NYC Ballet Cuts Corps as Deficit Widens

[LiLing]

For many companies in smaller cities company class is required, and included in the union's calculation of hours. There is no realistic alternative, either in terms of quality, or location. In NYC however, there are many highly respected private teachers offering professional level classes, some within walking distance of Lincoln Center.

It is very easy to take co. class, go straight down the hall to rehearsal without changing clothes......convenient, and FREE. To seek out a class that is more challenging, or more focused on your weak areas, is inconvenient, and expensive. This would constitute going above and beyond.

Incidentally, I remember seeing Peter Martins in Maggie Black's class when he was a dancer in the company. (She whom Balanchine referred to sarcastically as "Black Magic".)

[davidsj]

In NYC however, there are many highly respected private teachers offering professional level classes, some within walking distance of Lincoln Center.

It is very easy to take co. class, go straight down the hall to rehearsal without changing clothes......convenient, and FREE.

They also charge like $300 + /hour + studio rental fees! Sure some dancers get special deals but for a typical corps member there's no way you can afford regular privates from distinguished teachers outside of what your company offers you.

[LiLing]

I was referring to open classes, not private coaching. Teachers who teach on their own, that is privately, as opposed to on the staff of a school. Some have their own studios, some rent or share Usually you can pay for single classes, or buy a card for a number. Some but not all charge AGMA members a professional rate. The classes Sophie Flack spoke of taking fall into this category. Many company members of all rakes take these outside classes.

[davidsj]

I was referring to open classes, not private coaching. Teachers who teach on their own, that is privately, as opposed to on the staff of a school. Some have their own studios, some rent or share Usually you can pay for single classes, or buy a card for a number. Some but not all charge AGMA members a professional rate. The classes Sophie Flack spoke of taking fall into this category. Many company members of all rakes take these outside classes.

Ah when you said "private teachers" I thought you meant private lessons.

[Simon G]

Simon, I'm confused as to the morale and cohesion that you speak of in the corps. Surely you don't assume that there aren't at least a few dancers at NYCB who are glad to see these 11 go. Ballet companies can be very ruthless and extremely competitive among the dancers. Even at ABT, despite what the board members here have characterized as the "right approach" to layoffs, there are intense rivalries among the dancers. Sure there are cliquies, but outside of that many are enemies. (it is always so funny to watch the dancers greet each other so pleasantly on stage).

David, no one is questioning the Darwinian approach to ballet, how tough it is, nor the rivalries within. Yes, I'm sure there are some who are glad and yet conversely many who suddenly realise how perilous their positions are. That sword of Damacles can fall at any time in the most arbitrary of ways.

On a related note, I don't think having "senior corps" is a good idea at all. There is so much young talent out there that will never have a chance to shine simply because they began their dancing career at a time where the top companies were "full" with "senior corps." Again, this is just my personal view, because I tend to embrace the vicious competitive nature of ballet companies rather than reject it as damaging to morale. I think joining a ballet company is inherently bad for morale!

This is where your argument becomes specious, you seem to view experience, talent, commitment as worthless commodities, what then is your upper limit for a dancer to be allowed to "languish" in the corps? Your personal view would have denied us the careers of Merrill Ashley, Heather Watts, Rachel Rutherford, Daching Waring, Vanessa Palmer, Emmanuel Thibault, Veronika Part, to name a few. There are numerous thread here about corps dancers we love as if they were stars etc But the most regressive and damaging view you take is that because a dancer was never favoured by management enough to rise quickly or become "stars" they are worthless dancers. When I talk about morale I mean that corps morale is damaged when cheap easy to hire and fire apprentices are used as a means to bulk up a corps whose positions are under constant threat. Also do you have such contempt for the corps as part of performance that you think it can be replaced with green, not quite ready dancers merely serving as a back drop for principals? That the wealth of experience and technique a seasoned corps member could bring to a role, to the unity of the corps is negligible?

And I also have to agree with Beatrice that her interview made Ms. Flack appear unprofessional. I can't comment on NYCB's company class policy, but generally speaking for a lot of other upper-tier companies company classes are required for the Corps, not so much for principals and soloists. It does appear to me that 9 years in the corps without any significant roles should have sounded some major warning bells, that she has been "passed over." In fact, I think 5 years in the corps without any progress is more than enough time to realize that you're not moving up, with a few exceptions. Thus, for Flack to state how surprised she was at her layoff makes me think she had a naive perspective, if she thought she coudl be a 20 year corps member at NYCB. Of course I do feel for her, because she did work so hard early in her career to rise up to NYCB.

I'm sure Ms. Flack is touched by your concern for her naivety and early work ethic. She stated that company class is not contractual. There have been two posts here about how company class can fall well short of what a dancer needs to maintain and improve technique, also read the article she doesn't state that she never went to company class. Your five year career plan for dancers is charmlessly Soviet in its ruthlessness; and says more about you than the talent of the dancers who keep plugging away and their ambitions. Flack states the steps she took to advance, talks feelingly and eloquently about it.

Indeed your censorious tone and five-year termination plan is exactly why Flack did this interview - she doesn't want to be so easily deleted as embunhead described; hit key delete. I applaud her actions - why should she roll over and play dead, play the good girl?

However, if you really feel this strongly why not write to Ms. Flack and tell her yourself? Write to her, tell her your points and views on her dancing, her self-delusion and her career and the interview. Instead of attacking her third party through the anonymous medium of a message board.

[Helene]

This thread is going in circles and getting personal. I'm closing it.