November I.D.E.A.s
Each month the I.D.E.A (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) Newsletter will give you updates from PNB's IDEA Committee and Board EDI Task Force, along with PNB events, resources like workshop opportunities, and book recommendations.
Members of PNB's I.D.E.A. Committee is working on pronoun pins for all members of the PNB community. Please fill out this quick pre-order form to help us get an accurate count for our upcoming pin order.
The Green Tea Cricket
If you've seen this year's production of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker® hopefully you noticed a new character in The Land of Sweets, the Green Tea Cricket! PNB has been working with Phil Chan, co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface, to eliminate harmful anti-Asian stereotyping in PNB's production of The Nutcracker. Read more about Phil Chan's work here on the PNB blog, and the larger conversation about reworking how Chinese culture is depicted in The Nutcracker in this NY Times article.
Remembering Ulysses Dove
We’ve compiled some episodes of PNB is Listening about a choreographer close to PNB’s heart, Ulysses Dove. If you watched Beyond Ballet, you saw choreographer Dove's haunting Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven. Enjoy the conversation between Dwight Rhoden, Desmond Richardson, and Peter Boal and a panel discussion with PNB dancers and orchestra members on Dove's Red Angels.
PNB is Listening is an ongoing collaboration between PNB artists and staff, highlighting diverse voices within our community. Do you have a story or lived experience you'd like to share? Email Kristen Ramer Liang at kliang@pnb.org for more information.
Join our Media Club!
The Media Club was created by the Committee Engagement Sub-Committee to discuss topics cross-departmentally pertaining to race, social justice, and the intersections of ballet outside of our monthly I.D.E.A. Committee meetings. Currently, the Media Club is reading Chloe Angyal's Turning Pointe.
If you are interested in joining, please email LiLi Pigott at lpigott@pnb.org to stay up to date and be included in the next meeting.
WashMasks Drive
PNB is collecting donation for WashMasks' annual Heart of Washington Food & Book Drive for Migrant Farmworkers. There is a donation drop-off location at the Phelps Center and four at McCaw Hall (Coat Check, Stage Door, Rehearsal Hall, Orchestra Lounge). Click here to see the list of requested items. If you're not able to drop off donations in person, you can buy items online and have them shipped to the Phelps Center! Just write ATTN: WashMasks Drive in the address line.
Dance Film Festival
A reminder to submit your film to the PNB Dance Film Festival! Born from an explosion of pandemic-era digital and dance creativity, this festival seeks to amplify digital dance films and emerging artists by showcasing their work with PNB’s audiences. The application window is open now through December 15, click here to learn more or to submit your film today!
Dancer Promotions
PNB is excited to announce Company dancer promotions! Sarah-Gabrielle Ryan and Miles Pertl have advanced to Soloists, and Elle Macy is PNB’s newest Principal dancer. While we're at it, congratulations to our four new Apprentices! Ashton Edwards, Melisa Guilliams, Zsilas Michael Hughes, and Joh Morrill have joined the Company and are currently performing in The Nutcracker. Read more about these exciting dancer announcements on the PNB Blog.
Join PNB's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee as an at-large member!
The IDEA Committee is encouraging “at-large” membership in an effort to include and make use of the many valuable perspectives, life experiences and skill sets of our larger PNB community.
Some examples of ways that “at-large” members could participate include:
• Bringing ideas to the IDEA Committee for any of the subcommittees to work on.
• Offering to help with specific committee needs (ie. language translation, event planning).
• Supporting specific events (ie. extra hands on deck for Community Engagement events).
• Participating in the IDEA Committee’s monthly media club activities (ie. book club readings and discussions).
• Volunteering as a facilitator for IDEA Committee’s trainings of PNB staff.
• Submitting stories, events, and resources that could be shared in the monthly IDEA newsletters
Contact IDEA Committee co-leads Naomi Glass (she/her) at nglass@pnb.org or Kiyon Ross (he/his) at kross@pnb.org for more information!
Did you know?
Sensory-Friendly performance of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®
PNB's Community Education department has been hard at work on an inclusive, sensory-friendly performance of The Nutcracker on December 21 at 2:00PM, which will welcome neurodiverse audiences of all ages to the shared experience of live ballet with their friends and family. Modified lighting and sound levels, fidgets, entry/exit privileges, trained staff, allowance of devices, and a quiet room will be offered at this matinee.
Click here to learn more & buy tickets!
Sensory-friendly performances are designed to provide a welcoming and supportive environment for people with sensory processing challenges to enjoy the shared experience of live ballet with their friends and family. This performance will have a relaxed environment including lighting and sound modifications and entry/exit privileges.
