It seems that NYCB may have decided that it doesn't want to dance tonight, either, on Lincoln Center Dance Week. So, we can watch "Turnout with Tiler" with NYCB's Tiler Peck or we can watch the Met Opera's Orfeo. But what we should also do is pour over this recent article which describes how flush with cash some of these arts organizations are while they are begging with sad puppy eyes for the proletariat patrons' last pennies.
According to this article about arts organizations dipping into their endowments, the NYCB normally dips into their endowment each year about 5% to help with their operating expenses. An annual 5% dip is basically the rule of thumb for nonprofits. This year NYCB planned to take its normal 5% which amounts to about $11,000,000. But because of the COVID-19 crisis and all of the extra expenses of paying all the dancers and staff their full top-of-the-line salaries with benefits for not working while the rest of New York goes onto Unemployment, the NYCB will have to dip into its endowment and take out $19,000,000 instead of just $11,000,000. Are you keeping up with the zeros?
$19,000,000 sounds like a lot of money. It's hard to wrap the head around the reason for all the begging NYCB is doing for people to send it money during this pandemic when people are starving and dying and jobless and homeless. The dancers are getting paid full salary just to sit home and doodle on Instagram, and maybe even pick up a few extra bucks (on top of their full top-of-the-line salaries) by selling private virtual classes. Many of them love showing off their living rooms and kitchens on Instagram which look to be pretty tony, spacious, and swank. Some dancers love to show off their privilege.
$19,000,000 sounds like a lot money. But you'll see that it's a drop in the bucket compared to what NYCB is drawing from in its endowment. According to the 2018 Form 990, which is the last one available, NYCB had $190,000,000 stashed away in its endowment. Are you keeping up with the zeros? Between 2017 and 2018, their endowment increased by $22,000,000. And NYCB is begging all the little fans for donations during a pandemic?
So, ask yourself: How's your own endowment? How swanky and spacious is your place? Is your boss paying you full salary and benefits to sit home and doodle on Instagram? Some aren't just doodling. Some are screeching and preaching to their choirs about how their choirs aren't doing enough to rid society of racism. Of course, preaching to one's own choir has always been an effective method for changing anything. Right.
Why don't the screeching preaching ballerinas demand that NYCB take $50,000,000 out of its endowment (a mere 25%) and give it to Dance Theatre of Harlem to further the legacies of Arthur Mitchell and George Balanchine? They should consider investing in their own community to further support people of color in the arts. And stop begging the poor, the sick, the unemployed, who simply want to see lovely dance on video to help ease the pains of the times, for more money for NYCB.
32 responses to “When the rich cry poor”
Tonight’s Balanchine tribute is down, or that’s how it appears to me.
I wonder if this is a harbinger of the future, Haglund. Call them “screeching, preaching” – but they’ve got the power now.
Something tells me that the combined might of COVID and wokeness will destroy the NYCB.
JMO.
Tonight’s Balanchine tribute is down, or that’s how it appears to me.
I wonder if this is a harbinger of the future, Haglund. Call them “screeching, preaching” – but they’ve got the power now.
Something tells me that the combined might of COVID and wokeness will destroy the NYCB.
JMO.
It must be #BlackoutWednesday!
Diana, sad little “Dance Week” is represented by only the two shows from Saturday – Ballet Hispanico & NYCB’s Midsummer Night – on the Lincoln Center Youtube channel: https://m.youtube.com/user/LincolnCenterVideos/videos
In the words of Porky Pig, “That’s all, folks!”
It must be #BlackoutWednesday!
Diana, sad little “Dance Week” is represented by only the two shows from Saturday – Ballet Hispanico & NYCB’s Midsummer Night – on the Lincoln Center Youtube channel: https://m.youtube.com/user/LincolnCenterVideos/videos
In the words of Porky Pig, “That’s all, folks!”
I wonder if Lincoln Center management got pissed off when NYCB unilaterally decided not to air the Live From Lincoln Center broadcast of Coppelia as scheduled and they then pulled all the rest of the NYCB Live From Lincoln Center programing. Lincoln Center is a big company that may not have liked NYCB wrecking two nights of its special Dance Week. It’s not going to be pushed around by a resident who would rather broadcast social empathy than performing art.
I wonder if Lincoln Center management got pissed off when NYCB unilaterally decided not to air the Live From Lincoln Center broadcast of Coppelia as scheduled and they then pulled all the rest of the NYCB Live From Lincoln Center programing. Lincoln Center is a big company that may not have liked NYCB wrecking two nights of its special Dance Week. It’s not going to be pushed around by a resident who would rather broadcast social empathy than performing art.
Fantastic commentary and investigative journalism, HH. You are the dance equivalent of Harry Markopolos. Hope that this gains more traction and attention.
Fantastic commentary and investigative journalism, HH. You are the dance equivalent of Harry Markopolos. Hope that this gains more traction and attention.
Thanks, Nicole.
Thanks, Nicole.
“Tonight’s Balanchine tribute is down, or that’s how it appears to me.”
Jeannette: I meant from the Dance at Lincoln Center website. Scrubbed.
NYCB was all in on “Black Out Tuesday” but you should see the comments, some of them quite obscene. They are accusing the company of being phony. In a way, they have a point. It won’t be enough for NYCB to talk woke-speak on their social media and not follow up with hiring and casting.
“Tonight’s Balanchine tribute is down, or that’s how it appears to me.”
Jeannette: I meant from the Dance at Lincoln Center website. Scrubbed.
NYCB was all in on “Black Out Tuesday” but you should see the comments, some of them quite obscene. They are accusing the company of being phony. In a way, they have a point. It won’t be enough for NYCB to talk woke-speak on their social media and not follow up with hiring and casting.
Oops, sorry, I was referring to NYCB’s instagram.
Oops, sorry, I was referring to NYCB’s instagram.
You guys, it’s looking more and more like Lincoln Center gave NYCB a swat on it egotistical ass and pulled NYCB’s remaining programs because the company pulled out of two nights of LC’s highly touted Dance Week. Can’t wait to hear the company’s spin.
You guys, it’s looking more and more like Lincoln Center gave NYCB a swat on it egotistical ass and pulled NYCB’s remaining programs because the company pulled out of two nights of LC’s highly touted Dance Week. Can’t wait to hear the company’s spin.
So… what’s the future, guys? What do you see in your crystal ball(s)?
Week in Saratoga? Not gonna happen.
Dancers keeping in shape with gigs? Not gonna happen, not even video.
It’s quite likely there won’t be a performance until next Nutcracker season. But let’s not bet on that. The virus will be around, the flu – and can anyone guarantee their safety?
I have a suggestion to the screeching preachers: street theater. Because that may be all that’s left when their crowd takes over.
So… what’s the future, guys? What do you see in your crystal ball(s)?
Week in Saratoga? Not gonna happen.
Dancers keeping in shape with gigs? Not gonna happen, not even video.
It’s quite likely there won’t be a performance until next Nutcracker season. But let’s not bet on that. The virus will be around, the flu – and can anyone guarantee their safety?
I have a suggestion to the screeching preachers: street theater. Because that may be all that’s left when their crowd takes over.
IF Nutcracker 2020 happens, it might be just for the highly privileged. Don’t think for a minute that the precious-few seats that will remain in the theatre (I mean, the seats that can be reserved in the social-distancing situation) that the available seats will be at 2019 prices. The precious seats will be selling for -what? – $500 each, at least. That’s what is being discussed at other theatres in countries without government subsidies. $500++ per seat. Folks, we may soon be witnessing the end of live classical arts, at least in countries that depend on private sector funding. Hate to put it out there but we need to realize where we’re headed.
IF Nutcracker 2020 happens, it might be just for the highly privileged. Don’t think for a minute that the precious-few seats that will remain in the theatre (I mean, the seats that can be reserved in the social-distancing situation) that the available seats will be at 2019 prices. The precious seats will be selling for -what? – $500 each, at least. That’s what is being discussed at other theatres in countries without government subsidies. $500++ per seat. Folks, we may soon be witnessing the end of live classical arts, at least in countries that depend on private sector funding. Hate to put it out there but we need to realize where we’re headed.
I share your fears Diana. I’m picturing a post-apocalyptic world with nothing left but haka dancing. Perhaps eradicating whiteness will require not just eliminating empiricism and reason, but beauty and order as well.
I share your fears Diana. I’m picturing a post-apocalyptic world with nothing left but haka dancing. Perhaps eradicating whiteness will require not just eliminating empiricism and reason, but beauty and order as well.
“There is trouble all over this world.” – The opening words of Alvin Ailey’s most enduring masterwork, REVELATIONS, which will be on view tonight when (if) Lincoln Center presents the Ailey Company as part of its “Dance Week” series.
Let’s roll the dice and hope for a show tonight!
http://lincolncenter.org/lincoln-center-at-home/show/alvin-ailey-american-dance-theater-chroma-grace-takademe-revelations-173
YouTube link (in case it shows up):
https://m.youtube.com/user/LincolnCenterVideos/videos
“There is trouble all over this world.” – The opening words of Alvin Ailey’s most enduring masterwork, REVELATIONS, which will be on view tonight when (if) Lincoln Center presents the Ailey Company as part of its “Dance Week” series.
Let’s roll the dice and hope for a show tonight!
http://lincolncenter.org/lincoln-center-at-home/show/alvin-ailey-american-dance-theater-chroma-grace-takademe-revelations-173
YouTube link (in case it shows up):
https://m.youtube.com/user/LincolnCenterVideos/videos
Hallelujah! Ailey is ON!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UCsv5QlFo2Q
Granted, it’s a show that’s already available on commercial DVD/BluRay but, hey, the important thing is that Lincoln Center is delivering on part of its Dance Week promise.
Hallelujah! Ailey is ON!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UCsv5QlFo2Q
Granted, it’s a show that’s already available on commercial DVD/BluRay but, hey, the important thing is that Lincoln Center is delivering on part of its Dance Week promise.
8:00 PM
http://lincolncenter.org/lincoln-center-at-home/show/alvin-ailey-american-dance-theater-chroma-grace-takademe-revelations-173
8:00 PM
http://lincolncenter.org/lincoln-center-at-home/show/alvin-ailey-american-dance-theater-chroma-grace-takademe-revelations-173
I know that ABT will not release videos from their vault, but there are foreign streaming services that have them. I discovered Bilibili.com, which has rare videos of Baryshnikov, including a full-length Giselle with Makarova, one with Ferri, Live from Lincoln Center, Wolf Trap videos, Sonnambula, Apollo, Gelsey Kirland-Don Quixote and Theme and Variations and a really old Spectre of the Rose with Margot Fonteyn. The site also has Royal Ballet videos that are not available in America, including the movie, Romeo & Juliet: Beyond Words, Romeo & Juliet with Matthew Ball and Yasmin Naghdi, as well as the full-length Ferri-Eagling version, and other full-length ballets that were featured on British TV. They have a ton of ballet videos. The downside is that it is in Chinese, but you can translate with a Google Extension. Enjoy!
I know that ABT will not release videos from their vault, but there are foreign streaming services that have them. I discovered Bilibili.com, which has rare videos of Baryshnikov, including a full-length Giselle with Makarova, one with Ferri, Live from Lincoln Center, Wolf Trap videos, Sonnambula, Apollo, Gelsey Kirland-Don Quixote and Theme and Variations and a really old Spectre of the Rose with Margot Fonteyn. The site also has Royal Ballet videos that are not available in America, including the movie, Romeo & Juliet: Beyond Words, Romeo & Juliet with Matthew Ball and Yasmin Naghdi, as well as the full-length Ferri-Eagling version, and other full-length ballets that were featured on British TV. They have a ton of ballet videos. The downside is that it is in Chinese, but you can translate with a Google Extension. Enjoy!
Thanks much, Pat.
Thanks much, Pat.