Health and safety of our audiences and artists

Boston Ballet is committed to the health, safety, and well-being of our community. We are deeply grateful to the talented medical experts who advised us in creating a plan to implement the following protocols and programs to support dancers, students, faculty, and audiences. Thank you for your overwhelming support and understanding as we navigate these challenges together.

Video by Ernesto Galan

Audience Health and Safety

The safety of our artists, staff, and audiences continues to be our first priority as we return to live performances. 

Vaccination Policy 

Effective September 1, 2021. This policy is in effect for all 2021-2022 season performances. We will continue to evaluate and update these policies as the situation evolves. 

All patrons attending a live, indoor Boston Ballet performance must present proof of vaccination or proof of a recent negative COVID test before entering the venue and must wear a mask inside the theater at all times, regardless of vaccination status. 

  • Proof of vaccination may include showing either a vaccination card or a photo of the card. 

  • Fully vaccinated is defined as at least 14 days after receiving either a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or one-dose COVID-19 vaccine.

  • Anyone who is unable to be vaccinated or to verify their vaccination status for any reason, including children under the age of 12, will be required to show proof of a recent negative COVID test before entering (PCR test within 72 hours or rapid antigen test within 24 hours). 

  • Proof of a negative test can be in the form of a photo or email of negative test results from a clinic, testing center, medical professional, or a time-stamped photo of an at-home test. 

Entry will be denied for patrons who do not follow the protocols as required above. Patrons who are denied entry will be directed immediately to the Box Office to either exchange their tickets or receive a credit for the full value of their purchase.  

Please note, we are not socially distancing the theater. Boston Ballet has worked with the Citizens Bank Opera House to implement upgrades to cleaning, hygiene, and ventilation, including:  

Cleaning and Hygiene 

  • Hand sanitizer stations and masks are readily available to performers and guests throughout the theater.

  • All front of house restroom facilities feature touchless flush toilets and urinals, and touchless sinks. 

  • All food and beverage concession locations offer touchless payment options and pre-packaged products.

  • The theater’s state-of-the-art Evolv Express system minimizes patron/staff contact during the entry screening process.

Ventilation 

  • The theater is following standards of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and guidance from the Healthy Building Program of Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health regarding ventilation measures and improvements. 

  • The theater’s rooftop ventilation units have been upgraded to MERV-13 filtration.

  • The theater’s ventilation system is being operated to maximize the circulation of fresh, outdoor air.

  • Portable air cleaners with medical-grade HEPA filters are being installed in all restrooms, offices, dressing rooms and other locations throughout the theater.


Dancer Health and Safety 

Boston Ballet partnered with a team of medical professionals and AGMA, the dancers’ union, to develop a series of plans that ensure our artists’ safe return to the studios.

Dancers are required to be vaccinated for the 2021-2022 season and wear masks in the rehearsal studios at all times.

Beyond these new protocols, Boston Ballet has invested in several facility upgrades including optimized HVAC ventilation and filtration and brand-new streaming technology to allow choreographers to work with the dancers remotely and pods to take class and work together virtually. Studios will be thoroughly disinfected between each use. These specific, cautious, and highly monitored protocols allow our dancers to return to the studios safely.

Student and Faculty Health and Safety

Similar to members of the Company, Boston Ballet School students and employees must complete a daily self-screening and wear masks at all times. Boston Ballet School's expansive COVID-19 Risk Reduction Plan also includes social distancing measures, limited building occupancies, and contact tracing. New for Fall 2021, the School is requesting COVID-19 vaccination information from eligible students in order to make better informed health and safety decisions throughout the year. All BBS faculty, musicians, and staff are required to be vaccinated for the 2021–2022 school year.

During the 2020–2021 school year, Boston Ballet School faculty and staff worked tirelessly to pilot new ballet teaching techniques that resonated with students of all ages, both virtually and in-studio. BBS students and parents were vital in this process, providing feedback through surveys that assisted in shaping this model. BBS remains committed to ensuring children experience the highest quality ballet education, and is prepared to pivot to a hybrid or virtual model if need be.

More information on BBS safety protocols can be found here.  

Medical Consultants & Boston Ballet Health and Safety Task Force

A special thank you to Boston Ballet’s medical consultants for consultation and assistance in development of this plan to ensure the safety of our artists, students, faculty, and staff: 

Thea Brennan-Krohn MD, D(ABMM) 
Staff, Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital 
Staff Scientist, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center 
Instructor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School 

Preeti Mehrotra, MD, MPH 
Medical Director and Associate Hospital Epidemiologist 
Division of Infection Control/Hospital Epidemiology 
Silverman Institute for Health Care Quality and Safety, and 
Division of Infectious Diseases 
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center 
Instructor, Internal Medicine, Harvard Medical School 

Dana Pepe, MD, MPH 
Medical Director and Associate Hospital Epidemiologist 
Division of Infection Control/Hospital Epidemiology 
Silverman Institute for Health Care Quality and Safety, and 
Division of Infectious Diseases 
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center 
Instructor, Internal Medicine, Harvard Medical School  

Boston Ballet Company Physician:
Bridget J. Quinn, MD 
Attending Physician | Division of Sports Medicine | Boston Children's Hospital 
Boston Ballet Company Physician 
Consulting Physician Boston Ballet School 


Boston Ballet Health and Safety Task Force
Nathan Burlak, Director of Information Technology 
Rebecca Edwards, BBS Assistant Director, Operations
Ryan Fotter, Chief of Staff 
Ming Min Hui, Chief Financial Officer 
Juliana Jordan, Company Manager 
Russell Kaiser, Assistant Artistic Director 
Lisa McCullough, Director of Audience Services
Howard Merlin, Costume Shop 
Lori Ossip, Summer Associate 
Ben Phillips, Production Manager / Technical Director 
Carolyn Rock, Director of Operations, Boston Ballet School 
Jennifer Rodts, Director of Human Resources 
Kerri Regan, Physical Therapist, Health and Wellness Program Coordinator

The audience connection to the art is what truly brings it to life.

Mikko Nissinen, Artistic Director
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