History
Photography on this site courtesy of Jaqlin Medlock, Darial Sneed, Ennio Rizzi, Krista Bonura, Caitlin Ghosio, Danielle Rutherford, Justus Henry, Lucas Chilczuk, Amanda Browder, Connie Goldman,
Michael Seamans, Stephen Delas Heras, Bill Hebert, Stephanie Crousillat, Scott Brownlee, Sergio Carrasco, Maja Bakija, Noel Valero
Mission
XAOC Contemporary Ballet is a New York City-based neoclassical ballet company founded by choreographer Eryn Renee Young in 2010. The name XAOC (pronounced zay-ock) is derived from the Greek ‘χαος,’ which means ‘chaos’ and implies explosive creation. It is meant to portray the spirit of the company as they move ballet into the future, while maintaining strong ties to classical form.
XAOC operates under the belief that there is room for ballet to evolve into the 21st century, led by women with a vision of inclusivity, generosity, inventiveness, spirit, humanity, and love. The artists of XAOC Contemporary Ballet seek to use this incredible art form to bring joy and delight to the lives of audiences far and wide. In a tumultuous world that has great capacity for both beauty and ugliness, we as artists have a responsibility toward the creation of beauty.
XAOC has performed its brand of dynamic, powerful contemporary ballet around the New York City area consistently for the past eight years at venues including Battery Dance Festival, the Ailey Citigroup Theater, Symphony Space, the Boston, Dumbo, and Brooklyn Dance Festivals, and received awards from the Manhattan Community Arts Fund, the Eryc Taylor Dance New Choreographers Grant, and the Edward Villella Choreography Competition. The company/Ms. Young have received residencies and fellowships at Jacob’s Pillow, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts Choreographic Institute, and Dance at Socrates in Queens, NY.