As we are pretty much at the one year mark for which the world was turned upside down, I got to wondering how artistic leadership and dancers of professional ballet companies around the world would reflect upon the months past and their thoughts about the ones to come.
Thus the following questions came to mind:
How have the events of the past year influenced how directors, teachers, choreographers, and dancers approach their jobs?
Although we all wish we had an eight ball, we know the future is unforeseeable. That being said, relative to the ballet industry, what predictions can we make for 2021?
Without really knowing how receptive people would be to opening up, I decided to contact those I know personally in the professional ballet field as well as others who could help me extend the reach even further to see if I could gather some answers to my questions.
So what did I learn?
First and foremost, that it is so important for artists to project their voices so that the world knows and feels how the salvation of ballet is not just about saving an integral part of our culture, but preserving the passions that create the energy we feel when at the theatre.
Also, that the professional ballet community is resilient and stronger than ever with a renewed, overriding sense of gratitude for the professions they have, patience with themselves as they adjust and learn, and reflection about the gifts they have been blessed with to give. Many view this moment in time as perhaps a renaissance for ballet, an opportunity to innovate, refresh, or evolve from some of the more traditional ways.
And last but not least, that although I have known this for a long time due to the decades I have spent as a ballet student, professional dancer, educator, studio director, and now editor of a platform specialized in the art, these opinions confirm that creators are a special breed – one that thrives on diversity, discipline, determination, and dedication to the process and final product.
And now without further ado, I present to you the voices of dozens of artists that represent the world of ballet that we love so much. They are
- Artistic Directors from national and regional ballet companies who strive to balance the art and administration;
- Ballet Masters that serve as the bridge between choreographers and dancers;
- Choreographers associated with companies as well as freelancers;
- Dancers at varying stages of their careers;
- Educators at ballet schools and universities;
- Entrepreneurs who have used their passion and expertise in ballet to venture into their own business;
- Executive Directors responsible for steering their companies in a positive direction;
- Musical Directors for orchestras dedicated to ballet companies.
To borrow from the title of Miranda July’s 2005 film, they are Me and You and Everyone We Know.
Enjoy, listen, and support the professional ballet community.
There was a pretty dramatic change in my work status. The Sacramento Ballet Board of Directors terminated my contract due to the financial implications of COVID-19. Fortunately, I still have a creative home with Imagery, and my focus shifted to that work.
Imagery is small and adaptable, strengths that help us, on a good day, see this moment as an opportunity. We shifted our traditional season to dance film and were able to get funding and resources directly into the hands of artists to create. We are reevaluating and rebuilding the organization’s Foundational Documents to ensure that the vision, mission, and values are collectively held, especially when facing challenging times like the past year.
And we are committed to the mirror work necessary to dismantle white-centeredness in our organization. The shift of the past year created space to step back from our habits, from business as usual, carefully considering why we do what we do and how we do it.
Luckily, I’ve had wonderful opportunities through this time for premieres with Imagery, Smuin, Cincinnati Ballet, and American Repertory Ballet. I’ve also been teaching, a lot. Being able to physically and mentally step into the studio and creating has centered me in making the other work possible.
My hope is that some of the pivots and shifts we’ve done well will continue to evolve. For example: screendance is being explored and funded in a way we’ve never experienced as a field. As this genre continues to develop, its reach can continue to grow.
Where once transportation to the studio or a theater was an issue, we can now create art to specifically serve children or elders that can be accessed on sight by schools and senior care facilities. Films that speak to unique communities can allow a focused outreach, expanding beyond the traditional arts audience.
And the reach can be global. We have a new way to serve our communities, and it creates new possibilities in how to do so.
Other examples of things I suspect will stay are classes people can take from their homes, more outdoor performances, and the stage/stream hybrid.
Amy Seiwert
Artistic Director, Amy Seiwert’s Imagery