The Washington Ballet began its resumption of activity on June 18, by broadcasting live from its studios an online gala, aimed at raising funds. The event was a resounding success: 850,000 dollars were raised and the performance was attended by 15,000 spectators. But after the event, one of the participants, the star dancer Julie Kent, tested positive for the coronavirus. Two other dancers have been infected, it has since been discovered.
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Washington Ballet members say they followed all of the health authorities' recommendations. Washington Post reporter Sarah Kaufman says the question arises: did the ballet do well in raising money this way, through a live performance, and how to trust it again in such circumstances ?
Confidence waned
" The human costs of resuming cultural activities can be colossal, and another victim is to be deplored: confidence, " says Sarah Kaufman. Especially since it is to be feared that other events will experience the same fate and will dissuade the public from reinvesting in the performance halls. " Confidence is likely to wane, especially since those who have been in charge of sanitary protocols for ballet are the same who will supervise the dancers when they return to the studio and will guarantee the spectators that they can return, " insists- she.
Cultural institutions must be stricter and adopt an almost martial approach
Sarah KaufmanAccording to the journalist, the application of health recommendations alone is not enough: " cultural institutions must be stricter and adopt an almost martial approach ".
Reluctance towards the mask
This implies an evolution of mentalities within cultural institutions often accustomed to relaxed atmospheres, conducive to creation. In a sector attached to a certain aesthetic, some may also be reluctant to wear the mask. During this live broadcast, dancers and organizers of the gala were also seen grouped together, their faces uncovered.
The organizers recall that wearing a mask was compulsory at all times, except when the speakers spoke in front of the cameras.
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If it is impossible to estimate the precise moment when the contaminations took place, Sarah Kaufman judges that it is up to cultural institutions to do everything to keep the confidence of their artists and their spectators. She cites as an example the proactive policy of the Joffrey Ballet, in Chicago, which plans to use the services of a specialized consulting company in order to adapt the wearing of the mask to the constraints of the dancers. " The public must feel that when they attend a performance, every detail has been thought of to fight the virus, " concludes the journalist.