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By Ben Mattison
27 Dec 2005
The Washington Ballet has canceled two engagements at the Kennedy Center and a tour to the Joyce Theater in New York City, citing the financial loss caused by the cancellation of much of its annual run of The Nutcracker.
The American Guild of Musical Artists, the union that represents the company's dancers, responded by filing a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing the company of illegally making the change without bargaining with AGMA.
Washington Ballet continues to refer to the work stoppage that shuttered The Nutcracker midway through its run this month as a strike; AGMA claimed that its members have been locked out. The two sides have been unable to reach a contract agreement since dancers voted to be represented by AGMA in February.
The canceled events include the world premiere of The Bach/Beatles Project, scheduled for February 1-5 at the Kennedy Center; a program titled "7x7: Women" at the Kennedy Center March 1-5; and a tour to the Joyce March 21-26. The company said that it would attempt to reschedule the two Kennedy Center programs.
"The Washington Ballet has suffered a tremendous hit," executive director Jason Palmquist said in a statement. "The surplus we expected to realize from The Nutcracker was to finance the rest of our season and without that revenue to support our other productions, we must make responsible adjustments.
AGMA president Alan Gordon said that the financial problems did not release the company from the requirement that it bargain with the union. "The ballet is, despite its continuous reluctance do so, legally obligated to bargain with the dancers’ elected representatives," he said. "It’s obligated to bargain about their wages, hours, terms and conditions of employment, and that obligation includes bargaining about the effects of canceling part of the season."
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