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Rachel Moore leaving ABT


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Sounds like she's up for the challenge to turn around another arts organization with problems and be a dynamic successful fundraiser. More power to her. Many people on this board feel that there are real challenges on the artistic side of ABT and now that Moore, who administered the organization with integrity and skill, is leaving, that compounds the problems. Any successor needs time to make his or her mark so it may be rocky going at ABT for awhile. I've spoken with her a few times and I like her and wish her well.

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This doesn't seem to be a sign of someone abandoning ship: she's returning to her home state, according to the LA Times article.

A useful reminder that as much as I despair at ABT's public-facing marketing efforts, it might be because ABT is focusing all its energy on donor-facing efforts...a more financially practical route.

Still, I hope the next director works harder at building the public's interest: I wonder if any of ABT's staff will follow her.

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I hope the next director can put this company back together again, because it's badly broken at this point. Under McKenzie's reign during the late 90s and through about 2008 or so, ABT was the envy of the ballet world. Their artists were incredible, and they were not guest artists. They were members of a unified company, and they performed throughout the year with ABT, not just dropping by for a show or two. Carreno, Corella, Bocca, Steifel, Malhakov, Jaffe, McKerrow, Ananiashvilli, Ferri, Vishneva were all major league bold face names. Who are the bold face names now? The de facto guest artists who show up for four shows during an 8 week season? The guest artists who fly in for one show? Somehow, the company has been driven into the ground over these last few years. I suspect part of that has to do with Moore's managment, and ABt's recently developed business model, which was discussed on a youtube video and then obliterated from existence after people got wind of it. To the extent that Moore has played a role in the artistic demise of ABT, I'm happy to see her go.

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I hope the next director can put this company back together again, because it's badly broken at this point. Under McKenzie's reign during the late 90s and through about 2008 or so, ABT was the envy of the ballet world. Their artists were incredible, and they were not guest artists. They were members of a unified company, and they performed throughout the year with ABT, not just dropping by for a show or two. Carreno, Corella, Bocca, Steifel, Malhakov, Jaffe, McKerrow, Ananiashvilli, Ferri, Vishneva were all major league bold face names. Who are the bold face names now? The de facto guest artists who show up for four shows during an 8 week season? The guest artists who fly in for one show? Somehow, the company has been driven into the ground over these last few years. I suspect part of that has to do with Moore's managment, and ABt's recently developed business model, which was discussed on a youtube video and then obliterated from existence after people got wind of it. To the extent that Moore has played a role in the artistic demise of ABT, I'm happy to see her go.

What is ABT's recently developed business model and can you explain why Moore is more responsible for the current reliance on guest artists than McKenzie? Does he not make the decisions of who to hire?

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At least according to the LA Times report, she's leaving a job that paid in the $300K neighborhood (including benefits) and replacing somebody who was paid in the $900K neighborhood. Plus, she has a chance to show she can turn around a massively important cultural institution in LA. She'd be nuts to turn that down! It's not necessarily a reflection on ABT (which is not to deny major problems at ABT, as so many have noted here).

Let me add: can anybody think of a woman given this kind of truly major opportunity in this country?

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I hope the next director can put this company back together again, because it's badly broken at this point. Under McKenzie's reign during the late 90s and through about 2008 or so, ABT was the envy of the ballet world. Their artists were incredible, and they were not guest artists. They were members of a unified company, and they performed throughout the year with ABT, not just dropping by for a show or two. Carreno, Corella, Bocca, Steifel, Malhakov, Jaffe, McKerrow, Ananiashvilli, Ferri, Vishneva were all major league bold face names. Who are the bold face names now? The de facto guest artists who show up for four shows during an 8 week season? The guest artists who fly in for one show? Somehow, the company has been driven into the ground over these last few years. I suspect part of that has to do with Moore's managment, and ABt's recently developed business model, which was discussed on a youtube video and then obliterated from existence after people got wind of it. To the extent that Moore has played a role in the artistic demise of ABT, I'm happy to see her go.

I don't know what the current business model is at ABT, but I agree with you, abatt, that it seems the whole "guest star model" became more popular at ABT after Ms. Moore's arrival. I would love to see this company return to a cohesive group of artists, and a concentration on grooming the talent within.

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At least according to the LA Times report, she's leaving a job that paid in the $300K neighborhood (including benefits) and replacing somebody who was paid in the $900K neighborhood. Plus, she has a chance to show she can turn around a massively important cultural institution in LA. She'd be nuts to turn that down! It's not necessarily a reflection on ABT (which is not to deny major problems at ABT, as so many have noted here).

Let me add: can anybody think of a woman given this kind of truly major opportunity in this country?

I hope the next director can put this company back together again, because it's badly broken at this point. Under McKenzie's reign during the late 90s and through about 2008 or so, ABT was the envy of the ballet world. Their artists were incredible, and they were not guest artists. They were members of a unified company, and they performed throughout the year with ABT, not just dropping by for a show or two. Carreno, Corella, Bocca, Steifel, Malhakov, Jaffe, McKerrow, Ananiashvilli, Ferri, Vishneva were all major league bold face names. Who are the bold face names now? The de facto guest artists who show up for four shows during an 8 week season? The guest artists who fly in for one show? Somehow, the company has been driven into the ground over these last few years. I suspect part of that has to do with Moore's managment, and ABt's recently developed business model, which was discussed on a youtube video and then obliterated from existence after people got wind of it. To the extent that Moore has played a role in the artistic demise of ABT, I'm happy to see her go.

I guess my post was deleted for some Rules & Policy issues but basically California and abatt has covered here in better verbiage than I. I am curious about the salary differences if that is indeed true, either way, I didn't even know Moore made over a quarter of a million while dancers weren't given raises to make ends meet, especially in the NYC living standards. I hope whomever is chosen next would really consider beneficial to the ones who are doing the work to make this company the great one it once was as abatt mentioned.

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At least according to the LA Times report, she's leaving a job that paid in the $300K neighborhood (including benefits) and replacing somebody who was paid in the $900K neighborhood. Plus, she has a chance to show she can turn around a massively important cultural institution in LA. She'd be nuts to turn that down! It's not necessarily a reflection on ABT (which is not to deny major problems at ABT, as so many have noted here).

Let me add: can anybody think of a woman given this kind of truly major opportunity in this country?

Let's all "Lean In" with Sheryl Sanberg.

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Thank you California and did see this myself but couldn't believe it myself, but since this are non-profit companies all salaries are public information, so I am taking back my question of disbelieve. IMO, I hope that whomever is chosen next in line would take care of the homegrown dancers and using the fundings wisely to help those who are doing the work.

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I don't know much about the fundraising business at ABT so I judge someone's fundraising skills by the numbers I can find in the newspapers. And these numbers do not convince me that Moore is an extremely susseessful fundraiser. The last year gala (Spring 2014) raised $1.7 million. For comparison, at SFB the number was $2.4 million.

Edited to add: Now that I've learned about Ms. Moore's potential salary package I will not be taking calls from LA's Music Center asking for donations.

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In recent years, people have complained about Peter Martins' $500K+ salary at a time when he was laying off dancers. For non-profits, their 990 forms filed with the IRS each year are public information. I haven't seen published reports about what LA will pay Moore, but if her predecessor wasn't doing such a great job, it's hard to see how they could justify paying her a lot less. And it would also be awkward recruiting a woman and then paying her less than her male predecessor.

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At leas

Let me add: can anybody think of a woman given this kind of truly major opportunity in this country?

Deborah Rutter, a musician who worked for Ernest Fleischmann at the LA Philharmonic, became ED of the Seattle Symphony during fundraising for and building Benaroya Hall, and lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association until she was named President of the Kennedy Center.

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Stuben, the info about the ABt business plan relates to an unexpected candid interview given by William Taylor at Babson College regarding ABT's guest star strategy. The interview was quickly removed from youtube once ABT fans started talking about it on various ABT fan sites and chat rooms like this one. You can find the discussion about Mr. Taylor's comments starting on post 429 in a different Ballet Alert thread, which I've linked.

http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/39382-abt-2015-met-season/page-29#entry352539

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Deborah Rutter, a musician who worked for Ernest Fleischmann at the LA Philharmonic, became ED of the Seattle Symphony during fundraising for and building Benaroya Hall, and lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association until she was named President of the Kennedy Center.

Ah Yes, Rutter - I'm already being bombarded with fund-raising letters from her! If she weren't brand-new at Kennedy Center, she probably would have been a leading contender in LA. Indeed, given that the LA position has been vacant for some time, perhaps she was considered last year and decided KenCen was a better option for her. We'll never know!

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Stuben, the info about the ABt business plan relates to an unexpected candid interview given by William Taylor at Babson College regarding ABT's guest star strategy. The interview was quickly removed from youtube once ABT fans started talking about it on various ABT fan sites and chat rooms like this one. You can find the discussion about Mr. Taylor's comments starting on post 429 in a different Ballet Alert thread, which I've linked.

http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/39382-abt-2015-met-season/page-29#entry352539

Thank you so much abatt for this info and I can certainly understand why the video was removed.

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At least according to the LA Times report, she's leaving a job that paid in the $300K neighborhood (including benefits) and replacing somebody who was paid in the $900K neighborhood. Plus, she has a chance to show she can turn around a massively important cultural institution in LA. She'd be nuts to turn that down! It's not necessarily a reflection on ABT (which is not to deny major problems at ABT, as so many have noted here).

Let me add: can anybody think of a woman given this kind of truly major opportunity in this country?

Beverly Sills was the Chairperson of Lincoln Center in the 1990s. Deborah Borda, formerly of the NY Philharmonic, is now Pres. & CEO of the LA Philharmonic.

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