Ballet West Issues Statement After Alleged Harassment of Black Dancers

Ballet West has issued a statement after two Black dancers from the company were allegedly verbally harassed, Gephardt Daily reports.

"As an organization committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment for all of its employees, Ballet West condemns the actions of these individuals in the strongest manner possible," the statement reads.

The full statement can be seen below:

Last week, in two separate incidents on Salt Lake City streets, two Black Ballet West dancers were subjected to angry racial epithets screamed at them by individuals passing by in their vehicles. It is unimaginable that in 2021, our public gathering places are not safe from such hatred evidenced by the behavior of these racists.

As an organization committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment for all of its employees, Ballet West condemns the actions of these individuals in the strongest manner possible. We urge the community to stand united in condemning racism in all forms, including cowardly acts perpetuated by individuals from the safety of their vehicles.

Lastly, we hope all of our neighbors and community leaders in our great city will elevate the conversation about race in an effort to educate about the destructive harm hate and hate speech inflicts on all human beings.

Ballet West was established in Salt Lake City in 1963. Willam F. Christensen was the company's first artistic director, co-founding the company together with Utah's "First Lady of the Arts" Glenn Walker Wallace. In 1951, Christensen had established the first ballet department in an American university at The University of Utah and with the tireless assistance of Mrs. Enid Cosgriff this program grew into the Utah Civic Ballet, Ballet West's first incarnation. But this was not the first ballet company Willam Christensen founded. Along with his brothers Lew and Harold, Christensen made history by establishing the oldest ballet company in the western United States, the San Francisco Ballet. There he went on to create the first full-length American productions of Coppélia, Swan Lake, and his evergreen production of The Nutcracker, which remains in Ballet West's repertoire to this day.

With 40 company members, 10 second company members, and a thriving academy that trains dancers of all ages, many of whom have gone on to professional careers with Ballet West and companies around the world, Ballet West ranks among the top professional ballet companies in America. Since its inception, the Company has had five artistic directors - its founder Willam Christensen, Bruce Marks, John Hart, Jonas Kåge and currently Adam Sklute, each who have helped to build Ballet West's unique and expansive profile.

Learn more at https://balletwest.org/.

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