Cleveland Ballet (founded 2014) explained

Cleveland Ballet
Founded:2014
Founders:
Founding Director:Gladisa Guadalupe
Venue:Playhouse Square, Cleveland, Ohio
Chief Executive:Larry Goodman
Artistic Director:Timour Bourtasenkov
Official School:The Academy of Cleveland Ballet

Cleveland Ballet was founded in Cleveland in 2014 by Gladisa Guadalupe and Michael Krasnyansky.[1] [2] It is the third incarnation of a Cleveland Ballet, having been preceded by establishments of the same name founded in 1935 and 1972.

The company has grown from 5 to 26 dancers from 11 countries and territories over its initial 5 seasons,[3] and was one of the fastest growing professional ballet companies in the U.S.[1] In 2017, it became a resident company of Playhouse Square.

History and growth

This incarnation of the Cleveland Ballet was founded by Gladisa Guadalupe (then artistic director) and her husband, Michael Krasnyansky (then CEO). Guadalupe is an alumna of the School of American Ballet and a former principal dancer,[4] and Krasnyansky is a Ukrainian American businessman.[5] In October 2015, Cleveland Ballet's inaugural season debuted with the ballet Past. Present. Future. at Playhouse Square, characterized by The Plain Dealer as a "stylistically diverse and entertaining" production.[6] The company continued with a production of Coppélia in May 2016, described as "evidence of a company eager and able to do great things", with the dancers' performances as "mostly excellent".[7]

By its second season, 2016–2017, the ballet had grown to fourteen members. It concluded the season with a performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which was reviewed as featuring "smartly-crafted, deceptively difficult, and wonderfully illustrative choreography".[8]

Cleveland Ballet became Playhouse Square's resident classical ballet company in 2017, during its third season.[9] This designation resulted in additional marketing funds, access to more rehearsal space, and priority in scheduling.[9]

In 2017, Cleveland Ballet also reintroduced regular holiday performances of Tchaikovsky's ballet, The Nutcracker, as a seasonal tradition in Cleveland—the first Nutcracker production by a local company at Playhouse Square since 1999.[10] Additional performances of the season included the 1909 ballet, Les Sylphides,[11] as well as Alice, a new ballet based on Lewis Carroll's book Alice in Wonderland.[12]

In the fourth season, 2018–2019, the company increased to 20 professional dancers.[13] In addition to The Nutcracker, Cleveland Ballet presented Fall Collection and Coppélia as main stage productions at Playhouse Square.[14] [15] [16]

In its fifth season, 2019–2020, the ballet grew to 25 dancers, performing Carmen at the Ohio Theatre in October [17] and offering 12 performances of The Nutcracker at the Hanna Theatre in December.[18] The season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, requiring the cancellation of the company's planned performance of Mozart's The Magic Flute.[19]

Gladisa Guadalupe and Michael Krasnyansky were suspended in November 2023 following “serious workplace allegations” made by employees to the Ballet's Board of Directors.[20] [21] A week later, Michael Krasnyansky resigned.[22]

In early January 2024, the Cleveland Ballet ceased its affiliation with the Cleveland School of Dance which was started by then-artistic director Guadalupe.[23] An additional investigation ordered by the Board of Directors found Guadalupe and Krasnyansky to have committed financial improprieties, practiced nepotism in personnel matters, and committed sexual harassment. Guadalupe was fired from her position of Artistic Director on January 10, 2024.[24] [25] Guadalupe and Krasnyansky have denied the allegations.

In January of 2024, the Cleveland Ballet Board of Directors appointed Timour Bourtasenkov as new Artistic Director.[26] In April 2024, the Cleveland Ballet Board of Directors Appointed Larry Goodman President and Chief Executive Officer.[27]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cleveland Ballet. Encyclopedia of Cleveland History . 31 May 2019 . . 2020-08-12.
  2. Web site: 2015-12-07 . Cleveland Ballet Is Reborn . 2020-08-17 . Dance Magazine . en.
  3. News: Hullett . Julie . Great Ballet for a Great City . August 11, 2020 . Chagrin Valley Magazine . 2019–20.
  4. Web site: Rosenberg . Donald . 2013-07-19 . Former Cleveland Ballet dancer Gladisa Guadalupe determined to create classical company named Cleveland Ballet . 2020-08-18 . The Plain Dealer . en.
  5. News: Abelman . Bob . Cleveland ballet scene on the rebound . August 11, 2020 . Cleveland Jewish News . December 30, 2019 . en.
  6. News: Sucato . Steve . Cleveland Ballet makes admirable debut in partnership with Neos Dance Theatre (review) . August 11, 2020 . The Plain Dealer . October 6, 2015 . en.
  7. News: Lewis . Zachary . Cleveland Ballet lands on its feet with charming new version of 'Coppelia' (review) . 2020-08-17 . The Plain Dealer . May 16, 2016 . en.
  8. News: Sucato . Steve . Cleveland Ballet rises from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' . 2020-08-17 . The Plain Dealer . April 10, 2017 . en.
  9. News: Lewis . Zachary . Cleveland Ballet awarded residency at Playhouse Square . 2020-08-17 . The Plain Dealer. May 24, 2017 . en.
  10. Web site: Cleveland Ballet brings "The Nutcracker Suite" back to Playhouse Square, hosts children's auditions September 23 Today's Family Magazine. 2020-08-17. www.todaysfamilymagazine.com. en.
  11. Web site: Lewis. Zachary. 2017-10-11. Cleveland Ballet looking all directions on season opener. 2020-08-17. The Plain Dealer. en.
  12. Web site: Cleveland Ballet Creates An Unconventional Wonderland With Alice. 2020-08-17. clevelandmagazine.com. en.
  13. Fall Collection, playbill from Playhouse Square. Dates: October 19–20, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  14. Web site: Morrison. Laura. The New Cleveland Ballet Heads Into its Fourth Season With a Playhouse Square Residency. 2020-08-17. Cleveland Scene. en.
  15. Web site: The Nutcracker returns to Playhouse Square Dec. 12-16. 2020-08-17. Richland Source. en.
  16. Web site: Sucato. Steve. March 30, 2019. "Cleveland Ballet to Perform Newly Enhanced Version of Ramón Oller's 'Coppélia'.". 2020-08-17. Arts Air. en.
  17. News: Lewis . Zachary . 2019-05-14 . Cleveland Ballet announces new season of classic tales at Playhouse Square. 2020-08-17 . The Plain Dealer. en.
  18. News: November 12, 2019 . Gladisa Guadalupe, Madison Campbell, Jason Wang – "Nutcracker" Dances to Cleveland . 2020-08-17 . WKYC . en-US.
  19. News: Morona . Joey . 2020-04-13 . Playhouse Square to remain closed at least through May 31 . 2020-08-17 . Cleveland.com. en.
  20. Web site: Bhatia . Kabir . Cleveland Ballet president and artistic director suspended amid investigation . Ideastream Public Media . 11 January 2024 . en . 14 November 2023.
  21. News: Wolfe . Paris . Cleveland Ballet suspends husband-and-wife president and artistic director amid internal investigation . 12 January 2024 . cleveland . Cleveland.com . 14 November 2023 . en.
  22. News: Stephanie . Haney . Dave . DeNatale . Cleveland Ballet CEO and President Michael Krasnyansky resigns amid investigation into workplace allegations . 12 January 2024 . wkyc.com . 21 November 2023.
  23. Web site: Haney . Stephanie . Cleveland Ballet severs ties with Gladisa Guadalupe's School of Cleveland Ballet . wkyc.com . 11 January 2024 . 2 January 2024.
  24. Web site: At least 16 sexual misconduct claims, pattern of intimidation and retaliation revealed in independent Cleveland Ballet investigation . Tyler . Carey . Stephanie . Haney . WKYC . 11 January 2024.
  25. News: Wolfe . Paris . ‘Misbehavior was longstanding,’ says Cleveland Ballet, after reports of intimidation, sexual harassment and improper payments . 11 January 2024 . Plain Dealer . 10 January 2024.
  26. Web site: New Cleveland Ballet leaders have the organization in turnaround mode .
  27. Web site: Cleveland Ballet takes 'interim' tag off its CEO, who sees big progress at the organization .

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