The ballet’s website tells me the “2011-2012 Season Will Be Announced Soon” … but then I read this:
For the first time in decades, Ballet San Jose, a company known as much for its perseverance as for its innovative performances, is unlikely to stage a ballet this fall, and will probably begin its season with December’s traditional performances of “The Nutcracker.”
Typically by this time of year, the ballet company has announced its slate of performances for the coming season, which in years past has stretched from fall to spring.
But an announcement of the 2011-12 season has been delayed because of uncertainty about the company’s budget, Ballet San Jose Executive Director Stephanie Ziesel said this week. Like many arts organizations, Ballet San Jose has faced its share of budget problems over the years; it reported a deficit of nearly $1 million on its tax return for the fiscal year ending June 2010.
And in addition to questions about how much revenue the ballet will generate in the coming season, the company’s management still has not reached a contract agreement with the ballet dancers union. Against that backdrop, it’s unlikely that the curtain will rise on a Ballet San Jose performance this autumn.
“We would be putting ourselves in the position of rushing to the market,” Ziesel said, noting that the company did just that last year, announcing the season in August 2010 and staging “Giselle” in October. “We didn’t have ample runway to sell subscriptions and meet our subscription goal or our single-ticket sales goal for that first program.”
Following “The Nutcracker” in December, the company’s repertory season will likely run from February to April, she said, adding that she is hopeful the company will stage three ballets, as it did last season.
