Future of Ballet Rural Retreat 2005

At the first retreat I felt very much like this myself. I had thought naively that two days would bring about solutions to problems or probably for me more personally that the big players would lead the charge and we would follow in whatever way possible. In reality this could never happen. If it was so easy to move the world of dance on, then it would already have been done and for sure two days was not enough time to understand all of the various challenges while searching for the solutions. And what are those challenges, are they real or imagined and are we often too easily criticising our art form with some unknown expectation.

So what then is the purpose of such a gathering and why do we, as directors, come out thinking that the retreat was a great success while the world sits back and asks but what did you accomplish.

The first revelation for me this time was to abandon earlier expectations and enter into this gathering with an open mind. My first observation was to simply note the uniqueness of the event. When or where would this many directors from this many countries be in one room at one time coming into a safe haven and on equal footing regardless of size or influence to open up a dialogue. That is in itself worthy of praising the event. I also realized the amount of passion and commitment of my colleagues and was both humbled and inspired.

Group photograph of directors at the Rural Retreat: Dance into the 21st Century (January 7 – 9, 2005)
© Johan Persson

Key to group photograph of directors who attended the retreat:
Top, right – left:
David Bintley (Birmingham Royal Ballet), David McAllister (Australian Ballet), Matz Skoog (English National Ballet), Reid Anderson (Stuttgart Ballet), Monica Mason (The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden), Dinko Bogdanic (Croatian National Ballet), Kathryn Bennetts (Artistic Director Designate, Royal Ballet of Flanders), Alexei Ratmansky (Bolshoi Ballet), Ted Brandsen (Dutch National Ballet), Stanton Welch (Houston Ballet), John Alleyne (Ballet British Columbia), Jonas Kåge (Ballet West, USA), Madeleine Onne (Royal Swedish Ballet), Ashley Page (Scottish Ballet);

Descending stairs –
Back row : left – right:
André Lewis (Royal Winnipeg Ballet), Mikko Nissinen (Boston Ballet), Kevin Irving (Goteburg Ballet), David Nixon (Northern Ballet Theatre), Ivan Liska (Bayerisches Staatsballett, Munich); Front row: left – right: Marc Jonkers (Limberg Ballet, The Netherlands), Nanette Gluschak (Ballet du Capitole, Toulouse), Espen Giljane (Norwegian National Ballet), Dinna Bjorn (Finnish National Ballet), Zhao Ruheng (National Ballet of China), Didier Deschamps (Ballet de Lorraine, France), Mark Baldwin (Rambert Dance Company).

The job of directing is often very isolated and therefore a lonely position. You are expected to motivate, inspire and yet have very little chance to find personal support, advice and to regenerate your own personal motivation. This gathering plays a significant role in rejuvenating the directors and strengthening communication and support networks.

The discussions took place together and then broken down into smaller groups looking at various topics. We discussed the 21st century dancer, the sustainability of our companies, ways of attracting new audiences and who they might be, and the present barriers surrounding that if they existed. We discussed and identified our stakeholders and how to keep them engaged, and the fact that as an art form we do not do a very good job of lobbying the governments or various influential parties. Training was a hot topic and the need to increase dialogue and communication between teaching institutes and directors. Diversity and the opening up of the ballet aesthetic was broached especially as audiences are significantly evolving and the aesthetic has only narrowed not expanded or even retained what it once had been.

We were blessed with two dynamic guest speakers Gail Rebuck Chief Executive of Random house group and Nick Hytner, Director of The National Theatre. Both speakers were inspiring, and provoking. It is always good to hear from other areas of both the arts and of business to see where we are similar and what we can gain as new knowledge.

One of the most interesting and moving moments was the addition this time of presentations from three directors. This was eye-opening, to hear of the different and often extreme challenges facing our art form and the various environments which house companies across the world from spa like conditions in opera houses to cold one studio facilities with plastic on the windows to keep out the draught. The directors all came from such varying companies. John Alleyne, Director of Ballet British Columbia who started off with his company in one very cold studio and very little money and has endured through many challenges to now have much improved conditions and a strong company which he has had to perhaps reinvent several times. Madeleine Onne Director of the Royal Swedish Ballet, which is a strong state run company with a history of over 200 years. The confines of the employment rules through which she must forge made my challenges seem like nothing. Finally David McAllister, Director of the Australian ballet, who painted a picture of a national company which runs as a commercial company and the various restrictions theatres, subscriptions and maintaining the status quo can put on artistic development or evolution.

Many things were discussed about the present state of ballet and where it might go in the future. There is a feeling that things are healthy but as always with dance, in evolution. I left feeling that each director and each company plays its role in the changing art form of dance and we must always be ready when that next great talent appears as history has proven that it can come out of any country and any company.

I cannot thank Assis and her staff enough for having the vision to make this retreat happen and the skills of leadership and endurance to see it through to reality. I hope that these few words may provide some more food for thought.