ABT's Stunning stupidity

What a slippery slope ABT is dancing on as it tries to unload premiere artist, Veronika Part, shortly before she turns 40 years old when she would then be protected from age discrimination. After 40, McKenzie might have to argue that she no longer has the competence required for the job if he wanted her to leave against her wishes. How could he do that when Veronika is the ONLY principal ballerina who could execute the required competency moves in the iconic Swan Lake production this year? How would he make a case for lack of competence with Copeland, Seo, and Boylston as comparative ammunition? Good luck with that!

Yes, Kevvie, it's better to conspire to unload the oldest ballerina on the verge of turning 40 now so as to avoid having one with age discrimination protections.  Of course, the promotion of younger dancers to her position will only make the action more serious.

We hope that Veronika seeks bone fide legal assistance outside of AGMA. 

 

Comments

[fondoffouettes]

And now there's an announcement of Part's retirement on the NYT, containing absolutely no official statement from ABT commending her tenure, etc. I commend Joshua Barone for doing the best he could with what he was given, and even managing to find some somewhat nice things Macaulay has said about Part. One has to wonder what ABT provided to the NYT. They probably just shot off some e-mail saying, "Part's retiring on Saturday. She's 39." Their treatment of her forced retirement is absolutely dispicable.

[Haglund]

FoF, ITA that ABT's treatment of her is despicable.The original headline of the article was "Veronika Part of American Ballet Theater announces her retirement" which was absolutely fake news that misrepresented the announcement and the situation to make it look like it was her own decision, which it was not. The article's headline was very quickly changed to "Veronika Part to Retire From American Ballet Theater".

The original title, probably supplied by ABT in order to skew the truth, is still embedded in html permalink:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/03/arts/dance/veronika-part-american-ballet-theater-announces-her-retirement.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=1&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F07%2F03%2Farts%2Fdance%2Fveronika-part-american-ballet-theater-announces-her-retirement.html&eventName=Watching-article-click

[yukionna]

This whole thing just puts a horrible taste in my mouth. More money I can keep for myself, I suppose.

[fondoffouettes]

This whole ordeal is just making me feel awful. I commend the NYT for quickly updating this when they became aware of the additional information, especially since ABT buried this news in the middle of a long holiday weekend, hoping no one would notice the way they had glossed over the facts. I actually saw the original version and it didn't include the mention of her unrenewrd contract or the change.org petition.

[Gerry]

What a mess. And if Shevchenko or Teuscher is promoted this week to fill in the"tall girl" slot, it will be under this black cloud. Not fair to them either.

[Jeannette]

Despicable turn of events. Worse than I had gained & so unfair to Veronika. What could be worse? That ABT not allow Veronika to dance due to the fuss? Tonight is the penultimate performance before the last one on Sat matinee.

Well, the old Megabus will be taking me from DC to NY on Friday for a 2-day stay. Little did I know, when I planned this trip, what I would be witnessing Saturday afternoon...I hope that Mozartiana casting doesn't change.

[Jasmine]

I can't believe the awful treatment of this fantastic dancer. Or ABT's attempt to manipulate the facts behind her departure (framing it as her choice etc).

Fans of Veronika should take a visit to the Michigan Opera Theatre website after July 5th, when her performance of "The Dying Swan" at the Grand Salute performance to the MOH founder David DiChiera will be available to view online.

[nanushka]

Thanks so much for the heads-up, Jasmine! There is tragically little recorded footage of Veronika's superb dancing. Every morsel is a feast to be treasured.

[Iris]

Despicable treatment of her, and puts a sour tinge on what was otherwise a great season. We don't know the situation backstage but this is not the proper way to handle things publicly.

[yukionna]

I'm just getting progressively more upset today. This is my second year attending ABT. Last year, I didn't know who was who and attended a lot to get to know the dancers of the company. I fell in love with Veronika after seeing her Siren in Prodigal Son. I was looking forward to seeing more of her this spring, but she was cast in so few roles. I felt incredibly lucky to have seen her Swan Lake last month and Myrta last May. I cannot get enough of her dancing, and I'm devastated that I may never see it again.

[LKR]

This is going to be one of the most awkward and unfortunate farewells ever. Not even a huge fan of Part, but she didn't deserve this. Unlike others in the principal rank, she is a true ballerina.

I certainly hope tomatoes are thrown at McKenzie if he dares step onstage after the Saturday Mozartiana.

[SherryD]

Yesterday, after I heard the news, I called ABT to complain. I got someone in patron services and when I had said my piece, the person said have a nice day. I asked if they cared to know my last name.. It was very obvious that they do not care. Do they wonder why I used to be a Golden Patron with five subscriptions and now do not donate and have only two subscriptions? Sadly, I think they don't.

[Haglund]

Sherry, "Have a nice day" was their response?! Incredibly stupid.

[fondoffouettes]

I'm feeling worse and worse about this with every day that goes by. Part was stunning in Mozartiana earlier this week, but I don't think I can bring myself to buy a ticket for her farewell. I just worry it will bf too sad and also handled awkwardly. She seems to be getting no public support from those in the dance world, which I guess shouldn't be surprising given the situation. But still, it would be nice to hear ANY words of kindness from someone in the company or a critic.

[Haglund]

The dancers are aware of the political repercussions of doing what is civil in an uncivil situation. They are, sadly, looking out for themselves with their silences.

McKenzie will probably announce a slew of promotions in an effort to smooth this over. They will all be younger and less competent artists than Veronika and they will all work under a gloomy shadow of benefiting from someone else's terribly shabby treatment. Someone else's career was killed so they could rise. It certainly didn't have to happen that way, but it's the only way McKenzie knows how to do it.

As Sherry D noted above, the most you are going to hear from ABT is "Have a nice day."

[Olivia]

The program order has been changed online for the Sat matinee... previously Mozartiana was scheduled first in the program, now it is the last piece on the program. Not sure how much one can read into this, but smells like last-minute arrangements coincidentally timed with public outcry?
Veronika and ABT fans deserve a proper farewell with advance notice... that's just common courtesy after so many years of service to the company. Why are we hearing of this incidentally like this? Petition signed...

[nanushka]

The program order for Saturday was changed at least as early as last Friday, June 30. That was, in fact, one of the first public indications that Veronika might be leaving the company, following her Instagram announcement that she would not dance another Swan Lake here. In any case, the program change preceded the public outcry.

[Eliza]

Thank you for reporting on this, Haglund. It never ceases to amaze me, the ways in which Kevin McKenzie can continue to mismanage his wonderful dancers without consequences. It reminds me of the days of yore... Whatever his personal feelings about Veronika, McKenzie should have prepared her and her audience for this news in advance of the season and given her a send-off worthy of her years of service. To the other readers here who have expressed a dislike for Veronika: that is not the point. You don't need to like someone to recognize their contribution to the art form. Veronika gave her best years to ABT. Any dancer who devotes that many years to a single company, whether in the corps de ballet or as a prima ballerina, deserves public recognition and praise for his/her service.

[Jeannette]

So apparently there will be an organized public protest after the Saturday matinee? Press has been notified. Is an organizer preparing signs? I fear that this may be more embarrassing than helpful for Veronika's case.

[Haglund]

I don't think it will hurt Veronika at all. She might even get a book deal out of this situation. Imagine Kevvie's regret then. It's about time that someone wrote a truthful accounting of what goes on there. Inquiring minds want to know. Supporters deserve to know.

I salute this person who is organizing the petition and protest. She obviously takes her ballet and the stinky, underhanded politics that go with it very seriously.

I imagine that Kevvie will announce some promotions very soon in an effort to smooth things over and convey that everything is final. Nothing is ever final. Where a big wrong needs to be righted, it can always be righted -- and often the cost comes out of someone's hide.