Photo Credit: Phil Wayes

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

I think it's time for a publicity stunt.

In response to an article on My Dance Place, dance writer Lindsay Live writes:
"The lack of mainstream publicity seems pretty obvious - the MSM is concerned with selling headlines. Even "respected" sources are beginning to resemble tabloids. Why? Because "Britney Spears Has Nervous Breakdown" is bound to outsell "Boston Ballet Faces Financial Crisis." As sad as it may be to us writers, the nasty truth is that sensationalism trumps content."
- Quote courtesy of Lindsay Dreyer, DancerUniverse.Com

As sad of a truth it is, perhaps there's a lesson here: If XYZ Dance Company is having financial trouble, should director of XYZ should have a highly-public mental breakdown? Even if all that makes headlines are stories about their public Case o' The Crazies, by now we've all learned that interesting personal lives sell lots of tickets. Recall TomKat, Brangelina, and all those other irritating portmanteaus that were attached to very high-grossing box office hits. And hey...bad press is better than no press at all, right? ;-)

Am I being sarcastic? Well, maybe. Okay, yes (I stayed home sick today, and am starting to go a little crazy from being cooped up in here). But you see my point. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to marry a complete stranger, dump them in favor of an entirely different person (preferably a famous rapper or a Greek shipping heir), and get a few DUIs while I'm at it. We are going to SELL OUT our next show

(Actually, I'm going back to sleep. Who gets sick during the summertime? Not fair. Also, my apologies to Lindsay Live for involving her writing in one of my diatribes.)

Quick disclaimer with respect to the Boston Ballet: They were mentioned in Ms. Dreyer's original quotation, but I want to make it clear that I'm in no way suggesting that anyone from BB's artistic staff or company should go all Hollywood-Hellion as suggested in my post. It should be noted that I am incredibly sarcastic/a goofball and that Boston Ballet (under the current artistic director of Mikko Nissinen) is a wonderful company, one that I certainly don't wish to offend.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Sick again? Damn.

I love your diatribes. I love that you used the word "diatribes." Sadly, some folks don't even know what a diatribe is.

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to say that I stumbled upon your blog (via Dancer Universe). I live in the Houston area, am a transplant from Pennsylvania (we've been in TX 6 years), and am a dancer/teacher. I am also a mom to an almost one-year-old, but to a little boy (not a dance company). I last performed with Suchu Dance and I'm currently blogging away at http://danceadvantage.net. I look forward to reading more of your progress in Houston. Best wishes.

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