Stecyk

sandik, I like your post. And, I agree with everything you wrote. I suspect local dance companies have a fear of dividing up the "economic pie." Some believe that every dollar spent at the theater implies one less dollar that might be spent with them. I like your opera company's attitude where they believe it's possible to grow the economic pie.

I spoke with Dianna from Bolshoi Ballet in Cinema (BBiC) yesterday concerning our theaters. I asked if she had any questions. With the responses she has received so far, she felt comfortable with her understanding and didn't have any direct questions. We then talked briefly about the theaters in general. Toward the end of our conversation, she asked for some information about Calgary and asked a general question with regard to helping to promote the Bolshoi Ballet. I have no ideas on how to promote the Bolshoi Ballet in Calgary or anywhere else for that matter. A couple or few years ago, volcanohunter made me aware of the cinema presentations by the Bolshoi and ROH, which is no longer shown in Calgary. Without her comments, I never would have been aware of the cinema presentations. Do you have any ideas on how to promote these cinema presentations? If you do, can you please respond. I will either pass these ideas back to Dianna or simply point her to this thread.

I am just sharing some information that might be helpful to others. In Calgary, Cineplex reduced the number of theaters showing Bolshoi Ballet performances from two to one. The prior two theaters were located in the North and South parts of Calgary. Now, there is just one theater located downtown. Unfortunately, it isn't a great theater. After the first performance, I contacted Bolshoi Ballet in Cinema (BBiC) by Twitter, and got its email address. Then, I wrote an email to Cineplex with a courtesy copy to BBiC, and Chinook, my preferred theater. The following day I spoke to Cineplex and voiced my concerns. The Cineplex representative mentioned that I might wish to have my friends write or call, too. This past Sunday, I brought approximately 20 forms to the theater. Each form contained the following information: A mention that I had previously contacted Cineplex, BBiC, and Chinook theater; Brief discussion saying that Cineplex and BBiC negotiate which theaters will carry the performances, so it is important that each be notified of any complaints; A brief sample complaint letter to Cineplex, which they were free to use or write their own, with courtesy copies to BBiC and Chinook; A request that they follow-up their letter to Cineplex with a phone call so that there can be a dialog; A request to be sincere, polite, and courteous, for we want Cineplex and BBiC to want to help us; and My contact information. Prior the performance, I approached various patrons--who I consider friends--and asked if they were happy with the change in venue from last year. One or two preferred this new location because it was closer for them. Others were grateful. I actually ran out of forms to hand out. On my way out of the theater, a few people thanked me for taking the initiative. I did not ask to be included in their correspondence. They were free to say or do as they pleased. A couple of women wrote back and indicated the BBiC is discussing with Cineplex our concerns. They will try to make changes to keep everyone happy. So I remain hopeful for positive change. The key point of this message is, if you are not happy with your theater selection, you might wish to make your voice heard.

Quiggin, thank you very much for your comprehensive answer. I enjoyed viewing the YouTubes and reading the quotes.

That's excellent—thank you sandik!

I received some help from a professional ballet dancer at Alberta Ballet. I copied and paraphrased her responses to me. I alone am responsible for any errors or omissions. In French (as all ballet positions are) it literally means "Arabic Fashion." Unfortunately the position has no relation to the literal translation. While many positions do have meaning to their literal translation, Arabesque seems to be an exception. The position has many lines but all straight with no curves. Examples of positions that are literal translations are as follows: Plie- to bend; fondu- to melt; frappe- to strike; pas de chat- jump of the cat; and so on. There are four different positions of arabesque in the Vagonova method and three in RAD (Royal Academy of Dance). It really just depends what leg you are standing on and which arm you have in front. For example, when you are standing on your right leg with your left leg up and your right arm extended in front of you and your left arm to the side, that is 1st arabesque. If you switch your arms (but keep the legs the same) that is 2nd arabesque.

Just to add to my prior post, here's what a photographer wrote when I asked him nearly the same question. He refers to a graphic regarding Arabesque, for which I have provided a link. I asked about Arabesque with respect to ballet, and he replied as follows: Hence, my original question above. I have often seen the word "Arabesque" in ballet literature, but don't have an understanding or appreciation for its meaning. I look forward to your comments.

What is Arabesque? Is the word always capitalized? I have heard the term and have searched to see ballet images of Arabesque. There also seems to be more than one form of Arabesque, for example, Third Arabesque. Are there many forms? I presume it is a classical set of positions? Does Arabesque in ballet share commonalities with Arabesque in used in ceramic decorations and paintings to calligraphy and photography? When I look at Arabesque in these art forms, it is rather curvy. When I see Arabesque in ballet photographs, the form seems rather linear. This link goes to an illustration that seemingly demonstrates my thoughts. The legs and arms are seemingly linear while the torso is curved. I would appreciate learning more about Arabesque. I have heard it commonly used in ballet but never understood its meaning or significance. I am not sure that this post is in the correct section. If it should be relocated, moderators please move it.

The New York Times is inviting readers to take advantage of its reporting, analysis and commentary from the lead-up through the aftermath of the 2016 election. Readers will have unlimited access to NYTimes.com for 72 hours from 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday, November 7 until 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 9. The above paragraph is a quote from the New York Times. You can read the article in its entirety soon. And, you can read about the election, too.

Financial Times: Web links to pirated content ruled unlawful. (subscription required)

Yes, Brexit might take a long, long time and might not ever happen. I agree, you should be able to post links without quotes. However, some of your members might accidentally post a quote with a link, not knowing that the rules have possibly changed. If I spot anything else that provides more clarity, I will post that information here.

As far as I know, this board has allowed members to post up to three paragraphs from an article with a link to the article. Europe appears to be shifting in what it deems allowable. I thought this might be of interest to this board. Furthermore, I have no idea how these new copyright rules will affect this board. Anyway, I referenced an article below. Financial Times: European copyright rules: what happens now? (subscription required)

It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt Citizenship in a Republic Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910 Thank you Helene for your comments this weekend. I hope you enjoyed the Rio Olympics and its closing ceremonies. I’d like to touch upon some of your comments. With regard to your comment on closing threads, thank you. What I should have started with was, “Now that there have been no comments in the last day or so, please allow me to provide my concluding comments.” You also mentioned that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Paraphrasing, you further stated that efforts don’t necessarily translate into successes, artistic or otherwise. I agree. But, before addressing “successes” or “accomplishments,” I’d like to discuss “artistic” first. I am going to provide a riff of rhetorical comments and questions in the next paragraph concerning “artistic.” I do not expect nor want any answers. Instead, the purpose is to demonstrate that there is no easy definition for something considered “artistic.” (If others want to explore or debate the definition of “artistic,” I encourage starting a separate thread where they can do so without my participation.) How do we define something that is deemed to be “artistic?” Is defining it similar to defining pornography, where Supreme Court justice Potter Stewart wrote, “I know it when I see it” (Jacobellis v. Ohio, 1964)? Do all critics agree that any one work of “art” is, in fact, artistic? Is artistic artwork automatically recognized by all when it is created? Can artistic success be defined by how much someone is willing to pay for it? Are the most artistic creations always the most valuable? In other words, does value define artistic? Does the perception of what is artistic change over time? Does the perception of what is artistic change depending upon who is judging? Does everyone on this board agree or speak with one voice with regard to the quality of Misty Copeland’s artistic attributes, or any other artist for that matter? Just as Olympic athletes are at the very pinnacle of their individual fields and are usually able to perform at a high level in other sports—indeed, some athletes have participated in both Winter and Summer Olympics—can artists who have achieved both critical artistic and commercial success in one field appreciate artistic accomplishments in a different field, or are they forever constrained to judging works of art within their own narrow swim lanes? In other words, are Sarah McLachlan and k.d. lang capable of recognizing works of artistic merit outside of popular music? Would those who have studied, practiced, and performed classical music all their lives be able to recognize and appreciate the artistry in a Rolling Stones performance at Copacabana Beach? Having briefly discussed how difficult and nebulous an “artistic definition” is, I am going to turn my attention to accomplishments or success and respect, dignity, integrity, and admiration. Regardless of their station in life or their accomplishments, I respect those who work hard, are accountable, and conduct themselves with dignity and integrity. Ethics courses teach us that if you’re in doubt about a course of action, ask yourself how you would feel if you were identified in the front page of the New York Times or your local newspaper with a thorough and complete vetting of your words and actions. Having subscribed to Alberta Ballet for several years and having met Jean Grand-Maître, I know that he is hardworking, accountable and conducts with himself with dignity and integrity. His words and actions as well as successes and failures are chronicled in our local media. Therefore, he has earned my respect and admiration. Regardless of whatever path Alberta Ballet might follow in the months and years ahead and regardless of whether I agree with his decisions or am critical of some of his ballets, I will continue to respect him and treat him with dignity, for he has earned it. It’s the honorable thing to do. Alberta’s arts and culture are less refined than those in New York. We don’t have your population, history, and depth of talent. However, we know You Can’t Always Get What You Want (But if You Try Sometimes, You Get What You Need) (Link to a Rolling Stones performance at Copacabana Beach on YouTube.). We here in Alberta will continue to survive and thrive—we always have.

It’s time to close this ugly thread. Once again I am reminded that the internet is not always a friendly place, for some people will hide behind a veil of anonymity to write things about others that they would never have the courage to say to them face-to-face. The ironic part is that I posted this information largely for volcanohunter’s benefit. We’re the only two on this board that I am aware of that live in Alberta and that have an active interest in Alberta Ballet. Because the links I posted were from Calgary sources, I thought she might have missed them. In looking back on this thread, Martin Bragg’s name was raised. None of us here know how he performed his duties. Celebrating a person’s loss of employment or career is one of the worst forms of Schadenfreude, with only the celebration of death or divorce being worse. Me, I just hope that he is doing well in his new role. Next, of course, we have Jean Grand-Maître (JGM). To assess his tenure, we would need more information. Although I am positive there are a greater number of relevant questions, below is a brief list of questions that I can think of: · What was the state of Alberta Ballet when he began his role? · What were the Donor’s and Board’s direction? · What were the annual objectives and did he meet them? · Did Alberta Ballet grow stronger during his tenure? o Were there more dancers? o Did the dancers have longer contract periods? o Did attendance to Alberta Ballet increase? o Did audience satisfaction increase? · Did the overall health of the Company increase? None of us here know the answers to those questions. I do know, however, that JGM did not work in isolation. Like most people, he works within the direction set by others. That is not to say he lacks influence. I am sure his recommendations carried a lot weight when the Board provided its direction. Next we have volcanohunter’s disparaging statements concerning the ballets. While I can’t speak to the artistic merits, like volcanohunter, I can say that as a season’s ticket holder and watching all the performances throughout the year, the year end “pop ballets” were always the crowd favorites. How many “pop ballet” performances did you attend, volcanohunter? I am guessing that it is close to zero, because these ballets fell woefully short of your highbrow expectations—fair weather friends, indeed. With regard to the “affordability” of these “pop ballets,” rather than being a drain on the Company’s resources, I suspect that they sustained the Company. Furthermore, none of us here know where the company earned and lost most of its profits. As outsiders, we simply don’t know. This paragraph should be reread for emphasis. volcanohunter went on to say that when the second Mitchell ballet collapsed, the patrons left en masse. When I look up “en masse” in the dictionary, I don’t know whether that means five percent, twenty percent, fifty percent, seventy-five percent, or one hundred percent. And, neither does volcanohunter. Furthermore, did those patrons buy just one ticket to one performances, or several tickets to several performances? What I can say is this: I noticed almost no change in the number of patrons watching the replacement ballet. I have opening night in Calgary and I believe it is largely sold out to season’s ticket holders. Obviously, there were others who did receive a refund. Now as far as the conversion rate of “pop ballet” fans to regular attendees, none of us know the answer. However, I suspect that Alberta Ballet does have some idea. If there was zero conversion and the ballets were a cash flow drain, I doubt that the Board would have endorsed more “pop ballets.” If the negative comments about JGM and his “pop ballets” are true, then I am surprised that any of the pop artists chose to work with Alberta Ballet. Who would want to be associated with Alberta Ballet? Artists who reached their level of success are usually fairly shrewd. Before committing to a project, they or their teams have done their research. Perhaps these “pop ballets” are not as bad as some purport them to be? Words matter. Reputations matter. If you’re in doubt as how just a few words can have a significant impact on reputation, just ask Justine Sacco (link to New York Times article -- How One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Sacco’s Life – subscription might be required). Anyway, I am disappointed by this thread. Negative comments based on half-baked truths were presented as facts without any supporting logic or documentation. Worse, disparaging remarks were made in regard to those who are earnestly trying to make a positive difference to not only to Alberta Ballet but also to the larger community. During times of crisis is the greatest opportunity to make positive changes. If volcanohunter wants to provide positive, constructive assistance, now is the time. While I have no idea how much weight will be given to one individual audience member’s suggestions, this is time to provide input in hopes of creating positive change. If she doesn’t like the current program, she should provide reasons and rationale why and how it should change.

It's interesting reading volcanohunter's response. It's completely devoid of numerical support. Does she know how the attendance has trended over the past several years? Does she know which productions are money-makers and which are not? I doubt it, other than the Nut is a staple money-maker. The revenues and costs associated with a typical "pop epic" it "can't afford?" How about the financial condition when JGM took over? Up until recently and with the exception of the Mitchell screw-up, how has Alberta Ballet done? Did it increase the number of dancers? Become stronger financially? The answers to these questions and many more remain a mystery. Instead, it's better to start calling for people's heads. Yeah, hip-shooting behind a veil of anonymity is fine, especially when others' reputations are brought into the mix.

And your solution is what?

sandik, I believe that's largely Alberta Ballet's goal--that is, the bring their audience along with them. Another part of its goal is to increase its audience. In a perfect world with more resources--time, people, and money--Alberta Ballet would offer a stronger program.

pherank, I have no difficulty with strong opinions--in fact, I embrace them, especially when they are supported with facts. Never let cold hard facts get in the way of a really good story, though. Where I have difficulty is when others suggest jettisoning those that are working especially hard under trying circumstances to make a company viable. If that's truly how a person feels, then great. Make your voice public with full disclosure (provide your name) and be accountable. If one feels that the company should be burned to the ground and then started from fresh, then one ought to be willing to meet with those who can shape the future. It's no big deal. Typically, those in charge want to exchange ideas with their audiences. That's why the Company opened itself up to solicit ideas to help make itself sustainable. I am sure that there have been several people who have pored over every detail in trying to make this year and future years' experiences even better. In Alberta, times are very uncertain. The ballet company relied heavily on corporate donors and large donations. Much of those donations have disappeared or been reduced, for it is difficult for a corporation to provide large donations when it has laid off one-third of its staff and itself is struggling. So for those that have strong feelings, especially those that believe that Alberta Ballet is heading in the wrong direction, speak up. Meet with Alberta Ballet executives and voice your opinions. Tell them where they, their donors, their volunteers, and their consultants have gone wrong.

Being relatively new to ballet and having participated in this board for a while, I appreciate volcanohunter's knowledge and expertise. Often when I see a ballet at the cinema, I will have some questions or judgements about the ballet and volcanohunter will provide a review that explains my questions or confirms my judgements. That said, I don't always agree with volcanohunter. Her latest response is one such case where we don't agree. Let's look at a few examples. "I have no sympathy for Alberta Ballet in these circumstances. It's been peddling this dross for years because it was lured by the siren song of popular media attention, but the process reduced its repertoire to a lamentable state. What can I say? They made their bed..." This "dross," as she refers to it, happens to be the largest crowd pleasers. Whether all agree on the artistic merits is open to debate. According to Jean Grand-Maître, their strategy is to provide a little of everything during the year in hopes of growing a larger and more sophisticated audience base over time. I believe their data supports their strategy. Although Canada is a large country geographically, it's really a tiny country of about 35 million people. It sports only two world class cities, Toronto and Vancouver, though Calgary along with the other two cities always fares well in the Mercer Quality of Living and Economist Intelligence Unit city surveys. Calgary and Edmonton are relatively new and smaller cities that have difficulty supporting a wide variety of arts. By new, I am referring to the large number of new residents who come in recent years for work in the oil and oil related industries. Both cities are known for their strong support of their sports communities. Ballet support is more challenging. Given that backdrop, I am happy that Calgary even has a viable ballet company. While there is always going to be room for improvement, I admire those that are dedicating their heart and souls into trying to make the company better. Let's move on the next paragraph. "Former exec Martin Bragg is gone and good riddance. Now it just remains to jettison AD Jean Grand-Maître--a choreographer not without talent, but who completely squandered it--forget this whole regrettable period and rebuild the company into something that isn't toe-curlingly embarrassing." I don't know much about Bragg, though I do recall that his leaving seemed abrupt and without a smooth transition to a permanent replacement. However, I will remain silent on the loss of Bragg, for I simply don't have a strong command of the facts. As far as JGM is concerned, I am somewhat at a loss of words to respond to volcanohunter's comments. Without knowing all the facts or having intimate knowledge of a situation, I would not call for the dismissal or removal of someone trying their hardest to create a strong viable company. If I wanted to call for the removal of JGM, I would have to able to answer at least the following questions: Why? What has he done wrong? Who would you replace him with? What would he or she do differently? Would a new candidate ensure the financial success of the organization? At present, I can't answer any of those questions. Let's move on to the last paragraph. "BTW: Relatively recent productions of The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Giselle and Don Quixote sold out--but never returned--and in some ways they would have been less expensive to mount because the physical productions were rented, and the music was in the public domain, although saints forbid that the company should pay orchestral musicians rather than pop stars." From her comments, volcanohunter appears to have a stronger grasp of the inner financial workings of the company than most. However, I do know that McLachlan raised money for the Alberta Ballet by approaching donors in Calgary to have fundraisers. In other words, by merely having her on board, the Company's finances were strengthened. My impression is that these "pop ballets" are the vehicles through which Alberta Ballet has been increasing its attendance. Having season's tickets, I know that these ballets enjoy the strongest crowd support. Typically for most ballets, Alberta Ballet has four evening performances in Calgary and three in Edmonton, which is not very many performances for two cities with a combined population exceeding two million. With the pop ballets, often matinee performances are added. I believe that most of the pop ballets have been "reasonable" in terms of costs, with the exception of the Elton John ballet. I believe it was expensive because of the stage sets and costumes, though I could be corrected. As far as having orchestral music, that would be great--if only the company could afford it. It already has a large debt, has laid off a substantial portion of its staff, reduced the number of dancers, and reduced the dancer's number of work weeks. So I remain puzzled where the Company will find the funds to pay for orchestral music. As we look out across Europe and North America, we see strong waves of populism cropping up. Both our federal and provincial governments have alarming deficits that we hope are temporary. However, should Canada's and Alberta's current financial situation prove more enduring, then governments' support for the arts might be reduced further. Earlier volcanohunter stated that it was "good riddance" that an executive was gone. With both Edmonton and Calgary suffering with higher than average unemployment and both levels of governments under financial duress, many citizens might say "good riddance" to funding of ballet companies, or at least to reducing their funding substantially. volcanohunter has a wealth of artistic knowledge, which we see displayed through her comments. As mentioned, I am a newcomer to ballet and don't possess that same level of artistic knowledge. With my engineering and financial backgrounds, however, I do possess a strong appreciation for processes that are supported by logic and numbers. That is, when looking at difficult situations, I like examine how all the elements of a strategy support one another through logic and are validated by numbers. In Alberta Ballet's situation, I simply don't have an understanding of its background information. I do trust that those who are charged with that responsibility have examined different alternatives. According to the CBC article, turn around consultants have been hired to further reduce costs and reshape the strategy. Earlier this year, I received several invitations to attend Alberta Ballet sessions aimed at soliciting advice to help make the Company economically sustainable. Unfortunately, my schedule did not allow me to attend. I remain reasonably confident, however, that the Company remains open to suggestions on how to improve so that it can remain sustainable and, we hope, thrive in the future. Whining on a ballet board will not effect positive change. Instead, I invite volcanohunter to meet face-to-face with Alberta Ballet to provide her input. I am more than willing to assist in helping to coordinate a meeting. volcanohunter already has my personal contact information.

From having attended several of Jean Grand-Maître's (Alberta Ballet's AD) preshow presentations, I believe he has mentioned Mitchell was very hands on. If I recall correctly, not only did she select the music, but she also played important roles in determining or shaping the dance steps. He further mentioned that her contributions always made the resulting performances stronger. Although my recollection is somewhat weak on his discussion, I seem to recall being left with the impression that although Mitchell was somewhat challenging to work with, he was profoundly proud of the final product. I believe he was discussing how much involvement various artists had in the formation of "their" ballets. In Elton John's situation, JGM pitched him an idea for the ballet, got his permission to proceed, and then got permission to perform. In other words, John was very hands off. At the other end of the spectrum was Mitchell. Sarah McLachlan and k.d. lang were likely in between somewhere. JGM is a good public speaker and strategic thinker. He obviously wouldn't say anything that would reflect poorly upon the rock stars. Whether these performances are artistically good is open to debate; however, they do fill the house. And filling the house with additional performances is especially important to a small ballet company. Myself, I don't really care for the Elton John ballet, for it seemed too saccharine. I am in the minority, though, because it receives the most thunderous applause of all his ballets. I did enjoy the McLachlan and lang ballets. During the preshow discussions, JGM sets up the ballet in terms of telling the audience about the artist and what is important about the artist. He tells snippets about their lives. Then, during those two ballets, there are visual effects that play along in the background that are surprisingly complementary. They add rather than distract from the ballets. In a sense, they help transport you to the location where the artists grew up or gained prominence. I hope that helps.

Calgary Herald: Alberta Ballet looking for help from supporters with ambitious $1-million fundraising campaign In this latest article, Alberta Ballet once again leaves the door open to working with Mitchell.

As expected, Alberta Ballet is struggling with the poor Alberta economy. I recall saying to others that when Joni Mitchell canceled, it would be a real blow to Alberta Ballet. I further doubted that Alberta Ballet would collaborate with her again in the future, despite the warm and fuzzy statements that were issued. I am not surprised by comments in the article surrounding this issue. Alberta Ballet was never rich to begin with. Now, with the recession, times will be even more interesting. If there is any good news it is that Alberta's economy should be in the process of bottoming. Calgary's Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: Alberta Ballet trying to recover from financial misstep. There is also a seven minute audio segment that accompanies the written article.

Although not ballet, the San Francisco Opera, a perfectionist organization, is learning to experiment. I thought you might enjoy this article from the Harvard Business Review. I believe non-subscribers are allowed five free articles per issue or per month or something like that. Harvard Business Review: What Design Thinking Is Doing for the San Francisco Opera

Further to my prior reply, there's an article in today's online Wall Street Journal Athletic-Gear Makers Run Into a Problem: Their Workout Clothing Is Too Sporty. (subscription likely required) The key takeaway from this article is that being merely supportive athletic wear is the minimum requirement. Instead, athletic wear must provide its function and look great. Fashion has become more important. Disclosure: I own Under Armour shares.

No, that certainly wasn't my intent. My apologies for phrasing my thought in a manner that could be misinterpreted. I hope my next statement doesn't put my foot further in my mouth. I meant that this is an issue that you're passionate about. As I was having lunch, I realized that I forgot to mention our shared interest in ballet, the reason why we here. We have that in common, too. Again, sorry for the clumsy and unfortunate wording.