Tamara Rojo named new Artistic Director of San Francisco Ballet

[California]

"San Francisco Ballet today announced the appointment of Tamara Rojo, its first new artistic director in nearly four decades and first woman to lead the internationally-recognized company that has balanced an innovative focus on new and contemporary choreography with a deeply held dedication to classical ballet for nine decades."

 

https://www.sfballet.org/discover/press-center/press-releases/release/2022announcement/

[Josette]

I just saw the email.  Wow.  That was unexpected (to me).  So, will Isaac Hernandez be rejoining SFB? (Very likely). 

 

[California]

1 minute ago, Josette said:

So, will Isaac Hernandez be rejoining SFB? (Very likely). 

 

From the press release: 

"Rojo will move to San Francisco with her husband, Isaac Hernández, who was recently appointed a principal dancer at San Francisco Ballet after previously dancing in the Company’s corps de ballet and as a soloist in 2010." https://www.sfballet.org/discover/press-center/press-releases/release/2022announcement/

[Josette]

10 minutes ago, California said:

From the press release: 

"Rojo will move to San Francisco with her husband, Isaac Hernández, who was recently appointed a principal dancer at San Francisco Ballet after previously dancing in the Company’s corps de ballet and as a soloist in 2010." https://www.sfballet.org/discover/press-center/press-releases/release/2022announcement/

Thanks! (I did not read the entire release.)

[PeggyTulle]

This is... shocking. I worry about a mass exodus from SFB (similar to what happened with ENB and the issues she had with former ENB company members). 

Edited January 11, 2022 by PeggyTulle
clarification

[Mashinka]

Just now, PeggyTulle said:

This is... shocking. I worry about a mass exodus from SFB in light of some of the issues she has had with former ENB company members. 

Indeed, you have every right to be worried.  I predict a mass exodus too - sackings disguised as resignations.

[PeggyTulle]

Madison Keesler was part of the ENB exodus, IIRC...

[PeggyR]

5 minutes ago, Mashinka said:

Indeed, you have every right to be worried.  I predict a mass exodus too - sackings disguised as resignations.

This is not making me optimistic.  I’m not only worried about SFB losing any of its dancers, but if anyone does leave, voluntarily or not, will they be able to find comparable positions in this uncertain climate that surrounds just about everything due to Covid.

On the plus side, I hope she brings some Akram Khan to the Company.

Like everything these days, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how this plays out.

[cobweb]

I know nothing about what happened at ENB or what the issue is with Tamara Rojo. Within the limits, of course, of what's allowed on this board, can anyone fill me in on why there might be a mass exodus? I have to agree that whatever the reason, that would be very unfortunate. 

[PeggyTulle]

7 minutes ago, cobweb said:

I know nothing about what happened at ENB or what the issue is with Tamara Rojo. Within the limits, of course, of what's allowed on this board, can anyone fill me in on why there might be a mass exodus? I have to agree that whatever the reason, that would be very unfortunate. 

https://www.dancemagazine.com/tamara-rojo-isaac-hernandez/

http://www.balletposition.com/blog/the-two-faces-of-english-national-ballet

And if you have a UK Times subscription/access: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/english-national-ballet-director-tamara-rojo-hits-back-over-romance-with-isaac-hernandez-dnx6j3960

[Terez]

Wow. Just wow. Did not see this coming or even consider it. (I'd thought, weirdly, that they'd come up with a two-person team, like Benjamin Millepied and Sofiane Sylve. Guess not!)

[PeggyTulle]

1 minute ago, Terez said:

Wow. Just wow. Did not see this coming or even consider it. (I'd thought, weirdly, that they'd come up with a two-person team, like Benjamin Millepied and Sofiane Sylve. Guess not!)

Yep. I didn't consider Tamara a real possibility b/c the relationship with Isaac and her history seem so volatile and ripe for COI issues. Guess the SFB board felt otherwise...

[Josette]

I am pleased with the choice and will wait to see what happens.  There is always concern among the dancers as to what a new director will do and who will be favored.  

 

[Quiggin]

It's kind of exciting in a way and might mean a good update for the repertory, but I can understand the worries about the history of personnel issues at ENB.

Patricia Neary was a finalist with Helgi Tomasson for the artistic directorship in 1985 and was ultimately was offered the second-in-command position. The company of 43 dancers voted to retain Michael Smuin with 27 votes, for Neary with 14, and 2 for Tomasson, according to Chronicle columnist Herb Caen. So things don't always start out in the best way.

[California]

I have to think that some of her imaginative commissions were persuasive: the Lest We Forget trilogy in 2014, the Aram Khan Giselle, the reconceptualized Raymonda, Broken Wings (on Frida Kahlo). All strong indications of how to update/modernize classical ballet. It's hard to think of another artistic director with such a rich artistic imagination.

[abatt]

Shocked by this news.  I never would have anticipated that she was interested in moving to the US. 

So who will take over at ENB?  Alina Cojocaru!?

[cobweb]

Thanks very much for the links, PeggyTulle. Reading this, does make this appointment sound baffling and troubling. I wonder what other applicants they had and why they felt this was the best choice. 

[PeggyR]

47 minutes ago, PeggyTulle said:

https://www.dancemagazine.com/tamara-rojo-isaac-hernandez/

http://www.balletposition.com/blog/the-two-faces-of-english-national-ballet

And if you have a UK Times subscription/access: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/english-national-ballet-director-tamara-rojo-hits-back-over-romance-with-isaac-hernandez-dnx6j3960

The articles are certainly disturbing, but they date back four years.  I wonder what the likelihood is that the personalities involved have changed much in that time.  I would think slim to none, but I really want to be hopeful.  I’m especially looking forward to what she will add to the repertory.

Edited January 11, 2022 by PeggyR

[canbelto]

Helgi Tomasson himself cleaned house in a rather harsh way when he took over SFB. So did Angel Corella at Philly/PA Ballet. 

Even at NYCB where both Jon and Wendy had deep ties and connections to the company, there's been more departures than normal.

[Phrenchphry11]

Ooof - I was sort of hoping they'd hire someone with stronger ties/history to SFB (Sofiane, maybe even Sarah Van Patten?) Or some sort of team model like NYCB has. 

On the bright side, Rojo has been getting good press about some of her new rep (Akram Khan, also a new version of Raymonda I read about recently).  Would love to see some of those works on SFB stage.

However, other than that, I can't say I feel super thrilled about it.  Her relationship with the Hernandez brothers feels like a clear conflict of interest, and there's lots of unsavory reporting about her out there.  I do agree it's impossible to please everyone with an AD choice, so I think some attrition was probably expected regardless, but I do really worry about this.  I'm pretty sure Madison Keesler was one of the dancers who left ENB under Rojo.  I wonder what other dancers are thinking.

[PeggyR]

16 minutes ago, canbelto said:

Helgi Tomasson himself cleaned house in a rather harsh way when he took over SFB. So did Angel Corella at Philly/PA Ballet. 

Even at NYCB where both Jon and Wendy had deep ties and connections to the company, there's been more departures than normal.

I do think there’s a difference between ‘cleaning house’ - as in not renewing contracts for dancers who don’t fit the new director’s vision for a company - and making life so miserable for remaining dancers that they leave voluntarily to preserve their physical and mental well being.  The first is distressing but understandable; the second is simply unacceptable.

[PeggyTulle]

3 minutes ago, PeggyR said:

I do think there’s a difference between ‘cleaning house’ - as in not renewing contracts for dancers who don’t fit the new director’s vision for a company - and making life so miserable for remaining dancers that they leave voluntarily to preserve their physical and mental well being.  The first is distressing but understandable; the second is simply unacceptable.

Thank you, @PeggyR. It's the latter that truly worries me.

[Josette]

 

"San Francisco Ballet Appoints Tamara Rojo to Artistic Director" - This article says that her husband, Isaac Hernandez, recently rejoined SFB:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/11/arts/dance/tamara-rojo-artistic-director-san-francisco-ballet.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimesarts

"Tamara Rojo: why I'm leaving English National Ballet": 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/f02eee30-72e3-11ec-aacf-0736e08b15cd?shareToken=33a9467d47f00ff057fe9448c4843d4c

 

[Helene]

Ballet companies, at least in the US, don't have to sack anyone:  they just need to not offer contracts for the following season, unless they are contractually required to give longer notice of non-renewal (ex: one year instead of the three months between contract time and end of current season).  (Some contracts, at least in the past for public-facing ones, don't include all ranks for compensation clauses, but include them for workplace conditions.)

ETA:  If it comes to that, Come North, Young Person!

 

[Helene]

Double-posting here:  the latitude an incoming AD has in the US for cleaning house is often dictated by the Board.  If the Board accepts a "cleaning house" vision to change the company, then the AD can be direct.  If the AD comes in and explicitly agrees to not make substantial changes, ie, provide continuity, at least in the first season or two, then the AD either complies, or resorts to passive-aggressive means to push unfavored dancers out.

Kind of like many businesses.