Arts Foundation Forges Ahead After Belt-Tightening

Just a few months ago, mounting debts forced the San Diego Foundation for the Performing Arts to curtail its season and make drastic cuts in its operating expenses. The belt-tightening did the trick, and the 7-year-old arts organization was soon back in the black.

Wednesday, the foundation forged ahead with plans for a new dance-dominated series in 1989-90. “Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance,” starring show-biz legends Cab Calloway and the Nicholas Brothers, is the centerpiece of the season, obviously included to spur subscription sales and strengthen the foundation’s audience base.

Also on tap are concerts by Aterballetto, Italy’s first national ballet company, the Chicago-based Hubbard Street Dancers and Paul Dresher’s contemporary opera, “Power Failure.”

This year’s mix is smaller (four instead of seven separate attractions) and less daring in artistic scope than the avant-garde potpourri signed for last season, as director Fred Colby acknowledged in an interview this week.

“Oh, it’s less risky, all right. No reservations on that, and we cut back on the number of events. But in future years, we hope to bring in some cutting-edge pieces and get the series up to six attractions. Our original premise was to present a well-rounded season, with all things new to San Diego, and we’ve done that.

“Dresher is the only one who was here before (two years ago), and he did a smaller piece. It’s a mixed bag,” Colby noted, “and we hope to keep it that way. We’d like to keep our emphasis on dance, as long as there’s a need. Our mission is to fill niches, not to compete.”

The foundation will kick off this season with ballet, Italian style, when Aterballetto makes its Southern California debut Oct. 3-4. Although the Italian troupe is far from a household name in these parts, it has been compared to the Joffrey Ballet for its youthful verve and eclecticism. The company repertory ranges from Balanchine and Tudor to Ailey and Forsythe (the controversial director of the Frankfurt Ballet).

Aterballetto was a last-minute addition to the roster when scheduling delays prevented the foundation from taking part in the San Diego Soviet Arts Festival this fall.

“We wanted to participate in the Festival, but we had to move forward with our series,” Colby said. “As it is, we’re a month behind in announcing our season.”

The Hubbard Street Dancers, a modern/jazz ensemble with “hubba hubba,” according to the Chicago Tribune, will dish out its brand of high-voltage dance Dec. 8-9.

“Power Failure,” a satirical, rock-based opera by UCSD alum Paul Dresher, is headed our way Feb. 16. Colby described the work, with libretto by Rinde Eckert (who appears in the production), as the foundation’s “pushing-the-envelope piece for the season.”

The foundation celebrates the speak-easy era Mar. 23-24 with old-time hoofers (the Nicholas Brothers), a new jazz band (the Rhythm Kings) and the old “hi-de-ho” man himself, Cab Calloway, at the mike. The second performance of “Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance,” will be part of a special fund- raising gala for the organization.

Except for “Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance,” which will be ensconced at the Civic Theatre, all performances are scheduled for the Spreckels Theater. Colby promised that the Spreckels will undergo extensive renovations before the start of the season.

The performing arts foundation was close to $400,000 in debt last winter when it lopped off two of its offerings to salvage the organization. But it will start the ‘89-90 season with a clean slate, and Colby is convinced it is back on track.

“We saved a lot by canceling those two attractions, and we’ve also cut our staff and administrative budget,” he said. “We’re running a tighter ship now.”

“Our ‘89-90 budget is $550,000, which is down by about $100,000 from last year’s, but most of that is administrative cuts,” Colby said.

“We had all gotten a little top-heavy due to very rapid growth. Now we’re retrenched, and that’s healthy.”