I’m not sure what sections kneds is using as a comparison in regards to ticket prices but from my experience you always save a considerable amount when you subscribe. I dolled out $634 by paying before May 2 for this season for Ring 3. Regular tickets cost $120 for Ring 3 x 6 = $720. If I didn’t pay early then this would only represent a savings of $20 instead of $86.

In any case, the talent is running a little like peanut butter left outside in the sun a tad too long these days at the NBoC and things don’t look too bright for the future with Aleksandar Antonijevic and Chan Hon Goh getting up there in years.

Well it seems that the comment about Canada not being able to support so many companies was eerily on target.... Ballet BC has shut down and laid off all its dancers.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ... nment/home

This is one time I wish I was wrong but this was a long time coming-kind of like the market finally coming down to reality. Ballet BC was far too ambitious in its touring plans given its audience size and donor support. I hope this isn’t a publicity stunt to goose sales for its Nut. Whether they surface again or not, now is the time for Karen Kain to think big for the future of ballet in Canada and not just Toronto. There has to be a way to consolidate all the companies and perform across Canada.

A further report from Kevin Griffin in the Vancouver Sun:

Vancouver Sun

Also, the Vancouver City Council has approved funding to ensure that The Nutcracker will be presented. Fiona Morrow reports in The Globe and Mail:

The Globe and Mail

Since the articles are a bit confusing... Ballet BC is not itself doing the Nutcracker, but the performances are a series of guest appearances by the Moscow Classical Ballet (which is not, apparently, of particularly good quality). So the dancers & staff have not been rehired, and will not be unless they make $$$$$ off the Nutcracker. [And that might be too late for dancers on work permits since the validity of the document is dependent on being employed in the position stated on on the work permit.]

One wonders if that might account for the less than stellar tickets sales - could they do better putting on their own production - Canadians might be more willing to spend money on something homegrown.

FYI, for those who don't know, Canadian work permits generally are only issued for the current job (you must have a job offer to apply for one). Presumably if you want to change jobs, the new job must be approved and a new work permit issued.

In most cases, there are restrictions which may include prohibitions on taking any other jobs, switching jobs or taking formal academic/professional classes without prior permission. Thus the foreign dancers would have to re-apply if they wanted to be hired by another company or switch to another career, and they probably have a time limit to leave the country if their work permits are no longer valid (though what the exact legalities are here is anyone's guess!).

Kate

Thank you for clarifying the story Kate. This whole thing is a little confusing. Essentially many ballet companies have sprouted up across Canada to satisfy a hunger for live ballet. There is an audience for ballet but you have to ask yourself if these companies possess the funds, dancers, and sets to stage productions attractive enough for a sophisticated audience used to being wowed by lavish musicals?

In more pleasant Christmas news, the NBoC released casting for their Nutcracker. Nehemiah Kish returns to Canada as Peter for 4 performances and Heather Ogden will be dancing her pointe shoes off half a dozen times as the Sugar Plum Fairy and 4 times as the Snow Queen. Guillaume Côté is still on the sidelines.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ... nment/home

Sounds like Ballet BC's problems are more related to Ballet BC than a nation-wide problem.

With that, let's continue the conversation on the BalletBC thread and leave this for NBoC related chats...

The 1st review is in for the NBoC’s Nut!



I disagree a little with the above:



* For my next post I’m moving into National Ballet of Canada Winter 2008, even though technically winter does not officially commence until December 21!

The Nutcracker news should go over in the Holiday forum - and for the post-Nutcracker fun, we can return to the Winter topic.

Kate