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DDP Talks To

"The Devil Ties My Tongue" by Amy Seiwert performed for the SKETCH Series, 2013. Photo by David DeSilva. Courtesy of Amy Seiwert's Imagery

New York Times: Why Music Festivals Need More Beyoncés

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By Maya Salam

26 April 2019

Like many, I spent two hours last week watching Beyoncé burn past all logical boundaries of musical performance in her new Netflix documentary, “Homecoming,” about her elaborate 2018 Coachella set. It was an epic show — so much so that fans nicknamed the whole event Beychella — but a rare one. She was the first black woman to headline Coachella in its 20-year history.

Beyoncé is just one of several female artists — Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Kacey Musgraves, Halsey, Billie Eilish — dominating the music scene these days with No. 1 albums and songs, raking in awards and breaking records while they’re at it. But as we enter music festival season, you’d never know it.

Female artists are usually starkly absent from headlining spots and are often a fraction of overall lineups.

This month at Coachella, women made up 35 percent of acts, the same as last year, according to Book More Women, a group that manipulates posters of major festivals to show how few women were playing. Further, according to Nielsen, festivalgoers are majority female.

Read the full article in The New York Times.

The Problem With the Informal Referral System for New Choreographers – Men “Asking Around” = More Men Are Hired

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TulsaPeople: Remember our song

By Anna Bennett

“It’s 1940, and you just took a boy home.”

In reality, it’s 2018, an early afternoon in a Tulsa Ballet studio. Choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler is probing for the meaning behind a moment of movement that’s not quite working.

“Who should make the move? Who has the power?” Blankenbuehler asks Daniel Van De Laar and Maine Kawashima, the Tulsa ballet dancers cast in this duet.

The dancers look at each other, unsure of the right answer. But Blankenbuehler doesn’t have the answer either — it’s something they’ll all have to figure out together, from the top, once more.

Everyone resets to the beginning of the phrase, does it again, shifting the emphasis, pausing a little longer on this moment or that. The second cast for the duet, Minori Sakita and Jonathan Ramirez, shadows the action.

For Blankenbuehler, creation is a conversation, one that takes place over hours and days in the studio with the dancers, and continues even after he has left. At that point, his assistant, Cindy Salgado, stays to continue working and polishing the piece while he jets off to his next commitment (in this instance, off to London to choreograph the upcoming film adaptation of the classic musical “Cats”). But the Tony award-winning choreographer, whose credits include “In The Heights,” “Bandstand” and a little show called “Hamilton,” has never choreographed for a ballet company before.

Read the full article in TulsaPeople.

Global News: Ballet Kelowna prepares for season finale

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By Doris Maria Bregolisse

26 April 2019

Ballet Kelowna is featuring works that were first performed more than 100 years ago in Paris for their season finale May 3 & 4.

They’ve recruited help to create modern interpretations of the dances for the Okanagan stage.

A trio of Canadian female choreographers will offer new takes on works by Igor Stravinsky that were originally commissioned for Paris’ Ballet Russes between 1910 and 1913.

Vancouver choreographers Heather Dotto and Amber Funk Barton join Ballet Kelowna Artistic Director and CEO Simone Orlando reimagining Stravinsky’s Petrushka, Firebird and Rite of Spring.

“I want people to come to the show because it’s a celebration,” Dotto said. “It’s an amazing evening of three brand new works that are uplifted from the 1900’s and completely blown out, made into something so fresh and new.”

Read the full article in Global News.

Chicago Sun-Times: The Joffrey Ballet journeys ‘Across the Pond’ for showcase of rising talents

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By Kyle MacMillan

25 April 2019

Since moving to Chicago in 1995 and establishing itself as a resident company, the Joffrey Ballet has put increasing emphasis on full-length story ballets like “Anna Karenina” and the others that have earlier filled out its 2018-19 season.

But in its latest offering, “Across the Pond,” which opened Wednesday evening at the Auditorium Theatre and runs for nine more performances through May 5, the company returns to its mixed-repertory roots, presenting a program of three shorter, mostly non-narrative works.

Featured are all fresh pieces, including two world premieres, by three young, well-regarded English choreographers. All are men like the composers whose music is employed, a choice that seems a bit surprising and short-sighted given the understandable attention right now to gender equity throughout the arts and across society.

That said, there is considerable diversity among these three creators. Indeed, quick labels for these pieces, which run from 26 to 33 minutes, might be: cool elegance, sensual mysteriousness and assertive isolation.

Each choreographer shows himself to a have a well-formed vision and sense of craftsmanship, even if none of the works come off as instant classics. Joffrey deserves credit for taking some creative risks here and providing a platform to these rising talents, something that is essential if ballet is to be kept alive and vital.

Read the full article in the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Times Online: Scott Tady: Blackhawk grad featured in empowering dance show

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By Scott Tady

28 April 2019

Dancers will celebrate fearless femininity Saturday in a touring show that brings a 1998 Blackhawk High grad back to her old stomping grounds.

“Elevate: A Triple Bill of Female Choreographers” features dance companies from New York, Pittsburgh and New Jersey, the latter one run by Erin Carlisle Norton who grew up in Patterson Heights.

Each dance company will perform a signature piece Saturday at Point Park University’s George Rowland White Performance Center in downtown Pittsburgh.

Norton’s all-female dance group, the Moving Architects, call their work “COUP,” and say it’s about power: Who has it, what it looks like, how it feels and why we live in reaction or agreement with its subliminal and prominent presence.

Norton elaborates in an email: “The dancers reveal themselves as incredible performers, showcasing their physical strength through intense movement and partnering, as well as through their vulnerability and compassion.”

They depict power via choreographed military formations, leadership roles, gossip and cliques.

“Tension heightens throughout the work with the use of a 6-foot banging wooden stick and a driving digital sound score, culminating in a fight scene to decide who ultimately has the power,” Norton said.

Sounds powerful indeed.

Read the full article in the Times Online.

Smuin Contemporary Ballet / Photo by Chris Hardy

Smuin Ballet Artistic Director Celia Fushille and Amy Seiwert Team Up + Video

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Great things and amazing art happen when women collaborate. Smuin Ballet’s latest tour, which includes a world premiere by Sacramento Ballet artistic director Amy Seiwert, highlights Smuin’s dancers and Seiwert’s lyricism.

Amy Seiwert choreographing for Smuin Ballet. Smuin Contemporary Ballet / Photo by Chris Hardy

Dance Series 02, the touring production, will also include works of Michael Smuin, the late founder of the company, alongside Renaissance, Seiwert’s premiere set to music from Kitka, a woman’s chorus.

The piece is inspired by the Indian “women’s wall” protests, during which women have formed a 620 km human chain and given new hope to women’s rights in India.

Watch the company’s promotional video for Renaissance here:

Charlotte Ballet/Jeff Cravotta

Helen Pickett’s The Crucible Premiere Announced in the UK – DDP Founder to Meet Pickett in Charlotte, NC

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Broadway World: Scottish Ballet And Ballet Black To Collaborate On The World Premiere Of THE CRUCIBLE

25 April 2019

Scottish Ballet has announced that the company will be joined by Senior Guest Artist Cira Robinson for the world premiere of Helen Pickett‘s The Crucible. The first major commission of Scottish Ballet’s 50th anniversary year, the production will open the dance programme at the Edinburgh International Festival, 3-5 August 2019.

As part of a longstanding collaboration between the two companies, Ballet Black’s Senior Artist Cira Robinson will join Scottish Ballet to dance the role of Tituba. Bringing a breadth of experience, Cira will play a vital role in developing this rich and complex character in Arthur Miller‘s drama of power and persecution. A story as relevant today as when it was first written, Miller’s 1953 masterpiece explores the impact of the 17th-century Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts.

Ballet Black is the UK’s professional ballet company for international dancers of black and Asian descent. Their goal is to see a fundamental change in the number of black and Asian dancers in UK ballet companies. By creating a central black female character, rarely seen in the UK outside of Ballet Black repertoire, the two companies aim to openly address the challenges of diverse representation in UK ballet (on and off stage), and particularly the lack of black British female ballet dancers.

Read the full article on Broadway World.

Photo by Liza Voll. Courtesy of Boston Ballet.

Broadway World: Boston Ballet School Presents 10th Annual Next Generation Performance

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17 April 2019

Boston Ballet School (BBS) presents the 10th annual Next Generation performance showcasing elite young dancers of Boston Ballet II and Boston Ballet School with the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. The program includes a new work by Principal Dancer Lia Cirio, Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, Konservatoriet and William Tell pas de deux by August Bournonville. Les Passages opens the program, choreographed by BBS Faculty, showcasing the Pre-Professional Program. The one-night-only performance takes place May 22 at the Citizens Bank Opera House.

“The 10th anniversary of Next Generation is a huge milestone for Boston Ballet School,” said Boston Ballet Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen. “These students truly are the next generation of ballet and it puts a spotlight on the quality training the students receive at Boston Ballet School.”

Boston Ballet School’s Pre-Professional program trains top talent to prepare them for professional careers with Boston Ballet and other major companies. Currently, more than 20 percent of Boston Ballet’s dancers are graduates of the Pre-Professional program, and 95 percent of Trainee graduates secure jobs with professional ballet companies.

Read the full article on Broadway World.

A Note from DDP:

Liza Yntema, Founder and President of DDP, is Lead Individual Sponsor of Boston Ballet’s ChoreograpHER initiative, which gave Principal Dancer Lia Cirio time and space to choreograph her new work featured in the Next Generation performance.

Dance Magazine – Op-Ed: What AGMA Got Wrong in Advocating for the NYCB Principals Trading Nude Photos of Ballerinas

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By Kosta Karakashyan

24 April 2019

Last Friday, through an appeal to an independent arbitrator, the American Guild of Musical Artists successfully reinstated NYCB principals Amar Ramasar and Zachary Catazaro, previously fired for allegedly circulating sexually explicit texts containing nude photos.

AGMA opposed Ramasar and Catazaro’s terminations in order to prevent the setting of a dangerous precedent that would allow dancers to be fired under less understandable consequences. But we cannot allow future cases to dictate the way we handle this situation—particularly a union committed to “doing everything in [its] power to ensure you have a respectful environment in which to work.”

In deciding to advocate for these two dancers, AGMA has not only sided with alleged offenders in multiple serious cases of degradation and sexual harassment, but has also sent a clear message to the whole dance community that the redemptive narrative of these male dancers is more important than the trust and safety of their female colleagues. The union has given these male dancers a seemingly free pass to privately demean and harass women.

Allegations of Ramasar and Catazaro’s behavior first came to light last year when former SAB student Alexandra Waterbury came forward with the story that her then-boyfriend and NYCB principal Chase Finlay had been circulating sexually explicit photos and videos to the other two men without consent. Waterbury filed a suit against NYCB and the three men.

Ramasar and Catazaro were initially suspended, but the company proceeded to fire them, citing “the concerns of dancers, staff members and others in the City Ballet community.” The arbitration ruled that while NYCB was within its rights to suspend the dancers, termination was too severe.

Forty three states—including New York—now have laws against nonconsensual disclosure of sexually explicit images and video, yet AGMA maintains that the two men were fired based on “non-criminal activity in [their] private life.“

It’s astounding that anyone would believe that any one of these dancers could be successfully reintegrated into the company. (Although Catazaro has announced that he will not return, Ramasar will rejoin, on the condition that he undergo counseling.)

Read the full article in Dance Magazine’s Blog.

Just Released: GLOBAL LISTING OF CHOREOGRAPHIC FELLOWSHIPS, SCHOLARSHIPS & COMPETITIONS

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Encouraging Women to Apply for Choreographic Opportunities is Key

The Dance Data Project™ (DDP) www.dancedataproject.com released its second report today, aimed at addressing gender inequities in the ballet world. DDP published a comprehensive listing of ballet choreographic scholarships, fellowships and competitions to simplify the application process for female artists seeking support for their work. The report provides critical information such as application deadlines, eligibility requirements, and compensation, which can include a stipend or other financial support, dancer provision, studio space, costuming, and other key resources. DDP launched a report in February to address gender inequities in leadership positions and pay in the country’s 50 largest ballet companies. Although women are the economic drivers of ballet at every level, few career avenues exist for them in ballet beyond dancing or teaching. 

“We want women artists to be aware of these opportunities. We heard from ballet company artistic directors and senior staff that women just don’t apply in the same numbers as men, often because they are unaware of what is out there. They do not have the network that men enjoy,” said DDP Founder & President Liza Yntema. “We hope by providing a global, easy to use resource on our website with a month-by-month calendar of deadlines to facilitate applications, more women will apply for these programs.”

Most of these fellowships, scholarships, or competition prizes, which are training pipelines for artistic director and lucrative choreographer positions, go to men. DDP staff members recently conducted a Listening Tour, visiting ballet companies around the United States. They found that women are less likely than men to advocate for their own work by applying for large grants, competitions or resident fellowships.

The second DDP report also includes discussion of Tara Sophia Mohr’s article for the Harvard Business review, entitled “Why Women Don’t Apply for Jobs Unless They’re 100% Qualified,” and Alyssa Rapp’s post “Feminism In The Era Of Millennials: It’s About Leaping Versus Leaning” for Forbes. Mohr’s article revealed women’s lack of confidence and hesitancy to apply for jobs unless they meet 100 percent of requirements, whereas men will apply if they meet 60 percent of listed attributes. To DDP, Rapp expanded on her words for Forbes, saying women choreographers should “surround themselves with advocates…don’t be afraid to ask for help. It might make all the difference in your life.” DDP is planning future programming around confidence building seminars for women that include practical tips for putting together applications. “DDP will also collect and publish data on what percentage of women actually win these competitions or are granted fellowships or scholarships,” said Yntema. “If we find a continuing trend of awarding the lion’s share of resources to male applicants, DDP will call out the committees making the final determinations.”

Download the 2019 Guide