Ballet boss risks PM’s displeasure by hiring hubbie
The Royal NZ Ballet’s artistic director is understood to have given her American husband a job.
The revelation comes after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met the Ballet’s board this week to express her concerns over the publiclyfunded company ignoring New Zealand dancers.
The company has made a new role of creative director for Michael Auer, the husband of embattled artistic director Patricia Barker. She had him in an identical role at her former company, Michigan’s Grand Rapids.
Ardern, the minister responsible for Arts, Culture and Heritage, requested a meeting with the board amid concerns about the lack of New Zealand dancers, as well as allegations of management and operation problems.
There was a mass exodus of dancers from the RNZB in 2017, when Barker took over. Nearly half the company’s 36 dancers left, or did not have their contracts renewed. Four personal grievances were lodged.
Following the closed-door meeting, Ardern said she believed the organisation was making ‘‘good progress’’ and the Royal New Zealand Ballet was ‘‘certainly aware of [my] concerns.’’
Ardern said her expectations of the board were clear. It needed to develop better pathways for young New Zealand dancers and ensure a strong New Zealand voice in the company’s work. She believes the ballet is taking ‘‘positive steps’’ towards resolving outstanding issues.
‘‘It’s important to give the board the time and space to continue to work through the issues that have been raised. I know the Ministry for Culture and Heritage is working
closely with the board,’’ Ardern said.
The meeting with the Prime Minister was attended by RNZB board chair Steven Fyfe, board members Isaac Hikaka and John Ryan, and executive director Frances Turner.
No one from the Ballet would be interviewed – instead issuing a statement offering their congratulations to Ardern on her pregnancy.
Spokesman Jeremy Brick supplied answers on behalf of Fyfe. ‘‘We discussed the company’s current initiatives and future plans, particularly regarding investment in training and pathways into the dance and professional arts sector in New Zealand, and New Zealanders’ access to dance and to the RNZB, through national and regional touring, and education and community initiatives,’’ Fyfe said in the statement.
However, this week also provided good news for the beleaguered company, with one of New Zealand’s leading ballerinas, Abigail Boyle, re-signing for nine months through to the end of 2018. Boyle is the star of The Piano, the ballet, which premieres next month, and the face on all the Ballet marketing campaigns.
The company has asked former deputy state services commissioner Douglas Craig to conduct a review into its employment processes and how it manages complaints. The review started earlier this month and is expected to be completed by March.
RNZB receives more than $5 million of New Zealand taxpayer funding each year.
The company recently announced it’s new line-up for the year, including nine new company members.