things with
32:07
ballet. And I know the audience both hated it
32:09
and loved it. And I would have loved to have
32:11
been there for that. Which brand makes the best
32:14
dance apparel? So my friend from the Philadelphia
32:16
Ballet, Javier. He would never tell you, but
32:20
he makes his own like leg warmers, unitards,
32:23
bike tards. So I'm pushing him to start it. So
32:27
I'm going to say him. He has the best dancewear
32:29
now. It's the hottest. You got to check it out.
32:31
Yeah. I was just with him on Thursday. He never
32:33
said anything about that. I know. So next time
32:36
we'll get you some leg warmers. I bet you'll
32:38
look good in them too. Love it. Favorite drink
32:41
of the moment. It's always going to be cold brew.
32:43
No matter the, always. I love it. Are you a Carrie,
32:47
Samantha, Miranda, or Charlotte? Embarrassing
32:50
alert. I have not watched Sex and the City. You
32:52
guys, I know. It just wasn't my show. You're
32:55
going to have to change it for the generations.
32:57
I know. I need to start. But I was into Gossip
33:00
Girl. XOXO. Yes. So that was, I feel like, my
33:04
Sex and the City. 100%. The girls running around
33:07
New York just causing a ruckus. Yeah. I got my
33:11
fix from that. On a one through million times
33:14
affinity, how proud is Michelle of all three
33:17
of her sons? Oh my, unquantifiable. Unquantifiable.
33:22
Like you guys, this woman, it's next level. Yeah.
33:26
So proud. She'll love that. Well, Eli, thank
33:30
you so much for your time today. Thank you for
33:32
sharing your stories with us. Yeah, thank you
33:34
guys. And everyone, check out Ballet X and Eli
33:37
on stage. Yes, see you guys soon. What an incredible
33:54
conversation. I mean, Eli can go on and on and
33:58
we just want to know more. I know. I want to
34:02
know more. As I was editing it, I had more questions
34:05
for Eli. Yeah. So he'll be back. I want his mom
34:08
on. Give us the real tea, mama. Let's go. So
34:12
this weekend, guys, make sure you go and see
34:16
Tara. bodies and territories. That's gotta be
34:20
on your calendar for either this weekend, June
34:23
13th, 14th, and 15th, or the 20th, 21st, and
34:27
22nd. Robert! Yes. I bought us tickets for Sunday.
34:30
Perfect. We're going to be spending our Father's
34:33
Day in the woods. Of Black Womb Hood is out at
34:38
the Da Vinci Art Alliance. At the Da Vinci Art
34:41
Alliance. We didn't make it last weekend, but
34:44
we hopefully will see it this upcoming weekend.
34:46
Again, the oral histories are incredibly powerful
34:49
and linked, and we're looking forward to the
34:52
exhibition. How about yourself? What are you
34:55
up to? What else is going on in the city? Small
34:57
Ball continues its run at Suzanne Roberts Theatre
35:01
throughout the month of June. It's offbeat. Don't
35:04
bring your five -year -old. Also, I have to recommend
35:07
the Jean Plough exhibition at Muse Gallery. It's
35:11
called Figure Slash Ground, and it is a series
35:13
of abstracts. It also is running through the
35:18
month of June. Other things on our radar? is
35:21
the Art for Cash Poor this Saturday at noon to
35:24
6 p .m. at the Crean Building at 1400 North American
35:28
Street in Kensington. All of the art is priced
35:31
at $250 or less. Also, tickets for Ballet X Summer
35:37
Series. They're on sale for July 16th through
35:40
the 20th, but the company will also be at a pop
35:44
-up at Dilworth Park on June 12th. And by the
35:46
time this episode drops, that will be tomorrow.
35:50
With that, Philly has heart. And art. Are we
36:26
warm? Are we warm? I think we've got the connection
36:28
going.