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NYC Ballet Cuts Corps as Deficit Widens


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It's really too early to tell, but Drew pointed this out earlier in the thread:

The Times story said that the company claims that its "average" of total dancers in the past 20 years has been 93 and these cuts take the company from 101 to 90.

Maybe not such a big difference, perhaps???

I add my greetings to carbro's, drb. Nice to see you posting again!

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According to company websites as of today:

Houston Ballet: 47+7 apprentices (9 principals, 3 first soloists, 6 soloists, 3 demi-soloists, 26 corps)

http://www.houstonballet.org/Inside_Houston_Ballet/Dancers/

Pacific Northwest Ballet: 45 + 6 apprenties (13 principals, 9 soloists, 23 corps)

http://www.pnb.org/company/principals.html

http://www.pnb.org/company/soloists.html

http://www.pnb.org/company/corps.html

http://www.pnb.org/company/apprentices.html

Miami City Ballet: 46 superhuman dancers + 5 apprentices (12 principals, 2 principal soloists, 9 soloists, 23 corps)

http://www.miamicityballet.org/super_human.php

San Francisco Ballet: 77 + 2 apprentices (22 principals, 4 principal character dancers, 12 soloists, 39 corps)

http://www.sfballet.org/about/company/dancers.asp

Boston Ballet: 40 + 7 in Boston Ballet II (7 principals, 12 soloists, 21 corps)

http://www.bostonballet.org/about/company/dancers.html

Pennsylvania Ballet: 31 + 6 apprentices (8 principals, 5 soloists, 18 corps)

http://www.paballet.org/about/dancers.aspx

Joffrey Ballet: I counted 42, but I didn't read every bio to tally up the breakdown.

http://www.joffrey.com/company_artists.asp

Oregon Ballet Theatre: 28 + 9 apprentices (7 principals, 7 soloists, 14 company artists)

http://www.obt.org/company.html

Ballet Arizona: 36 company dancers, no mention of apprentices (although open audition notes a company of 38 dancers)

http://www.balletaz.org/index.taf?mnid=abo...smid=1126544328

American Ballet Theatre: 88 + 13 in ABT II (16 principals, 13 soloists, 59 corps)

http://www.abt.org/dancers/default.asp?section=principal

http://www.abt.org/dancers/default.asp?section=soloist

http://www.abt.org/dancers/default.asp?section=corpsdeballet

http://www.abt.org/dancers/default.asp?section=studiocompany

Cincinnati Ballet: 23 + 2 apprentices + 6 trainees (6 principals, 2 senior soloists, 3 soloists, 8 corps, 4 new dancers) Must be a very long union contract.

http://www.cincinnatiballet.com/index.php?id=393

Royal Ballet: 98 + 1 Prix de Lausanne apprentice (22 principals, 8 principal character artists, 9 first soloists, 19 soloists, 20 first artists, 18 artists)

http://www.roh.org.uk/discover/thepeople/t...als.aspx?page=0

http://www.roh.org.uk/discover/thepeople/t...sts.aspx?page=0

http://www.roh.org.uk/discover/thepeople/t...sts.aspx?page=0

http://www.roh.org.uk/discover/thepeople/t...sts.aspx?page=0

http://www.roh.org.uk/discover/thepeople/t...rstartists.aspx

http://www.roh.org.uk/discover/thepeople/t...t/aartists.aspx

Paris Opera Ballet: 144 + 6 trainees (17 etoiles, 16 premiers danseurs, 39 sujets, 35 coryphees, 37 quadrilles)

http://www.operadeparis.fr/cns11/live/onp/...dex.php?lang=en

Bolshoi Ballet: ?? I can't find a list of the corps on the website, but there are 15 principals, 10 leading soloists, 16 first soloists, 23 soloists, 64 dancers who are above the corps (or various levels of corps) in rank, which is more than the NYCB corps, and bigger than any US company except NYCB, ABT, and SFB.

http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/theatre/ballet_troupe/soloists/

Mariinsky Ballet: 186 + 20 reserves (14 principals, 15 first soloists, 17 second soloists, 13 principal character artists, 29 coryphees, 98 corps)

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/ballet/first_soloists/

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/ballet/second_soloists/

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/ballet/...racter_artists/

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/ballet/coryphees/

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/ballet/kopsballet/

http://www.mariinsky.ru/en/company/ballet/reserve/

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Bolshoi Ballet: ?? I can't find a list of the corps on the website, but there are 15 principals, 10 leading soloists, 16 first soloists, 23 soloists, 64 dancers who are above the corps (or various levels of corps) in rank, which is more than the NYCB corps, and bigger than any US company except NYCB, ABT, and SFB.

http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/theatre/ballet_troupe/soloists/

If it's any help, here are the Bolshoi's corps. I'll admit that I haven't counted them all, but it looks like about 100 women and 65 men.

http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/theatre/ballet_troupe/cdballet/

http://www.bolshoi.ru/en/theatre/ballet_tr...ex.php?from26=2

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The Metropolitan Opera has replaced cash collateral for a loan with the two Chagalls that hang in the window, according to New York Magazine.

http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/55026/

I wonder to whom the Elie Nadelman statues in the New York State Theater belong.

MET: Oh great. The only distinguishing feature of the Met facade is going into hock? Maybe they'll have to take them down to evaluate them & maybe they will then hang them correctly.

NYS/KT: Well, they're not really Nadelmans but copies of smaller Nadelmans, so maybe not worth too much.

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Mr. Maccaulay puts in his two cents worth on the matter in today's New York Times . . .

Maccauley's article echoed many posts on this board, as well as his own previous articles in the Times. He has written on numerous occasions about his disdain for Kistler, Borree and Nilas Martins. The only point I disagreed with him on was Wendy Whelan. I enjoy watching her in most ballets. She is not as well suited to certain ballets (like Swan Lake), but for the most part she is an exceptional dancer. I agree w. Maccauley that Reichlin was underutilized this season in major roles, and that this was the breakout season for Tiler Peck. I also thought that this was a very good season for Ana Sophia Scheller (she is not mentioned in the article), Robert Fairchild, Tyler Angle and Andrew Veyette. I also thought Maccauley was a bit too harsh on Abi Stafford.

Did anyone see Reichlin in S&S today?

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As mentioned before the cost of a corps dancer is not all that different than a principal dancer. The cost of everything from benefits, travel expenses, per-diems, ovetime, etc. is the same for everyone in the Company. And my guess is that makes up a huge portion of the costs for a dancer. Also note that the contract calls for a minimum of 80-85 dancers - so the company can only shrink so much without violating the union contract.

I also can't blame Peter Martins for not firing Darci or Nilas. They have had a long tenure with the Company and deserve to exit on their own reasonable timetable. I don't think we should hold there relationship with Martins against them. I can recall Francisco Moncion being an embarrassment before he retired. And a was mentioned before many dancers over the years have been kept on beyond their prime ... some painfully so. While Darci is not what she once was, in the roles she is now dancing I find her still captivating. Nilas doesn't seem to dance any worse than he always did. :clapping:

I think that Martins has done a spectacular job of keeping the Company on sound financial footing. That is certainly no easy task for any arts organization these days. I wish there was a better way than to cut 11 dancers, but I am not sure I know of one that would have such an immediate impact. I wish he could just cut all salaries across the board in the Company say 15% but I doubt if that is an option based on individual and union contracts.

I believe that NYCB dancers are for the most part the highest paid in the country. Even the lowliest corps member starts at about $38,000 on a 38 week contract. I believe they can even collect unemployment for the other 14 weeks of the year. And that does not include per-diems (which may actually be spent when on the road - $190/day in Saratog, at least $200/day elsewhere), overtime - which in the past could easily reach $500/week for a corps dancer (it has been drastically reduced as has full orchestra rehearals). And senior corps dancers BASE salery is closer to $72000 for a 38 week season. Principals start at around $93000 for the 38 week season. And according to their tax filing for 2005 fiscal year (the last I could find) no-dancer made as much as $200,000. (The amount paid to the CFO). So none of the dancers are getting wildly rich while all of them have more than livable wages. As they should have. These dancers are for the most part the best we have in the country - and it is nice to see them paid a livable wage. I think nearly all other dancers in this country have much more of a struggle. As do most people in the arts. It would be nice if this country considered the Arts as a more essential part of our culture... but I don't think that will change soon. Hopefully some of the stimulus package will drift down to the Arts community.

I also believe there are a number of non-dancer positions open that are not likely to get filled immediately. I am a volunteer with the Company and have seen first hand some operations of the Company that are - to put it gracefully - less than ideal. Hopefully some of that will get looked at now and maybe save some money. I am not sure that will happen but I do hope so.

I think the next couple of years are going to be very difficult for all Arts organizations. My guess is that NYCB will remain more than viable. My concern is more for the smaller companies that may not make it at all.

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Mr. Maccaulay puts in his two cents worth on the matter in today's New York Times . . .

Maccauley's article echoed many posts on this board, as well as his own previous articles in the Times. He has written on numerous occasions about his disdain for Kistler, Borree and Nilas Martins. The only point I disagreed with him on was Wendy Whelan. I enjoy watching her in most ballets. She is not as well suited to certain ballets (like Swan Lake), but for the most part she is an exceptional dancer. I agree w. Maccauley that Reichlin was underutilized this season in major roles, and that this was the breakout season for Tiler Peck. I also thought that this was a very good season for Ana Sophia Scheller (she is not mentioned in the article), Robert Fairchild, Tyler Angle and Andrew Veyette. I also thought Maccauley was a bit too harsh on Abi Stafford.

I think he has a personal dislike for Whelan for some reason that I can't fathom. She is a wonderful dancer and he has never ever, not once, given her anything but bad reviews. I also think he has a personal vendetta against Martins. Maybe he slighted him in some way. I am not sure why - but the screed in yesterdays Times was just uncalled for. He rarely has anything nice to say about NYCB. At best he doesn't completely trash them. At worst he makes very stupid comments. Like last Spring when he essentially declared that everyone danced Balanchine better than NYCB. Give me a break. I have seen some other companies dance Balanchine (Miami, POB for example) and believe me they are NOT better than NYCB - not even remotely so. Actually not nearly as good. And I can't believe that the Kirov or Royal do a better job as he has stated. I recall him saying the the Royal did something much better than NYCB. NYCB followed the choreography precisely but Royal was more exciting. I can see Balanchine rolling over in his grave.

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Cutting corp dancers was not the only cost saving measure Mr Martins instituted. among other things, all the Ballet Masters, including Mr Martins, took a 10% pay cut, even thought some of them could ill afford to do so.

It is too bad Mr Macaulay couldn't stick to more constructive substantive dance criticicsm in the space allotted to him in the NY Times. His pettiness and personal vendettas really undermine his own itegrity as a critic.

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I'm reading of number of accusations of personal vendetta, but I'm not reading any substantiated examples or quotes.

Macaulay has given his reasons in his reviews, and it would be helpful to argue against specific points. I disagree with his criticism of Whelan, for example, but he's listed specifics with which I disagree.

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Thanks, Helene. Again, I'd like to post a reminder that this site was created 10 years ago as a place for civilized discourse about ballet. That does not include name calling or personal attacks, of dancers, choreographers or critics.

I thought Macaulay's piece was a very thoughtful account of the season, of the type that the Times has published since at least the 1950s. I didn't read his description of Whelan as an attack, but as an account of her virtues and why she doesn't move him. That's off-topic for this thread, which was about the cuts to the corps and other budget-saving measures.

Please discuss, but please keep it civil. If you have a gripe with Macaulay, or any other critic, please write to him or her directly.

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I actually thought McCauley was astonishingly positive! When was the last time anyone said anything even remotely like this about NYCB's current performance standards:

Some dancers gave performances that at least matched the achievement of those who created the roles in the 1970s and ’80s; some dancers simply made you forget who had danced their roles before.

or this:

Much of this extensive repertory was in fair to excellent shape; and if you went back to see a ballet a second time, you usually found that the dancing had improved.

or this:

I cannot here do justice to the gifted male dancers — from principals down to the apprentice Chase Finlay — whose zeal illumined many works.

He thinks Sara Mearns performs Karin von Aroldingen's Vienna Waltzes role better than anyone has -- including von Aroldingen -- and he thinks that Janie Taylor performs Kay Mzzzo's role in Davidbundlertanze better than anyone has -- including Kay Mazzo. (I'll go him one better: I think Mearns dances von Aroldingen's role in Davidbundlertanze better than anyone ever has, too -- including von Aroldingen and Kyra Nichols, and they were both pretty great in it. I'm surprised by how moving this role can be when danced by a younger -- much younger -- woman.)

When was the last time a NY critic admitted that something NYCB does today even comes up to the standards of the past, much less surpasses them? It's like waking up in an alternate universe. Lordy -- someone might even allow that they dance something better than MCB, SF or PNB.

I don't know what McCauley had for breakfast, but I hope he has more of it and invites Robert Gottlieb over for a bite while he's at it -- although maybe they could skip the muffin or whatever it is that gives them such heartburn about Whelan, M. Fairchild, and A. Stafford.

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Cutting corp dancers was not the only cost saving measure Mr Martins instituted. among other things, all the Ballet Masters, including Mr Martins, took a 10% pay cut, even thought some of them could ill afford to do so.

It is too bad Mr Macaulay couldn't stick to more constructive substantive dance criticicsm in the space allotted to him in the NY Times. His pettiness and personal vendettas really undermine his own itegrity as a critic.

I have been reading Mr.Macauley since he first started writing reviews in London and through the beauty of the internet I am still able to read them.

I personally like his passion for ballet and his independent voice that usually gives a reason for his opinions.

He is never going to write like a fan (short for fanatic) and I believe you will find that his opinions of particular dancers varies from performance to performance.

Unlike myself as a member of an audience I can avoid watching dancers who I do not admire. A critic has no such choice but still has to write a review and given the nature of the repertoire and casting of the NYCB., he or she is going to see the same dancers they do not admire and it is not their job to remain silent on the matter.

Mr Macauley is after all is only a critic and as such I never raise my expectations that high because it is the nature of critics to be vexatious unless of course they are rather dim. I look for information first and opinion second simply because a critics job first and foremost is to inform and one has to trust that the arts editor of a newspaper ensures that is what he/she does. Having written this I am now going to read the article a second time as I thought it informative first time round.

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He thinks Sara Mearns performs Karin von Aroldingen's Vienna Waltzes role better than anyone has -- including von Aroldingen -- and he thinks that Janie Taylor performs Kay Mzzzo's role in Davidbundlertanze better than anyone has -- including Kay Mazzo.

He’s not quite as categorical as that. He refers to the opinions of unnamed observers (“some say.....people asked whether”) without quite committing himself. Still, very high praise indeed.

In general the article was most positive, if a trifle grudging in spots. He might have tried to work in something gracious about Kistler amid the criticisms, and it seemed a tad disingenuous of him to offer the excuse that his criticism was harsh lest younger dancers be misguided by Kistler's example. Hmm.

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Yes, thanks, Kathleen, for your post. I also was struck by the positive comments in this piece.

I thought that many parts were positive and felt that mostly through out the short time that he has been a reviewer he was always favorable to NYCB. However, regarding some of the negative remarks of the older dancers, he was saying things that many of us have thought for a long time.

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. . . it seemed a tad disingenuous of him to offer the excuse that his criticism was harsh lest younger dancers be misguided by Kistler's example. Hmm.

I suppose there are dancers who think they can learn from critics and dancers who dismiss them, but while I winced for Kistler, I was actually heartened to read that part of the piece.

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