To offset financial difficulties, ballet seeks new affiliations, connections

Pittsburgh Business Times
Maria Guzzo

Traditionally, ballet is about satin toe shoes, pas de deux and artistic temperaments. These days, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has all that plus market research, two-way mirrors and an entrepreneurial streak.

The ballet has faced budget deficits since 2001, but it has largely stemmed the tide since then. The PBT came up about $100,000 short in its 2002-2003 season, which ended last month.

As part of its short-term effort to choreograph its way out of debt, the PBT has mandated annual five-week furloughs through at least the 2003-2004 season and temporarily stopped contributing to employee retirement plans.

Ballet theatre taps search firm

The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre has retained Toronto-based Genovese, Vanderhoof & Associates to conduct the search for a new managing director.