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Ballet Icons Gala 2022 (13th March) - now cancelled

Guest oncnp

By Guest oncnp
in Ballet / Dance news & information

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alison

alison

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

Isn't there an entire Russian ballet company touring the UK at the moment? I wonder what they'll do about getting home when their tour finishes.

 

Yes, the Siberians.  Poor things.  I hope they don't end up paying for being over here.

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RHowarth

RHowarth

Posted
Posted
20 hours ago, alison said:

 

Yes, the Siberians.  Poor things.  I hope they don't end up paying for being over here.

BBC News reports that performances in Northallerton and Wolverhampton have been cancelled. At least in Northampton's case, this is at the instigation of the venue, who will carry the financial loss.

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Jan McNulty

Jan McNulty

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, RHowarth said:

BBC News reports that performances in Northallerton and Wolverhampton have been cancelled. At least in Northampton's case, this is at the instigation of the venue, who will carry the financial loss.

 

That's interesting Becca, the Guardian reports the performance in Northampton was going ahead on Friday.

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xydancer

xydancer

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

That's interesting Becca, the Guardian reports the performance in Northampton was going ahead on Friday.

Friday's Snow Maiden in Northampton did go ahead - I was there. But today's Nutcracker has been cancelled by the theatre.

Given there are Ukrainian dancers in the company, it must be very difficult for them, to say the least.

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Sim

Sim

Posted
Posted

It's such a sad situation...and as always, it's the innocent who suffer:  civilians, artists, sportspeople...and the employment that is generated by them all.  Let's hope that the situation improves soon for all concerned.  

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li tai po

li tai po

Posted
Posted

If you google Olga Balakleets and read the CV she has posted herself, you will see that she has close links with the current regime.  In September 2010 she received a special medal from President Medvedev and in June 2019 she was awarded the Pushkin Medal, authorised by President Putin himself, as well as a number of personal appointments from the Russian Embassy in London.

 

It would be remarkably tasteless to go ahead with this Gala, while Ukrainian civilians are being killed and exiled across their country.  It would not be appropriate for national institutions funded and subsidised by the Arts Council and the British taxpayer, to take part in this celebration - not least the English National Ballet Orchestra and the London Coliseum Theatre.

 

I urge Olga Balakleets to act responsibly and sensitively and pull this Gala.

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SimonJC

SimonJC

Posted
Posted (edited)

Sadly I agree with li tai po. Normally I feel art and politics must be separated but not in this case. Let us remember the regime this week threatened a nuclear strike potentially on London. A red line has been crossed. I know personally of one brave Russian dancer in St Petersburg protesting at risk to their own welfare.

 

In any case this Gala has long since become a high society event for the wealthy elite. As a ballet lover I gave up going when the stalls increased from £80 to £145 on a point of principle.

 

How can we as relatively blessed people sit in the gilded splendor of the Coliseum celebrating Russian art whilst the regime is threatening the whole world and whilst the CHILDREN of Ukraine are making molotov cocktails to defend their own young lives? The sports world is making great sacrifices in response and the arts world is already doing the same.

 

I respect entirely the views of others who disagree - we must all as human beings make our own decision of where the balance lies in such a difficult and emotional question. All I can say is for me what is now happening has gone beyond being able to tolerate "business as usual". I feel the impresario and the theatre would be best to withdraw the performance under the circumstances.

 

We all pray not only for the Ukrainian people but also for the Russian people and all Ukrainian and Russian dancers and artists that are in different ways victims of the current autocratic regime. Let us hope the outcome of these events will be democracy and freedom for both peoples.

Edited by SimonJC
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SimonJC

SimonJC

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That is a very painful question to contemplate Blossom. I myself feel I have no right to tell others how to feel or what to do. They must make their own decision and I would respect them either way even if I in their position might do something different.

 

It might well be that some of those dancers are themselves in some agony as to what to do. Just in the same way as some footballers are feeling they should not in all good conscience play the Russian national team whilst other footballers feel that they should. Were the performance to be withdrawn it would solve their dilemma and take away that very difficult question which for some of them might be a great relief.

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Emeralds

Emeralds

Posted
Posted

If I were a British dancer I would pull out of the Ballet Icons Gala... and see if a charity benefit for Ukraine can be sorted out.

 

There are children fleeing air strikes clutching their mothers’ hands in fear, babies being fed by the roadside as exhausted mothers bundle them close while walking many miles to the border (goodness knows how they are carrying nappies, clothing, documents, food etc), frail elderly pensioners struggling with a suitcase, all forced out of their homes in winter and with Covid still raging in that region.

 

Meanwhile young women - teachers, secretaries, artists, clerks,  dancers etc etc - are dropping what they’re doing to make Molotov cocktails to protect family members who can’t flee. And wives, elderly parents, and sisters wondering if their men will make it back home alive. 

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SimonJC

SimonJC

Posted
Posted (edited)

I agree with you Emeralds. Were I one of those dancers I personally would not perform. This Gala has become a high society event for wealthy Russians (and possibly wealthy Ukrainians) anyway. Since the prices were inflated in one year by 80% very few "average" ballet lovers attend. Can you imagine the spectacle of this elite in London parading around the Coliseum under the present circumstances and when  today the President of the Russian Federation has put his nuclear forces on high alert for a strike in which London would be a primary target.

 

To be clear many Russian oligarchs have made their money legitimately through business, do great work using it to support the arts (for which we are very grateful) and are in London fleeing from Putin because they are openly critical of him. But that is not the case (allegedly!) with all of them and those that are close to the President would be better spending their time trying to persuade him to stop his reckless actions rather than attending a ballet Gala.

Edited by Jan McNulty
edited to remove a word at request of OP
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Guest oncnp

Guest oncnp

Posted
Posted (edited)
40 minutes ago, SimonJC said:

The Gala has been cancelled by ENO today. They do not wish to be associated with it for obvious reasons and want to send the same signals to both Ukraine and the Russian regime that the whole world is sending.

Good for them. Tickets to be refunded as soon as possible 

Although the icons website itself doesn't indicate this (not linked. Site noted as insecure). Perhaps they are looking for another venue?

Edited by oncnp
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Sim

Sim

Posted
Posted
27 minutes ago, oncnp said:

Good for them. Tickets to be refunded as soon as possible 

Although the icons website itself doesn't indicate this (not linked. Site noted as insecure). Perhaps they are looking for another venue?

I can’t imagine they’d find one.  

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LinMM

LinMM

Posted
Posted

Well I agree with you about the Gala in the current circumstances. 
But not ALL the oligarchs are Putin supporters and have to live abroad or risk being novi chokd! 
Also not all the ‘oligarchs’ are equal in wealth or have gained wealth by illicit means. 

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  • alison changed the title to Ballet Icons Gala 2022 (13th March) - now cancelled
FionaM

FionaM

Posted
Posted

Personally appalled by some statements above.  


I’d think many London Russians would be glad to see the back of Putin permanently.  Let’s not tar all Russians with being complicit with Putin.

 

I hope this ghastliness can be resolved soon and the excellence of Russian ballet can be shared globally again.  I look forward to the new date. 

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Don Q Fan

Don Q Fan

Posted
Posted

Very sad this gala was cancelled/postponed but totally understandable and correct in the current circumstances. I really hope the Ukrainian situation can be resolved without further loss and bloodshed. It beggars belief that this is happening in 2022. So so sad. 

 

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