New York City Ballet 2021 Season

[vipa]

3 hours ago, Balletwannabe said:

What does she gain from lying?  She has to go back to work with these people, she's risking a lot.  

IMO she gains nothing from lying but she is putting forth her point of view, perspective and memory. When the book comes out, I'll be interested in reading her POV and interpretation of events. Ballet is a tough profession. It's a zero zum game. If you're not cast in a role someone else is. GP was, by her own account in interviews, very aggressive in getting a Dew Drop performance. Her getting it meant that someone else didn't. There's a story there too! It's complicated. 

[pherank]

57 minutes ago, vipa said:

If you're not cast in a role someone else is. GP was, by her own account in interviews, very aggressive in getting a Dew Drop performance. Her getting it meant that someone else didn't. There's a story there too! It's complicated. 

Yes, indeed. Someone is going to get the role one way or another. It doesn't make much sense to complain about others working to get roles though - it's a necessary evil for all soloists. Seeming disinterest is not compelling to an A.D.   ;)

[canbelto]

A missed opportunity can mean years of delays. I remember when Stella Abrera was dancing nearly every night. She was doing soloist roles and corps roles and you couldn't miss her. She was for sure being tracked to principal. There was an announcement of Giselle. And she got injured. After that she spent years as a utility soloist before finally making principal at age 37 or so. 

 

[FPF]

In a  review in the Times (London) it says: "The book also includes examples of the everyday sexual harassment she experienced as a young ballerina — for instance one of her contemporaries would regularly “greet” her in classes by pinching her nipples while other men egged him on. She would laugh it off and slap him."  

[On Pointe]

2 hours ago, FPF said:

In a  review in the Times (London) it says: "The book also includes examples of the everyday sexual harassment she experienced as a young ballerina — for instance one of her contemporaries would regularly “greet” her in classes by pinching her nipples while other men egged him on. She would laugh it off and slap him."  

I guess she didn't slap him hard enough.   What a weird story!

[Balletwannabe]

I put in my pre-order, can't wait.  I'm glad she's speaking up.  I hope it makes everyone really uncomfortable (who knew about these things and did nothing).  These stories are too detailed for me to believe they're anything but the truth.  

Edited July 20, 2021 by Balletwannabe

[abatt]

On 7/13/2021 at 10:24 PM, volcanohunter said:

The company could easily exempt children from the requirement.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/The-Met-Opera-Will-Require-Audience-Members-to-Provide-Proof-of-Vaccination-20210728

Any audience member who cannot prove he has been vaccinated is barred from entering the Met Opera. 

NYCB talks a good game about protecting the audience, but if that protection was really the goal they too would ban people who are not vaccinated from the theater. This will not happen because their Nutcracker sales would tank.  Kids under 12, who are not presently eligible to take the vaccine , are the bread and butter of Nutcracker ticket sales. 

[Kathleen O'Connell]

10 hours ago, abatt said:

NYCB talks a good game about protecting the audience, but if that protection was really the goal they too would ban people who are not vaccinated from the theater.

I wonder if NYCB will decide to revise its policy in light of 1) rising Covid-19 case rates at both the local and national level; 2) revised CDC guidance re indoor masking; 3) more and more organizations in the for-profit, non-profit, health care, and government sectors requiring vaccinations of both employees and customers; and 4) the number of public figures now urging everyone to get vaccinated. 

Surely headlines like "All NYC Counties Fall Under CDC's New Recommendation For Universal Indoor Masking" has to prompt a NYC performing arts organization to re-think its re-opening policies. (Or this one, as Nutcracker season approaches: "Arkansas Children’s hospitals report record high number of children hospitalized with Covid-19"—it certainly got my attention.)

Frankly, it might be easier for a venue to require vaccines for admission than to try to enforce a masking requirement. You just know that there will be audience members who will kick up a prolonged and noisy ruckus when an usher politely requests that they put their masks back on. 

 

[Marta]

5 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

I wonder if NYCB will decide to revise its policy in light of 1) rising Covid-19 case rates at both the local and national level; 2) revised CDC guidance re indoor masking; 3) more and more organizations in the for-profit, non-profit, health care, and government sectors requiring vaccinations of both employees and customers; and 4) the number of public figures now urging everyone to get vaccinated. 

Surely headlines like "All NYC Counties Fall Under CDC's New Recommendation For Universal Indoor Masking" has to prompt a NYC performing arts organization to re-think its re-opening policies. (Or this one, as Nutcracker season approaches: "Arkansas Children’s hospitals report record high number of children hospitalized with Covid-19"—it certainly got my attention.)

Frankly, it might be easier for a venue to require vaccines for admission than to try to enforce a masking requirement. You just know that there will be audience members who will kick up a prolonged and noisy ruckus when an usher politely requests that they put their masks back on. 

 

I wonder too if NYCB policy will change.   About a week ago, I emailed NYCB and asked how having no intermissions protected the audience.  Couldn't they close off the Promenade and only allow people on paths to the bathrooms?  Couldn't they require masks or proof of vaccination instead?  Yada yada yada.  I didn't receive an answer.

[JuliaJ]

Note that if you go to NYCB's "your safety" web page, the language is a lot more vague, and there's no mention of intermissions being taken away anymore. 

Yesterday, Gov. Cuomo gave a speech in which he strongly encouraged all theaters to make vaccination mandatory for attendees, citing Radio City Music Hall's policies as an example. (If you look at their upcoming events, Radio City allows children under 12 to show proof of a negative COVID test instead.... Met Opera says no kids allowed though.) I predict we will see a similar policy announced at NYCB, maybe even by Sunday when single tickets go on sale to non-subscribers. Makes a lot more sense than trying to enforce a mask rule. 

[Kathleen O'Connell]

7 minutes ago, Marta said:

About a week ago, I emailed NYCB and asked how having no intermissions protected the audience.

I still can't figure out the logic behind no intermissions. I suppose the intention is to limit the absolute amount of time front-of-house employees and audience members are exposed to the virus given that duration of exposure is one driver of transmission risk. But it's hard to see how adding, say, one 20 minute intermission materially increases the risk for people who will be sitting (unmasked!) in close proximity to potential carriers of a highly contagious variant for 90 minutes. 

Edited July 29, 2021 by Kathleen O'Connell

[meunier fan]

35 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

 

Frankly, it might be easier for a venue to require vaccines for admission than to try to enforce a masking requirement. You just know that there will be audience members who will kick up a prolonged and noisy ruckus when an usher politely requests that they put their masks back on. 

 

My experience having attended ballet performances in London recently - and this city now seems to be on a mounting Delta horror story well beyond NYC's current imagining - is that even when people are reminded to put their masks on - on those rare occasions - they only do so in order that they might rapidly remove them again.  But given that, as one ROH usher so kindly reminded me, 'three quarters of the House staff have been let go', that is I suppose the most we can now reasonably expect.  In London we used to hear the dictum - even from the lips of the PM - 'We're ALL in this together'.  Now it seems - certainly by current British government dictates - we're ALL responsible for ourselves.  Some term this to be: 'freedom of choice'.  Where there are to be failures in terms of our own personal health and safety we can be confident of one thing - and one thing only as far as I can see it:  It will have been our own fault.  We will have put ourselves at risk after all is said and done.

Recently a woman fainted at the top of the ROH's Amphitheatre landing.  I went to get a staff member to help.  I had to go down two levels.  Even then the staff member - rather than running to assist - had to run in an opposite direction to her Manager to see if she should.  I didn't wait.  I didn't see the point.  I dutifully returned.  It really is a different world now methinks.  

Edited July 29, 2021 by meunier fan

[abatt]

Since a significant portion of NYCB's income would be lost if they required proof of vaccination (ie, no kids under 12), I think they will not require proof of vaccination unless Cuomo orders that all indoor venues for performing arts have this requirement.  This is obviously a big issue for things like Radio City Christmas Show, the Nutcracker and other programs where kids make up a significant portion of the audience. 

 

Personally, I think NYCB should just reduce the number of Nutcracker shows, and use some of that performance calendar time for rep programs.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

1 hour ago, abatt said:

Since a significant portion of NYCB's income would be lost if they required proof of vaccination (ie, no kids under 12), I think they will not require proof of vaccination unless Cuomo orders that all indoor venues for performing arts have this requirement. 

Wouldn't it be possible to require vaccination of everyone over 12?  One way to protect those who can't be vaccinated—e.g., children under 12—is to ensure that those who can be vaccinated are vaccinated. 

Edited July 29, 2021 by Kathleen O'Connell

[abatt]

7 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

Wouldn't it be possible to require vaccination of everyone over 12?  One way to protect those who can't be vaccinated—e.g., children under 12—is to ensure that those who can be vaccinated are vaccinated. 

I don't think that would accomplish the goal of enhancing safety.  It is the un-vaccinated who pose significant  danger of spreading the disease. 

[nanushka]

9 minutes ago, abatt said:

I don't think that would accomplish the goal of enhancing safety.  It is the un-vaccinated who pose significant  danger of spreading the disease. 

In terms of public policy, though, the goal is not typically to wholly eliminate risk (or, conversely, to ensure absolute safety); the goal is to, within reason, minimize risk. A vaccine mandate for those over 12 would be a definite step in that direction — more clearly than, for instance, not having intermissions.

[Helene]

One reason why the CDC decided to recomment indoor masking for everyone where local conditions warranted is because vaccinated people have high enough loads to be contagious:

Quote

Professors Dave and Shelby O'Connor say that the new research shows vaccinated people who experience a breakthrough infection of the Delta variant carry high loads of virus deep within their noses.

"The same sort of really high amounts of virus in their system as unvaccinated people," Dave said. "That changes the rules from what we thought they were even just a month or two ago."

He says that means that the spread potential for someone infected and vaccinated, potentially even if they are asymptomatic, could be highly dangerous.

"Someone who's vaccinated and has a breakthrough infection, and is walking through a crowded building, is potentially going to be exhaling a lot of virus and is potentially going to be putting others at risk," he said.

https://wkow.com/2021/07/28/covid-19-spread-from-vaccinated-to-unvaccinated-may-already-be-happening-in-dane-county/

This is a significantly different message that was sent pre-Delta, which has changed the game significantly.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

2 minutes ago, Helene said:

One reason why the CDC decided to recomment indoor masking for everyone where local conditions warranted is because vaccinated people have high enough loads to be contagious

Yes. If there's anything that argues for a mask mandate, it's this. 

To be clear, I don't think it's an argument against vaccines. 

[nanushka]

12 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

Yes. If there's anything that argues for a mask mandate, it's this. 

To be clear, I don't think it's an argument against vaccines. 

Right, because vaccinated people are less likely to have those spreadable infections in the first place.

I’d be all in favor of a mask mandate even if they don’t do much to enforce it. (I wouldn’t want enforcement to disrupt performances, for instance.) In a non-socially distanced theater it doesn’t seem like a bad idea; I personally don’t mind wearing a mask, and have found ones that are comfortable; and a mandate would at least establish a baseline social norm. Again, compared to no intermissions, it would at least make reasonable sense (to me).

Edited July 29, 2021 by nanushka

[Kathleen O'Connell]

39 minutes ago, nanushka said:

I’d be all in favor of a mask mandate even if they don’t do much to enforce it. (I wouldn’t want enforcement to disrupt performances, for instance.)

Agreed. And in truth, the vast majority of New Yorkers in my neighborhood are still masking up in most indoor spaces, even if it's not required that they do so. I'd expect that at least some audience members will resist masking, but that more will be willing (or even eager) to don them again.

[abatt]

The Broadway League has announced that anyone attending any Broadway show must provide proof of vaccination. Mayor DeBlasio is considering whether the health department will mandate proof of vaccination for entry into restaurants and bars.

 

It's time for NYCB to step up and impose a vaccination requirement, in my opinion.

[nanushka]

6 minutes ago, abatt said:

The Broadway League has announced that anyone attending any Broadway show must provide proof of vaccination. Mayor DeBlasio is considering whether the health department will mandate proof of vaccination for entry into restaurants and bars.

 

It's time for NYCB to step up and impose a vaccination requirement, in my opinion.

I agree. And it’s well past time for the unvaccinated to start carrying more of the burden of the consequences of their choices, which have brought us to this point. New variants will continue to emerge as long as there isn’t a larger proportion of the population vaccinated.

Edited July 30, 2021 by nanushka

[abatt]

Update- Just heard on the news that in addition to the vaccination mandate to attend a Broadway show, all attendees must wear masks in the theater.

Kids under 12 may attend if they can provide proof of a negative covid test.

Edited July 30, 2021 by abatt

[canbelto]

Good. I'm really tired of the mollycoddling of unvaccinated people. I wonder how Nutcracker season will be handled.

[Helene]

Requiring a mask in addition to a vaccine or negative test for those under 12 has nothing to do with those who aren't vaccinated: it has to do with the science that shows that vaccinated people can carry viral loads even if they are unsymptomatic and can spread COVID-19 to other vaccinated people.

It will be interesting to see how NYCB acts in the face of science, all of which could change by Nutcracker season.