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Ballet.co is "moving to archive"


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It is, isn't it, Helene? The ballet part of the net will not be the same -- and that's not just meant as a complement. There are so many posters who see the Royal Ballet frequently and write about it (and so many of our posters who are interested in the RB) that that, alone, will be a loss.

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I thought the comment in the responses about the recent growth of online dance coverage (with the sense that it takes much longer to collect and read material) put a finger on something. I know that the links section of BalletAlert (and likely of other aggregator sites I follow) is one of the hardest to maintain, but honestly, it's the most valuable for me, and I imagine for several other readers as well. I'm grateful for shortcuts like those, and as the sheer number of online venues increases (with Facebook and Twitter becoming more integrated into the rest of the mix) I'll rely on them even more than I do now.

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He also mentioned expense.

We have had thousands of members over the years who have done nothing but read "Links" and have never contributed to the discussion or financially, and probably more hits in a day to "Links" than to the rest of the forums combined many weeks.

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He also mentioned expense.

We have had thousands of members over the years who have done nothing but read "Links" and have never contributed to the discussion or financially, and probably more hits in a day to "Links" than to the rest of the forums combined many weeks.

Yes, indeed, we do!!!!!

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I think the reference was also that people are using facebook and twitter to talk with friends about what they're seeing.

That's true...but then that means that valuable information is shared within selective circles, as nobody has time to seek-out Facebook and Twitter 'reporters' unless you find out about an individual through a private e-mail or hearsay. Ditto the bloggers; e.g., I happen to know about one because someone sent me a private email.

The other thing to remember is that, in the early days, many of us 'traveling BalletAlertniks' had more disposable income to jump on planes, trains & autos to witness events outside our home cities & report them to fellow ballet lovers. The expensive hobby of ballet-going was easier to sustain. Ballet.co was among the sites that depended on 'free reporters'; in today's bleak economy, not many folks can afford to report for free, maybe having to use what was once 'free time' to take 2nd jobs and such. Very sad but a reflection of the state of the globe. Reporting on what's happening at home is more doable but, again, ticket prices keep rising so even 'local reporting' is happening less and less.

For my part, I'll especially miss the Links feature of ballet.co.uk. I'm grateful that at least the archives will remain.

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Sad for all the reasons mentioned above. Last year, I donated when a plea for funds came but the money was returned saying they were exploring different options. I thought that was very honorable. I'll miss the links, the photos, the forum, and magazine.... The sections on Ashton are invaluable. I'm glad, at least, that it will remain online in archive form.

Even though people are moving more and more to Twitter and FB, I don't enjoy that as much.

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How exactly does Facebook serve us, other than looking up specific people? I sometimes use it to try to locate someone who I'm trying to recruit for a job in the office. (Similar to Linkedin) I see absolutely no value for conveying news on ballet happenings, reviews, etc.

Twitter I understand -- instant small messages, some with news or triviality-- but don't truly 'get' the value unless the writer is a celebrity and his/her fans are waiting for updates, e.g., "I'm at the airport - on my way to wonderful London!" I also see how it can be used to "signal" a Flash Mob or demonstration or such. How it can replace our ballet fora is a mystery to me.

Maybe someone in the know can enlighten the rest of us.

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In my community several dance artists have started using Facebook to announce upcoming performances, or major events (like grants, auditions, casting), and have been holding the kind of conversations about issues and ideas that I'm more accustomed to seeing in places like BalletAlert. I just don't have the time to learn to control Facebook right now, so that I could find these items, and miss the announcements about airport parking...

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Thank you for this explanation, Sandik. So it appears that Facebook can be very useful for the ballet industry, which is quite different from ballet enthusiants/fans/ticket buyers. Fans still desire open fora that are not skewed/manipulated by 'the industry' (for lack of better term) -- that are neutral; not arms of a company's p.r. department -- yet are 'lightly maintained' so that they won't be taken over by spammers, the ill-intentioned, etc. Even 'light maintenance' takes time & energy...and time is money. So we're back to the main reasons cited by Bruce for the closure of ballet.co.uk.

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Very sad news indeed. To be honest I did not browse that frequently and didnt post much either - my ballet community time has been 90% devoted to BalletAlert.

Yet, as Natalia pointed out, reality of sheer economics play a part. I know that BalletCo had get togethers in London - never unfortunately attended a single one, why? Well, traveling to London, cost of hotel and meals, not to mention tickets for RB performances just made it too expensive for me.

Probably I come across as totally embittered, which in a way is true, but my local company does nothing but modern, TV doesnt know what the word ballet stands for - result: I am now reduced to staring at bits and pieces at Youtube.

So BalletAlert is a shining light in my life - one can keep track of what happens in the ballet world everywhere. Moderators and posters, you all have my very heartfelt thanks for just being out there - cant really say how much I appreciate all of you!

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I, too, will very much miss Ballet.co--and I don't think Facebook or Twitter can fill the same role as the forums, nor play the same "gathering" function even when it comes to information...But I do understand that the cost and work of maintenance is huge.

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He also mentioned expense.

We have had thousands of members over the years who have done nothing but read "Links" and have never contributed to the discussion or financially, and probably more hits in a day to "Links" than to the rest of the forums combined many weeks.

Yes, indeed, we do!!!!!

People are conditioned to pay little or nothing for what they get on the internet. Many of the publications whose articles we link to face the same difficulty.

It's not surprising that time isn't standing still and other forms of social communication are becoming popular. I do think that sites like ours and Ballet.co offer something special and it would be nice if others felt the same way.

Even 'light maintenance' takes time & energy...and time is money.

That's right. And people's personal circumstances change and it gets harder to put in so much work.

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So BalletAlert is a shining light in my life - one can keep track of what happens in the ballet world everywhere. Moderators and posters, you all have my very heartfelt thanks for just being out there - cant really say how much I appreciate all of you!

I feel the same.

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I am relatively new at Ballet Alert, and have so far only posted a handful of times, but I appreciate so much what is here! I didn't even know about BalletCo until reading this post--so sad to discover it as it is leaving!! But I will browse the archives. I agree that forums serve a different, and much needed role that FB and Twitter cannot really satisfy.

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New developments. (Thanks to innopac for sending in this link.)

DanceTabs is just going to be a magazine – no forum, no TodaysLinks (and its huge attendant database) – just Reviews, Galleries, Interviews and News items. The contributors will largely be names you know already and to which I look to add - I continue to want it to take a world view. It will use technology similar to the Balletco redesign but will be hosted in specialist space I don’t have to worry so much about. The gallery area will be hosted differently. Time is short – the launch will be in early February and while I would like to do different designs I may just use the recent Balletco ones with a few light modifications.

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Here is the new Links page for BalletcoForum:

Occasional Dance Links - Features, Previews, Reviews, etc

"A place for links to (hopefully) interesting articles, reviews and the like from across the global English-language press - but deliberately less comprehensive (and rather later in the day) than the "Today's Links" of old. Others are allowed to participate........."

http://www.balletcof..._1584#entry1584

edited a few hours later: they have changed the thread to a forum:

"This thread can now be considered closed to new messages as Bruce has opened up a new forum titled Dance Links - reviews & features in which to post links."

http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/forum/13-dance-links-reviews-features/

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