BalletX Unveils 2026 Festival at Highmark Mann

BalletX will premiere The Four Seasons Reimagined, an expansive new dance and music production two years in the making that reimagines Vivaldi's iconic work as a contemporary celebration of Mother Nature and our evolving relationship with the natural world.

The production features an original live score by composer and electronic music innovator Dan Deacon, performed live with a nine-member band, alongside four world premiere ballets by choreographers Morgann Runacre-Temple, Penny Saunders, Jamar Roberts, and Trey McIntyre.

The performances take place June 4-5, 2026 at the TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann and serve as a keystone event in Philadelphia's America250 celebrations, ArtPhilly's What Now: 2026 Festival, and Highmark Mann's 50th Anniversary season.

Inspired by Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, the new work transforms the beloved classical composition through electronic music, contemporary choreography, and immersive design. The four-part production unfolds as a living, breathing tribute to the natural world: a modern love letter to Mother Nature exploring the beauty, volatility, and wonder of the seasons.

Dan Deacon's score is performed live onstage with a nine-piece ensemble, blending electronic composition, orchestral textures, and the energy of live performance. A Baltimore-based composer, performer, and electronic music innovator, Deacon is known for his immersive concerts and wide-ranging work across music, film, and performance. His recent work includes scoring HBO's Task and the feature film Venom: The Last Dance, alongside a prolific body of albums and interdisciplinary collaborations that have expanded the possibilities of live electronic music.

“I was genuinely scared by the challenge — which is usually a good sign,” said Deacon. “The Four Seasons has been reimagined so many times. I wasn't interested in simply making another version. What unlocked it for me was thinking historically — how our relationship with nature has evolved.”

Each choreographer contributes a new work inspired by one of the seasons:

• Morgann Runacre-Temple (Summer), a London-based choreographer known for multidisciplinary work across dance, theatre, film, and opera
• Penny Saunders (Fall), whose choreography has been performed by companies including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Pacific Northwest Ballet
• Jamar Roberts (Winter), acclaimed choreographer and former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancer whose works have been presented by New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and others
• Trey McIntyre (Spring), creator of more than 100 works, founder of the Trey McIntyre Project, and recipient of multiple National Endowment for the Arts choreography grants

The production's visual world is created by scenic and Costume Designer Emma Kingsbury, whose work spans opera, theater, dance, and film, including recently serving as Costume Designer for Wagner's Ring Cycle at La Scala. Lighting design is by Christopher Ash, whose work has appeared at The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and on Broadway.

“The Four Seasons Reimagined is our love letter to Mother Nature — an epic new work that invites audiences into a living, breathing world shaped by sound, movement, light, and design,” says Christine Cox, Artistic & Executive Director of BalletX. “Created with our partners at ArtPhilly and Highmark Mann, this production brings together Dan Deacon's electrifying live score, four visionary choreographers, and breathtaking scenic, costume, and lighting design, transforming Highmark Mann's stage into a shifting landscape of the seasons.”

The performances headline BalletX's annual Festival at Highmark Mann, a two-day outdoor celebration of dance, music, and community on Highmark Mann's historic campus. The Festival features performances by youth arts organizations from across the region and culminates in One Dance, One Philly, an interactive movement experience that invites audiences, dancers, and community members to join together in shared choreography before the main performance.

Guided by BalletX's vision to create extraordinary dance experiences that inspire human connection, all tickets are priced at just $25, inviting audiences across the region to gather in community and experience contemporary dance together.

BalletX's Festival at Highmark Mann takes place June 4 and June 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Highmark Mann in Philadelphia. Pre-show performances and festival activities take place across the Highmark Mann campus before each evening's performance.