I hope you didn’t pay an advertising agency to create a campaign for you! Many hire kids on job work programs for free and then have them come up with ideas – often with very little time.

Michael wrote:

"Karen Kain is nothing more than a figurehead"

My 2 cents: perhaps we should allow Karen Kain more than a couple of months at the helm before dismissing her contribution to NBoC.

Karen Kain is in the middle of a season planned by James Kudelka; we won't be able to rationally evaluate her performance until midway through next season, at the earliest.

I knew if I placed a juicy worm onto my hook, a fat salmon would bite! Here’s the part where I reel in my lunch! If Karen Kain is indeed the master of the good ship NBoC and not a mere figurehead, why is it Jerome Robbins’ ‘The Cage’ has been replaced by Intermezzo, Agon has been replaced by Apollo, and a world premiere by Matjash Mrozewski has been replaced by works from the repertoire? The Executive Director, Kevin Garland (female) obviously looked at the numbers and decided the National did not have it in their budget to present 3 new ballets. To top it off, the change was unannounced to the public for the exception of an update on the National’s website. I think we can agree it is a little embarrassing to make changes to a season schedule once it has been published. At the very least, we could have held onto Agon. Letting all 3 go and then talking about the National’s great classical tradition is a little much to stomach.

Kevin Garland is the real power behind the NBoC. Karen Kain has been with the National practically her entire life. I’m not denying Mrs. K. her destiny. Just making the not so subtle pointe, she’s not really in charge. Everything she says and does has no doubt gone through an extensive approval process. Let’s get real. The National has done little to seriously promote themselves. Somebody has to answer for that. Somebody has to answer for me walking by the new Four Seasons Centre and not seeing one poster of the NBoC – Not one! If you’re a true leader, you’re in charge from day 1.

Anyway, all of the above will be resolved by time. Time ultimately changes everything. Why is it you can’t talk about ballet the way people talk about politics or sports or big business? By the way, there is a lot of office politics in ballet.

Not sure which of us is "the fat salmon", but I'll own up to being at the top of my weight range, currently.

Your arguments still don't convince, Michael. If an Executive Director/Board didn't take action to avoid a financial crisis, then they really would be "nothing more than a figurehead". Further, this is not an exclusively NBoC problem; English National Ballet has had to cancel at least one scheduled commission due to lack of funds.

When I interviewed Mark Baldwin of Rambert on taking over the AD role, he made it clear that he planned to work closely with the ED on what was achievable. The days when ADs could do exactly what they wanted, regardless of the bottom line, are gone and good riddance - ballet is a business, as well as many other things, and companies have to cut their cloth accordingly. Michael, I seem to remember your heroine, Kimberly Glasco, making exactly the same point at an NBoC Board meeting about an expensive Kudelka staging. Perhaps they should have followed her advice then and changed that programme.

"If you’re a true leader, you’re in charge from day 1." As discussed, ballet companies the world over have two bosses these days, AD and ED, plus the need for Board approval. Remember that Board members should resign if financially untenable plans are proposed.

In addition, nobody is going to be able to change everything on "day 1". This reminds me of a nice anecdote from the UK Parliament. Denis Skinner is a rugged debater with a vitriolic wit. When John Major was elected Leader of the Conservative Party, he also replaced Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister. There was an expectant hush as he rose in Parliament to speak for the first time as PM - before he could say anything, Dennis Skinner shouted out: "Resign!" Cue much laughter all round, including a broad smile from Major, himself.

We could argue another thousand words or so and still not come to a consensus. The reason I bring up those 3 cancelled ballets was because I assume the board had already crunched the numbers and hence approved them. Why the change? I also assume it is much less expensive to rent out someone else’s production rather than create it anew? Agnon and The Cage would be rented.

All that talk about getting back to the National’s classical roots is pure bull. Mrs. K. was with Mr. K. all the way when they were creating new production after new production-many of which were poor draws. I can see Karen Kain as a Ballet Mistress – Not AD. Good luck selling ballet with no promotions, little television broadcasts, no selling your stars, no creativity.

"Good luck selling ballet with no promotions, little television broadcasts, no selling your stars, no creativity."

Actually, all, except the last, are the province of the Marketing Dept, under the Exec director.

"I can see Karen Kain as a Ballet Mistress – Not AD."

Fine, as Jeff said, we'll be able to start making an assessment whether you're right in about 18 months.

Let me also say, without making even the slightest specific reference to Ms. Kain, that the 3 biggest myths in dance are:

1. All dancers can choreograph

2. All dancers can teach.

3. All well-known dancers can be artistic directors.

Stuart, from what I've seen of the Prime Minister's Questions on C-SPAN (our cable/satelite public affairs network), your Parliament is a lot more fun than our Congress.

Well I would hope the AD has some say in marketing. I would love to be the National’s Director of Communications. My 1st act (low cost) would be to stick up a couple of posters around the new Four Seasons Centre. Afterwards, I would probably be arrested! It’s okay to shoot innocent people in Toronto but put up a few posters and they’ll throw you in the hoosegow! For those not in the know Toronto has a big gun problem (never used to be that way). We’re very soft on crime.

My 2nd act (low cost) would be promoting Heather Ogden through the newspapers and featuring her lovely features on the cover of the NBoC’s 2005/2006 yearbook.

3rd act – (low cost if CBC assumes bill) Televise the Nutcracker on the CBC!

Act 4 – (low cost) Promote the CBC in promo spots featuring up and coming dancers and therefore promote the NBoC.

Act 5 – (high cost) Modernize a classic to appeal to an audience UNDER 80 years of age!

Act 6 – (medium cost) Modernize the website. Show some clips of the season’s ballets. Give each dancer their own mini gallery. Have some dancer chats. I could see a web cam being a big attraction. Give on-line surveys to find out what the fans want to see.

Act 7 – (low cost) Bring back the window displays to College Park or do something at the Eaton Centre.

Act 8 – (low cost) Give away brochures at Union Station handed out by the dancers themselves.

Act 9 – (medium cost) Hire Alexander Stepanian to create paintings of the National’s stars and sell them to raise funds. How about an EBay Auction?

Act 10 – (medium cost) Focus advertising efforts to a 10 mile radius around the Four Seasons Centre.

Act 11 – (low cost) Work in tandem with a travel agency to promote the NBoC.

Act 12 – (no cost) Open up to the media. That means answering questions and not walking out during a board meeting!

I highly doubt the National is open to trying something new. They’re stuck in the past.

Those are low cost in your neck of the woods? I wish I could say the same thing here.



Here in the San Francisco/Bay Area we can't "buy" features. That's 100% up to the entertainment editor of each publication.

The company I work for just got back from performing in Bangkok. We were invited to the 7th Annual Dance and Music Festival there and sponsored by the US Embassy. I can't get any publication here to do a feature on that. Believe me, I've tried and had an interesting contre temps with one Editor.



The dancers in the company have enough to do. A Q & A with a few after performances or at open rehearsals in fine, but not to send outside. Now, school dancers on scholarship? That's another story and young, young dancers out promoting the company can work quite well.



Why? I don't know of any arts organization here that would even think of doing that.

My hero, Michael Kaiser at the Kennedy Center made a suggestion that dance companys start featuring the males in the company on all printwork. Women are the primary ticket buyers to ballet performances.

The CBC’s man or woman date is to promote Canadian culture. What better way to promote Canadian culture than to have a dancer in a promo for the CBC? The CBC does focus on the arts so it makes sense. No cost to the NBoC for the exception of time and some compensation for dancer(s) involved.



I would hope the Globe & Mail or National Post would want to do a feature on an up and coming dancer. Maybe the National has tried in that respect and failed? Basically, I want the NBoC to promote beauty and youth!



This would only be a one time deal. Perhaps before the Nutcracker season starts?



The reason I would like them to focus close to home is to save on costs and this is a highly densely populated area. Let’s say you advertise on Classical 96, you’re advertising to essentially most of Ontario. I live in Stouffville (1 hour drive to the ballet), yet I am willing to commute. Most would not commute an hour to see the NBoC. I would try advertising radio at local universities/colleges to attract the youth market. I would also try some transit ads and posters. Lastly, I would have ballet volunteers hand out flyers at busy malls. The above will cost much less than advertising in one of the major dailies or via radio.

I just think they need to try a different approach. As long as it doesn’t cost you a bundle, why not try something new?

Still no casting announced for Swan Lake! It’s little things like this that hurt the National’s ticket sales. They released casting for their mixed program – which is after Swan Lake but no Swan Lake. So let’s say the Average Fan calls in and wants to see Greta Hodgkinson, they’re told to call in at a later date and the NBoC potentially loses a sale. Now here is where everybody and their dog jumps in to make excuses. Well, many posters on here are involved in the industry so naturally you will make excuses. That is why YOU are losing money and fans! YOU think as management, you don’t think as a customer. Opening night is November 16. It is October 31st today. Typically, casting would have been released by now – especially since casting for a program after this program has been released.

I hope there are no injuries that have caused the delay. If so, the National should communicate this on their website.

Aw gee, Michael! If only you were running every dang dance company in the world, everything would be OK, everywhere, every day.

Finally someone is making sense on this board! Vote for me as CEO of all dance companies in the universe. Better yet, vote for Michael Goldbarth as CEO of the planet Earth and I guarantee you all governments will increase funding for ballet!

As usual ticket prices have increased from the previous season. They have also changed the way prices are evaluated if memory serves me correctly:

1. Select Section
View seating chart

E1 Orchestra $133.00

E2 Orchestra $124.00

E3 Orchestra $124.00

E4 Orchestra $133.00

E5 Orchestra $102.00

E6 Orchestra $102.00

E7 Orchestra $81.00

E8 Orchestra $81.00

E9 Orchestra $67.00

E10 Orchestra $67.00

E11 Mezzanine $102.00

E12 Mezzanine $102.00

E13 Balcony $67.00

E14 Balcony $67.00

E15 Balcony $39.00

E16 Balcony $39.00