SEASON OF JOY 1 2020/21 ANNUAL REPORT
A NOTE FROM LEADERSHIP
The Washington Ballet faced unprecedented challenges throughout 2020 and 2021. Pandemic-era strictures prevented us from doing the one thing that has, until now, been essential to our work: gather together. And yet, thanks to your support, today we can look back on the 2020–2021 season as a time of growth, innovation, and ultimately triumph, as The Washington Ballet developed new ways to connect with our patrons, donors, artists, students, faculty, and staff. Digital programming and thoughtful partnerships enabled us to continue creating art and connecting with our community through ballet. TWB forged a new partnership with international streaming platform Marquee TV, producing an all-digital artistic season of world premieres, engaging some of today’s most exciting choreographers and pushing creative boundaries of dance on film, all while reaching audiences across the globe. Partners at the Washington National Cathedral commissioned TWB to create a new site-specific work; the resultant piece drew both live and virtual audiences. Behind the scenes, TWB supporters connected through virtual events, such as the monthly BARRE TALK discussion series on YouTube and livestreamed studio sessions for members of the Balletomane Society and our new Family Giving Circle. At our school, Washington School of Ballet faculty quickly pivoted to offering live and on-demand virtual ballet classes and organized virtual student performance showcases throughout the year for more than 2,000 students of all ages from pre-ballet to adult. In the community, TWB modified its offerings to ensure uninterrupted enrichment through Dance DC on Demand and Digital Dance DC Live. All of our work was made possible by you–our patrons and supporters. You stepped in to raise more than $5.1 million through generous member support, event sponsorship of the annual Gala and The Nutcracker Tea Party, and extra donations through the Keep on Dancing underwriting campaign. Because of you, we are Back on Our Feet and looking forward to seeing you in 2022.
Julie Kent, Artistic Director Patrick Mühlen-Schulte, Managing Director
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2020–2021 AT A GLANCE THE BEST IN BALLET PERFORMANCE BUILDING COMMUNITY
8 world premieres as part of TWB’s all-digital season Forbidden Endearment by Tamás Krisza* Chronos by Xiomara Reyes* Something Human by Andile Ndlovu* Womb of Heaven by Helga Paris-Morales* Unbound by Tamás Krisza* Orpheus by Dana Genshaft Werner Sonata by Silas Farley liminal by Stanton Welch
17,000 streams of TWB content in more than 100 countries
1,605 students at 23 DC and Maryland schools participated in Dance DC
on Marquee TV Free pre-recorded
residencies for all
* TWB Artists
Ward 7 & 8 public schools Employing 43
professional Company and Studio artists
from 15 countries
TRAINING THE FUTURE
Free and livestreamed world premiere at Washington National Cathedral
1,000+ students
More than $280,000 in waived tuition and enrollment
attended virtual
fees for students at THEARC
classes at The Washington School of Ballet
90% of students at THEARC—188—receive sliding scale tuition
ABOVE: TWB
$ $1.4 million annual investment in our Southeast campus and community
dancers Tamás Krizsa and Maki Onuki perform at the National Cathedral. Photo by xmbphotography
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CITY-WIDE IMPACT The Washington Ballet is proud to be the ballet in and
WARD 4
of the nation’s capital. Our reach throughout the DMV
Free Latin dance classes
demonstrates our intentional focus on community impact.
Tuition Assistance: $17,350
Thanks to your support we provided opportunities to every Ward of DC and much of the surrounding region.
The dancers of The Washington Ballet are some of the most highly trained, accomplished dancers in the world— and they’re right in our backyard!
WARD 3 Free community performance at the Washington National Cathedral
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The Washington School of Ballet: 930 students (FY20) and 655 students (FY21)
Arlington
– TWB supporter and Ward 3 resident
WARD 2 Free Dance for All community events at the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and National Portrait Gallery Kennedy Center: National Dance Day performances CityCenter: Free community performances
WARD 1 Sitar Arts Center: 20 year partner Free Latin dance classes
Fairfax Thank you for selecting my daughter to receive a scholarship. It has helped me help her pursue her goals and dreams in dance.
WOLF TRAP NATIONAL PARK FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS Long-time TWB partner and the shoot location for Silas Farley’s Werner Sonata, a TWB world premiere on Marquee TV.
ABOVE: Alexa
Torres Photo by Spencer Bentley
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–TWSB Parent
Montgomery
Prince George’s Dance DC brought my virtual classroom alive! During the height of remote learning, it was the only program that kept every one of my students consistently engaged.
WARD 5
4
Broadcast of The Nutcracker to Children’s National Hospital Dance DC partner schools: 75 students
– DCPS 4th grade teacher
Tuition Assistance: $22,261
1
5
WARD 6 Library Story Time Dance DC partner schools: 499 students
2
6
Tuition Assistance: $43,613
7 WARD 7
Dance DC partner schools: 100 students Free Library Story Time Tuition Assistance: $83,925
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WARD 8 Southeast Campus at THEARC: 318 students (FY20) and 228 students (FY21) 438 hours of residency teaching in partner schools reaching 643 students Free community events: 14 Tuition Assistance: $212,000
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY Residency program reaching 220 students
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Photos by xmbphotography and Kelsey Arrington
FINANCIAL FY20–FY21 (ending June 30, 2021) Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, TWB income was $7.5 million lower than the prior year due to no ticket revenue and lower than usual tuition revenue.
10% 27% REVENUE AND SUPPORT
35%
25%
37% EXPENSES
10% 28%
28%
Grants & Contributions
Performances
Earned Revenue
Education
Special Events
General Administration
Other: COVID-19 Relief
Fundraising
As a non-profit arts organization, The Washington Ballet raises funds from many sources to supplement earned income from ticket sales and tuition. Gifts from individual contributions totaled $1.6 million in revenue for The Washington Ballet.
Our artistic and educational programming accounts for 80% of our total expenses.
2020/21 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jean-Marie Fernandez, Chair Luanne Adams Britt Biles Jamie Boucher Jane R. Cafritz Evonne Connolly Sylvia A. de Leon Charles DeSantis David DeSantis Ginger Dietrich
Zulima Espinel John Estes III Emilia Ferrara James Gale Michael Goldstein Heather Hughes Elizabeth Keeley Dianne Keppler Janice Kim
Sara Lange Eric Larsen Hanane Lemlih Eve A. Lilley Timothy R. Lowery Joan McCarthy Dorothy Pierce McSweeny Michelle Montes Michael Olding
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Barbara Rothkopf Martha Schwieters Yolanda Scott Deborah Sigmund Jennifer Tulumello Patricia Wu Lowell Yoder
OUR SUPPORTERS 2020/21 SEASON SPONSORS The Washington Ballet extends its deep gratitude to Dr. Luanne Adams and Murrell Smith, Buffy Cafritz*, Virginia McGehee Friend, Eve and William* Lilley, Jacqueline B. Mars, Norah and James Orphanides, Barbara and Arthur Rothkopf, Martha and John Schwieters, Ted and Mary Jo Shen, and Anna-Marie Parisi-Trone and Robert Trone for their generous season support. *In memoriam
In honor of the Global Partnership between The Washington Ballet and The State of Qatar, TWB recognizes Ambassador H.E. Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani as the Executive Chair of the 2020/2021 Season.
2020/21 DANCER SPONSORS The Washington Ballet further recognizes David and Sandra Berler, The Honorable Ann Brown Armeane and Mary Choksi, Judith A. Lee, Jody Katz and Jeffrey Gibbs, Betsy and Mike Keeley, and Dianne and John Keppler for investing in our talented company members.
2020/21 INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS Thank you to our generous partners: Fight For Children, The Joseph E. Robert, Jr. Charitable Trust, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, John Edward Fowler Memorial Foundation, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation, England Family Foundation, GKV Foundation, Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts, Shubert Foundation, Share Fund, The DeLaski Family Foundation, Harman Family Foundation, Dimick Foundation, Leidos, Geico, Pepco, M&T Charitable Foundation, Glenmede, Northrop Grumman, U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs Thank you to all members of the Balletomane Society, Ballet Corps, The Women’s Committee & Friends, and Jeté Society for your ongoing support.
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ABOVE: Helga
Paris-Morales Photo by Spencer Bentley
3515 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016 washingtonballet.org Tax ID Number: 52-0846173
Front Cover: TWB Artists Ariel Martinez and Andrea Allmon. Credit xmb Photography. Back Cover: TWB Artist Andile Ndlovu. Credit xmb Photography. 8