Ballet's Battle, Children's Loss
Thursday, December 22, 2005; Page A28
I read with interest and some disbelief about the controversy between the Washington Ballet's board of directors and the union that represents the company's dancers ["Washington Ballet Cancels 'Nutcracker' Run," front page, Dec. 17]. Both sides seemed to have disregarded the effect of their acts on the children who were in the production.
About 275 children, including my daughter, attended rehearsal after rehearsal, and they performed brilliantly in Septime Webre's shimmering "Nutcracker." What rights did these young performers have when the decision was made to force a confrontation and to cancel the production?
Many "Nutcracker" ticket holders come to watch a "Little Clown," a soldier's precision march, a butterfly or a mushroom. Members of my family were flying in from Russia, Japan and other parts of the United States to attend a performance.
Unfortunately, hundreds of families such as ours were affected by the poor timing of this confrontation between the union and the ballet company's board. Is it really right that only a few people held hundreds of young performers hostage?
KATHLEEN CRANE
Falls Church
