BarreTalk Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 My dance teacher just returned from Christmas break in Utah with a report that Ballet West just lost all underwriting by the LDS (Mormon) church. She says that previously, the church was the biggest single contributor. The cause for the withdrawal of support is supposedly that dancers (read "men") in tights goes against the church's "family values". If anyone can confirm or deny this rumor, it would be appreciated. Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Seems jolly unlikely. Link to comment
carbro Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Men in tights? When did that happen? Link to comment
Arak Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 Well, if this bothered them, why would they give their support in the first place? It's not like men in tights is a new development. I don't buy it. Link to comment
Leigh Witchel Posted January 10, 2004 Share Posted January 10, 2004 I had spoken with the management of Ballet West regarding this situation when it happened. Something like this happened that has been exaggerated. The objection to tights was in fact the cause of the problem; I'm not sure the objection was raised institutionally by the church, the objections did raise confusion at the company as to their origin and purpose. The LDS is not the largest contributor to the company; the sponsorship withdrawn was for a single performance of the Nutcracker. It either happened this winter or last. I'm recounting the facts as I recall them, and I may have some of them wrong, but this is what I recall. Link to comment
BarreTalk Posted January 11, 2004 Author Share Posted January 11, 2004 I had spoken with the management of Ballet West regarding this situation when it happened...The objection to tights was in fact the cause of the problem; I'm not sure the objection was raised institutionally by the church, the objections did raise confusion at the company as to their origin and purpose. Leigh, it's great you went straight to the source for rumor control. I'm sure someone's attitude towards tights causing a loss of sponsorship could raise confusion within the company. As someone else wrote, it's not like ballet tights are something new and shocking. Whether an expression of institutional disapproval, or just the view of a few individuals in power, it still indicates another expression of the neo-puritanism that seems to be infecting the country. :green: Link to comment
Leigh Witchel Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 BarreTalk - there is at least a possibility the issue of tights was the stated reason and what had to be dealt with, but the actual problem may have been something else. No matter what, it's a shame it happened, but I don't think the monetary loss was devastating. Link to comment
Guest whynot Posted March 27, 2004 Share Posted March 27, 2004 From what i understand the company needs better public interest, the main source of financial concerns is that the shows are just not selling as well. The other big thing is the contracts being given to alot of the dancers coming into the company this year are supplemental artist contracts. Though I do realize that this is not the only company doing this. Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted March 27, 2004 Share Posted March 27, 2004 OK, this is starting to cross over that dangerous line from rumor, which we're not crazy about anyway, to observations on religion. Not all Mormons are conservative, just as not all Episcopalians are liberal. Thread closed. Link to comment
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