Dear Members of the Boston Ballet Family,
Boston Ballet stands in solidarity with our black dancers, black colleagues, and the black community. On June 2, we participated in #BlackoutTuesday–a national moment to pause and reflect on our commitment to create equity in this country. The heart of Boston Ballet’s mission is to inspire, empower, and deepen community through dance. Inclusivity and diversity are central to realizing that mission.
We want to be part of a new chapter for Boston, one that is radically welcoming and reflects the diversity of Boston’s communities on stage, in our audiences, our studios, and behind the scenes in our board room and offices. We are a committed member of the Equity Project, a partnership program with Dance Theatre of Harlem, The International Association of Blacks in Dance, Dance/USA, and 21 professional ballet organizations working to increase the presence of blacks in in all areas of the ballet industry. Boston Ballet has a dedicated team examining hiring, training, audience engagement, and student experiences. We are investing in new art-making that amplifies historically underrepresented voices on stage. We are just starting. We must do more.
Our country, our communities, and our organization are at a turning point. We will listen, we will commit to change, and we will work to dismantle systems of oppression within our own organization and community. Thank you for joining us in this change. Thank you for being a part of Boston Ballet.
Yours Truly,
Mikko Nissinen Max Hodges
Artistic Director Executive Director
