As the Oregonian reported yesterday, the Oregon Ballet Theatre is scrambling to make up a potentially ruinous budget shortfall—the result of both a decline in individual giving in 2008/2009, and the hit their box office took during December’s snow storms. The local and national dance communities have rallied to OBT’s assistance; details of the upcoming fundraising gala Dance United were released last night, and confirmed participants include dancers from the New York City Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, the Joffrey, the Washington Ballet, Boston Ballet, the Trey McIntyre Project, Ballet West, White Bird, Bodyvox, and Oregon Ballet Theatre, all of whom are donating their time. (PCPA is also donating use of the Keller.)
Dance United, Friday June 12, at the Keller, 7:30 pm, $50-200; tickets go on sale Monday, June 1, online at www.obt.org or at the OBT box office (818 SE 6th).
According to the O‘s piece, proceeds from the event alone can’t make up the $750,000 budget gap—donate here.
Gee, if I only had a spare $50-200 laying around to help the ballet….perhaps if they had a few performances that were actually affordable for normal people they might be able to generate some revenue.
Actually, pork chop, for most OBT performances, ticket prices start at $15 for adults and $13.50 for students. I think that is pretty affordable for most budgets.
Wow. The national ballet community is pretty good at pulling together to help their own, eh?
Tonysm-
Look at me acting like I know something! But I’m glad to be wrong. Thanks for the info.