The Staatsballett Berlin

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The Staatsballett Berlin (german) or The Berlin State Ballet is the principal ballet company in the German capital of Berlin. It was created in 2004 through a merger of the separate ballet companies of the city's three opera houses at a time when the city was going through a financial crisis. It is one of the largest ballet companies in Western Europe with approximately 90 dancers.[1]

The Berlin State Ballet inaugural general and artistic director, dancer and choreographer Vladimir Malakhov, was a director of the ballet of the Berlin Opera before the companies merged to form the Berlin State Ballet. He led the company for ten years, creating a mixed repertoire of classical titles and contemporary choreography. A star dancer himself, Malakhov was not only managing, but also performing with the company.

After Malakhov, from the 2014/2015 season, renowned choreography and ballet director Nacho Duato took over as Artistic Director of the Staatsballett Berlin. Not only does he bring with him a wealth of experience, but he will also be integrating his own much admired choreographies into the work of the company.[2]

As Artistic Director, Nacho Duato is succeeding the Russian star dancer Vladimir Malakhov, as famous for his stage charisma as for his gravity-defying leaps which leave audiences gasping in amazement. Malakhov bid the company farewell in June 2014 with two final performances, in Caravaggio and Tschaikowsky. —Laura Cappelle.[3]

After Nacho Duato, Johannes Öhman appointed as new artistic director in September 2016. But not too long after being appointed, at January 2020 Johannes Öhman announced that he's going to leave the Berlin State Ballet in January 2021 and moved to Swedish contemporary dance presenter Dansens Hus.[4] [5] After Johannes Öhman announced his left the company now under the provisional direction of Dr. Christiane Theobald previously co-artistic director.

Program

The company’s dancers present the entire range of the ballet repertoire. Naturally, such masterpieces of classical ballet as Giselle and Swan Lake are firm favourites – and with productions of Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker on offer as well, all of Tchaikovsky’s magnificent ballets can be seen on Berlin’s stages. But the programme also includes neo-classical and contemporary works, such as the triple bill Duato | Kylian | Naharin by Nacho Duato or Ghosts from 2014, inspired by Ibsen’s famous play of the same name.

Chloé Lopes Gomes @pickledthoughtz
Chloé Lopes Gomes is the Staatsballett's first Black female dancer. @pickledthoughtz

Racial Issue

As Staatsballett Berlin's Chloé Lopes Gomes shared the shameful and blatant discrimination she says she endured as a ballet dancer, being the only Black female dancer within the company when she joined at 2018. What struck a particularly painful chord with dancers of color around the world is Gomes' allegation of being asked to whiten her skin for Swan Lake. This practice of painting or powdering the skin white for classical full-length works is less a norm in the U.S., but still prevalent in European companies.[6]

She says the racism she faced at the company began at an audition, where she said a colleague told her about a racist remark a ballet instructor made. The instructor said Lopes Gomes is very good but the company shouldn't hire her because she is Black and Black girl in the corps de ballet is not very aesthetic. "She discriminated against me because of my skin color," said Lopes Gomes.

When Lopes Gomes got the job, she was dismayed to learn she would be under the instruction of that same ballet mistress who she said had made the racist remarks about hiring a Black dancer at her audition and the verbal abuse continued. She recalls a particular incident during preparations for a performance of "La Bayadère", the ballet mistress initially wouldn't give her a white veil like those given to the other dancers. "'I won't give it to you because this veil is white and you are Black,' and the ballet mistress started to laugh in my face, in front of my colleagues," Lopes Gomes said.

Lopes Gomes said when she joined the company she was told that she wouldn't have to whiten her skin for a performance — a problematic practice that is not uncommon for classical ballets like "Swan Lake". According to Lopes Gomes, after Öhman left the company in January, the ballet mistress told her she would have to whiten her skin.

Lopes Gomes said that after reporting the racist behavior she received in October, her contract with the ballet company would not be renewed when it ends in July 2021. "The official reason was that I don't keep the line in the corps de ballet, I'm not musical, and I'm not a good dancer.", Lopes Gomes said.[7]

Apology

Through it's official statement post in the website Staatsballett Berlin said that any form of discrimination and racism in the company is unacceptable. Immediately after the accusations were brought to attention, Staatsballett Berlin started talks with a variety of organizations such as Themis, a trust center for victims of sexual harassment and violence, and Diversity Art Culture, a Berlin-based project management office for diversity development, the anti-discrimination officer of a Berlin-based theatre and the Senate Department for Culture. On top, Staatsballett Berlin will held mandatory workshops and seminars for all employees.

In the statement Staatsballett Berlin also mentioned that they fully aware that the ballet profession has marginalized people of color throughout the history. In the future it is the company's duty to be a mirror to the society and will reflects it in all it's diversity.

External Link

Read Staatsballett Berlin Official Statement: RACISM AT THE STAATSBALLETT BERLIN
Chloé Lopes Gomes profile

References

  1. The Berlin State Ballet. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  2. Visit Berlin. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  3. Malakhov Out, Duato In at Staatsballett, Pointe Magazine, 29 November 2001. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  4. Escoyne, Courtney. Sasha Waltz and Johannes Öhman to Leave Staatsballett Berlin, Dance Magazine, 22 January 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  5. STATEMENTS BY JOHANNES ÖHMAN AND SASHA WALTZ ON THE TERMINATION OF THE DIRECTORSHIP OF THE STAATSBALLETT BERLIN, staatsballett-berlin.de, 27 January 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  6. Howard, Theresa Ruth.What the Staatsballett Berlin Case Tells Us About the Power of Artistic Staff, Dance Magazine, 16 December 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  7. Hosie, Rachel.A Black ballerina says she was told to whiten her skin for 'Swan Lake' at a major German dance company, Insider, 15 December 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.