# Choreographers/ Why a majority of them are men and not women.



## Sissone

It is well known that girls and women like ballet more than men,but a majority of ballet performances are staged by male choreographers.Why? What is your take on this?


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## jegreenwood

If one includes modern dance, I'm not sure I agree. It seems to me that I read about female choreographers as frequently as male choreographers.

I have to admit that I am less interested in modern dance so this is mostly based on my perception. But here's the New York Times's weekly listing for Dance in NYC. By my count the percentage of men and women listed as choreographers and/or artistic directors is about 50/50 - probably more women if you exclude choreographers from the past. Admittedly, this is not a scientific survey.


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## Sissone

Thank you for your opinion.As far as classical ballet performances are concerned,they are mostly staged by male choreographers.Just my opinion,but I may be wrong.


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## Pugg

Sissone said:


> Thank you for your opinion.As far as classical ballet performances are concerned,they are mostly staged by male choreographers.Just my opinion,but I may be wrong.


Agree, my country has some great dancers / choreographers, Hans van Manen , Toer van Schayk and Rudi van Dantzig.
To name a few.


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## Sissone

Pugg said:


> Agree, my country has some great dancers / choreographers, Hans van Manen , Toer van Schayk and Rudi van Dantzig.
> To name a few.


I,am sure you also know Jiri Kyllian,born jn Czechoslovakia,who became Artistic Director of Netherlands Dance Theater.Later he started his own company,created a lot of ballets and received national and international awards.


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## jegreenwood

Sissone said:


> Thank you for your opinion.As far as classical ballet performances are concerned,they are mostly staged by male choreographers.Just my opinion,but I may be wrong.


On this theme, I saw this interview with Suzanne Farrell about her ballet company, which had just presented its final performances.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/19/...lights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront


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## Sissone

A very interesting interview.Suzanne Farrell has been a wonderful woman.


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## jegreenwood

Sad but not surprising news about Peter Martins today. I have no inside information, but I suspect Justin Peck, whose choreographic work has been very well received, may have the inside track. However, I hope they consider Suzanne Farrell and Wendy Whelan.


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## Pugg

jegreenwood said:


> *Sad but not surprising news about Peter Martins today.* I have no inside information, but I suspect Justin Peck, whose choreographic work has been very well received, may have the inside track. However, I hope they consider Suzanne Farrell and Wendy Whelan.


I think this will be the news for quit some time, others will follow.


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## Sissone

New York City Ballet has appointed an interim team to oversee the artistic management during Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins´ absence.The leader of the team is Jonathan Stafford a Ballet Master and former Principal Dancer,Resident Choreographer and Soloist Justin Peck as well as Ballet Masters Craig Hall and Rebecca Krohn.
The investigation of Mr Martins is under way.


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## jegreenwood

Sissone said:


> New York City Ballet has appointed an interim team to oversee the artistic management during Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins´ absence.The leader of the team is Jonathan Stafford a Ballet Master and former Principal Dancer,Resident Choreographer and Soloist Justin Peck as well as Ballet Masters Craig Hall and Rebecca Krohn.
> The investigation of Mr Martins is under way.


The investigation may continue, but Martins has resigned. The article mentions Peck, Whelan and Benjamin Millepied (but not Farrell) as potential replacements. Traditionally, the artisitc director of NYCB has been a choreographer, which is why I think Peck has the inside track. His dances have been more highly praised than Millepied's in New York.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/01/...column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Edit - and here's one of several follow-up articles in today's paper.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/02/...lights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront


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## Sissone

jegreenwood said:


> The investigation may continue, but Martins has resigned. The article mentions Peck, Whelan and Benjamin Millepied (but not Farrell) as potential replacements. Traditionally, the artisitc director of NYCB has been a choreographer, which is why I think Peck has the inside track. His dances have been more highly praised than Millepied's in New York.
> 
> https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/01/...nd-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
> 
> Edit - and here's one of several follow-up articles in today's paper.
> 
> https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/02/...lights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront


I would vote for a female artistic director.Having more women choreographers and artistic directors would be great.


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## Zhdanov

Sissone said:


> majority of ballet performances are staged by male choreographers.Why?


'cause modern policies haven't got there hands on this yet.


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## Nate Miller

I honestly think that expecting there to be an equal distribution of men and women in every field under the sun is just not a reasonable expectation. Why when I worked in social welfare were 75% of the people in that field white women with college educations? Why is it that men dominate the IT field? Why is it that the Dept of Education is dominated by women?

people are free to pursue the work they enjoy. And honestly, men and women are different. They are equal, but they are different


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## Sissone

What is the difference between male and female choreographers?Balanchine said:"Ballet is woman"but he was not talking about choreographers.Do you think males have the capacity to excel in the job,but not women?There are exceptions-especially at companies that present more contemporary dance,a field where female choreographers are much prominent,but at major ballet companies-NYC Ballet,ABT and many others around the world the dearth of female choreographers is more startling.


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