Joffrey Dances Around Merger Plans
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Does the Joffrey need Ballet Chicago to make a go of it in Chicago? Certainly not. The Joffrey has a proven artistic leader in Gerald Arpino, an international reputation, a repertoire packed with superb dances, and a company of 40 fine dancers. Does Ballet Chicago need the Joffrey if it is to survive in some fashion? Quite probably. Despite cash infusions from all manner of backers, Ballet Chicago has shrunk appreciably over the past six years. Its artistic director, Dan Duell, wins high marks only for his tenacity in keeping the company together. Ballet Chicago has a slim and mostly unmemorable repertoire and promises its company of 8 dancers a mere five weeks of employment this season. But the real rub in this marriage would be the union of Arpino and Duell. Arpino, who possesses a well-developed artistic vision and a 30-year track record as a choreographer, made a name for the Joffrey by doing reconstructions of classics. Duell, a former New York City Ballet dancer who came to Chicago with no choreography experience, has failed to find a focus for his company. Duell’s long-awaited Hansel and Gretel from last season was at best a workmanlike effort and received a lukewarm reception from critics.
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