Finlay Resigns, Catazaro and Ramasar Suspended -- Update: Catazaro and Ramasar Fired

[ABT Fan]

Wow! So Finlay was going to be fired anyway. I have to say that I agree with this. I couldn’t imagine any of these guys (or Ramasar or Catazaro after their suspension...) returning and dancing/partnering with women.

Edited September 15, 2018 by ABT Fan

[canbelto]

They've already been removed from the website. That was quick.

[Helene]

This is a very smart statement in both tone and content on many levels.  I hope they take or have taken similar action against any employees who participated in the communications.

 

[Helene]

Here's a link to the NYT story:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/15/arts/dance/city-ballet-fires-two-male-dancers-accused-of-sharing-photos.html

From the article, re: the donor:

Quote

Rob Daniels, a spokesman for City Ballet, said the company had identified the donor as a former member of the company’s young patrons circle who had made modest contributions that totaled approximately $12,000 from 2010 to 2016. He said that at the suggestion of some of the dancers in the company, City Ballet would make a donation in that amount to a local charity focused on women’s issues.

 

[FPF]

In my opinion, this was the right call.

[Olga]

A sad day, a sad month, and a sad year for our beloved company. How amazing is it that Opening Night is Tuesday, which also marks the beginning night of the Jewish Day of Atonement. May they be written and sealed for a better year and a bright future. 

[aurora]

26 minutes ago, Olga said:

Interesting they have added they decided to fire Finlay prior to receiving notice of his resignation. 

That is what they say now anyway, as they try and get ahead of this situation. I wonder if it is true.

If it is true it is interesting they only chose to mention it now.

Edited September 15, 2018 by aurora

[nanushka]

16 minutes ago, Helene said:

This is a very smart statement in both tone and content on many levels.

Agreed. This was definitely the way to go, if they want to move forward and beyond these problems. Of course, a lot more time will have to pass, changes be made, and events transpire before that will be possible; but this is an important start.

[Kaysta]

Wow!  While I’m sad that this has happened (because Ramasar was my favorite male dancer at NYCB) I’m happy that NYCB has finally decided to take a strong stance.   I don’t believe they would have done this without having the appropriate evidence to proceed.

[ABT Fan]

26 minutes ago, aurora said:

That is what they say now anyway, as they try and get ahead of this situation. I wonder if it is true.

If it is true it is interesting they only chose to mention it now.

Yeah, that was my thought too.

[On Pointe]

11 minutes ago, Kaysta said:

Wow!  While I’m sad that this has happened (because Ramasar was my favorite male dancer at NYCB) I’m happy that NYCB has finally decided to take a strong stance.   I don’t believe they would have done this without having the appropriate evidence to proceed.

He'll be all right.  As the saying goes,  you play stupid games,  you win stupid prizes.  I'm sure there are several up-and-coming male dancers who don't feel the least bit depressed at the news.

The NYCB is trying to establish that they took decisive action immediately  after they learned of the emails,  before the suit was filed,  which would bolster their contention that they do not encourage or condone sexist behavior.  

[Helene]

Please don't post about non-public-facing social media, unless it's to say that an account is no longer private or has been made public.  

[fondoffouettes]

Please take this down if it is not allowed, but Alastair Macaulay has reposted Catazaro's statement. Since Macaulay is a professional critic and his profile is public-facing, I thought this might be OK to post.

 

[Helene]

Public-facing:  check!

Post by a ballet professional:  check!

Thank you, @fondoffouettes for posting it. (We actually love and appreciate it when there's official news we can talk about.)

And I'm happy to start:  this is the first mention of any AGMA position on the matter.

[sappho]

1 hour ago, California said:

After further assessment of their conduct and its impact on the NYCB community, the decision has been made to terminate Catazaro and Ramasar. A workplace where our dancers and staff feel respected and valued is our highest obligation,

Agree with Helene, nanushka, and others that this was the right call.

 

Also, between John Hockenberry's essay in Harper's, Jian Ghomeshi's essay in NYRB, Ian Buruma's interview justifying his decision to publish Ghomeshi, Ramasar's statement, and Catazaro's statement, it's been a busy weekend for men complaining that they were fired or forced to resign in order to "appease" (Ramasar's words) the nameless public mob...

 

[nanushka]

1 minute ago, sappho said:

Also, between John Hockenberry's essay in Harper's, Jian Ghomeshi's essay in NYRB, Ian Buruma's interview justifying his decision to publish Ghomeshi, Ramasar's statement, and Catazaro's statement...

Where was Ramasar's statement? I haven't come across one but would be interested to read.

[On Pointe]

7 minutes ago, Helene said:

Public-facing:  check!

Post by a ballet professional:  check!

Thank you, @fondoffouettes for posting it. (We actually love and appreciate it when there's official news we can talk about.)

And I'm happy to start:  this is the first mention of any AGMA position on the matter.

Zachary Catazaro seems to be signaling that he intends to fight this termination.   AGMA would not have rendered an opinion unless he consulted them,  and apparently they agree with his stance.  According to Ms. Waterbury's complaint,  while Catazaro is named,  his alleged involvement is vague.  He raises an interesting point - does an employee have an expectation of privacy regarding his personal communications carried out on his own time?  

[sappho]

1 minute ago, nanushka said:

Where was Ramasar's statement? I haven't come across one but would be interested to read.

Whoops, my bad! He's quoted here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/15/arts/dance/city-ballet-fires-two-male-dancers-accused-of-sharing-photos.html

Quote

Mr. Ramasar said he had been disciplined for “non-work lawful activities between consenting adults” without an understanding of all the facts. “The ballet already suspended me,” he said, “but now, due to pressure caused by a lawsuit filed against it (but not me), has expelled me to appease people who have no idea what really happened. In the days ahead, I will be telling my story.”

 

[nanushka]

7 minutes ago, sappho said:

Whoops, my bad! He's quoted here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/15/arts/dance/city-ballet-fires-two-male-dancers-accused-of-sharing-photos.html

Oh interesting, that ¶ was added to the article since it was initially posted here this morning. I still have the old window open on my browser and it's not there. Thanks for clarifying!

I assume the update was in response to a longer statement somewhere that the NYT is just quoting a part of. The complete absence of any expressed remorse is striking, but that may have been somewhere else in the original source.

Edited September 15, 2018 by nanushka

[FPF]

There's a longer version of Catazaro's statement here: https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/New-York-City-Ballet-Terminates-Zachary-Catazaro-and-Amar-Ramasar-Following-Inappropriate-Communications-20180915

The end, which is cut off in Macaulay's post, does seem to indicate that he will fight this: "I sincerely hope that my contract is reinstated, based on AGMA's analysis of the situation, and that I can continue to work with my hard-working and dedicated colleagues at the company. They are my "family", and I love and admire them."

[On Pointe]

8 minutes ago, FPF said:

There's a longer version of Catazaro's statement here: https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/New-York-City-Ballet-Terminates-Zachary-Catazaro-and-Amar-Ramasar-Following-Inappropriate-Communications-20180915

The end, which is cut off in Macaulay's post, does seem to indicate that he will fight this: "I sincerely hope that my contract is reinstated, based on AGMA's analysis of the situation, and that I can continue to work with my hard-working and dedicated colleagues at the company. They are my "family", and I love and admire them."

The Broadway World article states,  "Earlier this summer, following an internal investigation, NYCB determined that Catazaro, Ramasar, and former Principal Dancer Chase Finlay had engaged in inappropriate communications, that while personal, off-hours and off-site, had violated the norms of conduct that NYCB expects from its employees and were unacceptable.".   If this is an accurate representation of NYCB's public statements,  they are conceding that they have intruded in the lives of their employees to a degree that might be actionable.  They may soon have another lawsuit on their hands.

[nanushka]

8 minutes ago, On Pointe said:

The Broadway World article states,  "Earlier this summer, following an internal investigation, NYCB determined that Catazaro, Ramasar, and former Principal Dancer Chase Finlay had engaged in inappropriate communications, that while personal, off-hours and off-site, had violated the norms of conduct that NYCB expects from its employees and were unacceptable.".   If this is an accurate representation of NYCB's public statements,  they are conceding that they have intruded in the lives of their employees to a degree that might be actionable.  They may soon have another lawsuit on their hands.

Broadway World seems to be using NYCB's own language (though I'm not sure from what source — would have to go back and check NYCB's original statement), as the NYT article prints it with a direct quote:

Quote

City Ballet had initially moved last month to suspend Mr. Ramasar and Mr. Catazaro without pay until next year. The company had investigated the allegations against them and determined that they had “engaged in inappropriate communications, that while personal, off-hours and off-site, had violated the norms of conduct” it expects from dancers.

I don't see that they are "conceding that they have intruded"; whether it's an "intrusion" or not would seem to be a question that's yet to be definitively answered (though certainly arguments for both sides have been given).

Edited September 15, 2018 by nanushka

[FPF]

The NYT article has been updated to say that the AGMA is planning to challenge both firings.

[Helene]

I had to clear my browser cache to see the updated NYT article, which didn't include Ramasar's statement.  I don't see a note at the bottom of the article now to indicate that it was added.

[nanushka]

1 minute ago, Helene said:

I had to clear my browser cache to see the updated NYT article, which didn't include Ramasar's statement.  I don't see a note at the bottom of the article now to indicate that it was added.

I think it's pretty common for the NYT online articles, before they've gone to print, to be changed in such ways, as new info comes in. They don't put notices for those early additions like they do for corrections, changes, etc.