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 complete a daily self-screening to gain access to the rehearsal studios and wear masks at all times. They rehearse in pods of 10, with each pod using their own dedicated studio and dressing space to increase physical distancing from other members of the Company. Studios have appropriate markings and modifications to support physical distancing. Pods and essential staff will be baseline tested for COVID after any personal travel or breaks in the season and will follow Massachusetts requirements for out-of-state travel.
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 must complete a daily self-screening and wear masks at all times. To adhere to social distancing, each student is assigned a marked-off spot at the barre and in the center of the room at least six feet apart. In-studio classes are limited to 10-15 students, include modifications to maintain physical distancing, and have assigned staggered arrival and drop-off times.
Over the past six months, Boston Ballet School faculty and staff have worked tirelessly to pilot new ballet teaching techniques that resonate 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.
More information on BBS safety protocols can be found here.
Audience Safety
In order to keep our patrons safe, the 2020–2021 season has been reimagined. First, The Nutcracker will be broadcast to audiences of all ages through a partnership with NBC Boston. We are thrilled to continue this holiday tradition while keeping New England’s families safe. Second, Boston Ballet’s first-ever virtual season, BB@yourhome, will replace the previously announced fall and winter seasons at the Citizens Bank Opera House. This exciting and innovative series will premiere six programs from November to April. Each program features new performances by Boston Ballet dancers captured live in-studio, bringing new inspiration and art-making safely to audiences right where they are. With a commitment to new voices and new platforms for the artform, BB@yourhome will premiere new works created remotely by international collaborators such as Nanine Linning and Ken Ossola; share compelling conversations with choreographers including William Forsythe; and celebrate dance from past iconic performances.
In accordance with local and state COVID-19 guidelines and in the interest of the health and safety of artists and audiences, Boston Ballet has made the difficult decision to cancel off the chART and ChoreograpHER. For more information, please click 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
Ryan Fotter, Chief of Staff
Ming Min Hui, Chief Financial Officer
Juliana Jordan, Company Manager
Russell Kaiser, Assistant Artistic Director
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
Heather Southwick, Director of Physical Therapy