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Beyond Ballet: A Town Hall on the State of Ballet and Diversity (Seattle)


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On ‎6‎/‎16‎/‎2017 at 8:01 PM, sandik said:

 

Yes!

What's most remarkable about Ms. Howard's article is the amount of access she was apparently granted to SAB. As this 2010 article from Dance Magazine shows, she's been highly critical of City Ballet in the past. http://www.dancemagazine.com/rant__rave_and_now_a_word_from_the_darker_side-2306875242.html

 

The organization deserves credit for allowing one of its most vocal critics to be allowed to see inside their diversity initiative.  And  according to their website, they now invite responsible criticism. It's good to see arts organizations not be on the defensive when discussing diversity. (And yes, it's good PR as well.)

 

Anyway, good for them.  And I sincerely mean that.

Edited by Tapfan
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3 hours ago, Tapfan said:

The organization deserves credit for allowing one of its most vocal critics to be allowed to see inside their diversity initiative.  And  according to their website, they now invite responsible criticism. It's good to see arts organizations not be on the defensive when discussing diversity. (And yes, it's good PR as well.)

 

Anyway, good for them.  And I sincerely mean that.

 

I have a feeling it's just as hard for organizations to hear criticism and not respond reflexively as it is for individuals.

 

2 hours ago, Helene said:

Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.  

 

Or as a friend used to say, better to have the horses in the tent peeing out, than have them outside and peeing in.

Edited by sandik
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City ballet has convinced  yet another horse that was peeing into the tent, to come inside. Ford Foundation President Darren Walker who just a little over a year ago,  publicly accused  NYCB of bias against women of color, is now a Vice-Chair on the board of directors?! 

 

I'm truly gobsmacked.  I honestly thought the powers that be at City Ballet were largely  insulated from criticism and cared little if any what people thought about their lack of diversity.   After all,  the problem and the grumbling about it from outsiders, has gone on for many, many, years without change.   

 

Also, snarky remarks by SOME folks in the NYCB nexus about ABT's Project Plie' implied that some folks think that the diversity problem can't be fixed and that any attempts to do so are nothing more than cynical PR stunts.

 

But as Theresa Howard said at the Seattle Town Hall,  the major arts organizations like NYCB seem to be serious about real change this go-around. 

 

Many of us who criticized major companies for lack of diversity, were weary of being told we were crazy or racist for noticing. It's  so nice to see the gaslighting  that insisted there was no problem, stop.    Good for everyone concerned.

Edited by Tapfan
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2 hours ago, Tapfan said:

City ballet has convinced  yet another horse that was peeing into the tent, to come inside. Ford Foundation President Darren Walker who just a little over a year ago,  publicly accused  NYCB of bias against women of color, is now a Vice-Chair on the board of directors?! 

 

I'm truly gobsmacked.  I honestly thought the powers that be at City Ballet were largely  insulated from criticism and cared little if any what people thought about their lack of diversity.   After all,  the problem and the grumbling about it from outsiders, has gone on for many, many, years without change.   

 

Also, snarky remarks by SOME folks in the NYCB nexus about ABT's Project Plie' implied that some folks think that the diversity problem can't be fixed and that any attempts to do so are nothing more than cynical PR stunts.

 

But as Theresa Howard said at the Seattle Town Hall,  the major arts organizations like NYCB seem to be serious about real change this go-around. 

 

Many of us who criticized major companies for lack of diversity, were weary of being told we were crazy or racist for noticing. It's  so nice to see the gaslighting  that insisted there was no problem, stop.    Good for everyone concerned.

 

Glad to hear that things are moving forward, even if it's not fast and they haven't gone far.

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While it is not a given that [choose a minority] is low-income, coming from a low-income family usually means that the resources are most often not there for dance training, and parents are skeptical about dance as an opportunity for college or career.

 

Margaret Mullin interviewed Diane Jacobowitz, the Executive and Artistic Director of Dancewave in NYC, for her podcast "Beyond the Barre":

http://www.premierdancenetwork.com/interview-with/

 

Dancewave provides dance scholarships, training -- including in the NYC public schools -- consolidated auditions for colleges and universities, multiple performing companies, and it involves parents.  It may be the most holistic approach to education I've ever read about, and it's dedicated to, what we love to talk about in the IT world, continuous improvement, except they also walk the walk.

 

If I could, I'd nominate Jacobowitz for Secretary of Education.

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Thanks for the link -- after a day spent reading nasty stuff about all kinds of men, this is very refreshing!

 

"Let’s start with this: Assessing a woman as a body, rather than as a person with a mind, character, and talent, denies the full measure of her humanity. It’s wrong and it demeans us all."

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