ABT and Joffrey Exploring the Possibility of a Merger

American Ballet Theatre, which is $5 million in debt and has been exploring possible partnerships with other companies, has been talking merger with the Joffrey Ballet.

Joffrey representatives have had some “preliminary discussions” with ABT regarding the possibility of a merger of the two financially troubled companies, Joffrey acting executive director C.C. Conner acknowledged late last week. But he said that any other comment “would be premature and inappropriate at this time.” The offices of ABT, which has had trouble in recent weeks meeting even its administrative payroll, were closed Friday for an early start on the Labor Day weekend and no representative was available for comment.

The question of whether the Joffrey and ABT, two of the nation’s leading dance repertory companies, should join forces was among the matters raised at a meeting of ABT dancers and management Thursday afternoon at the company’s Manhattan headquarters, said a dancer who was present. “The main concern is to get money,” the dancer said, and a merger of the two companies’ boards of directors, whose members are wealthy and influential fund-raisers, might help both troupes.

Others have speculated that merging ABT, which is nationally visible, and the Joffrey, which has had a strong presence in Los Angeles--despite being forced by financial woes and the L.A. riots to cancel its Wiltern Theater season in April--would strengthen both companies.

The dancers were told that the company will definitely do its planned tour to Japan and Buenos Aires in coming weeks, “but the rest is still up in the air,” the dancer said. A U.S. tour is scheduled to begin in San Francisco on Jan. 4, with dates at the Orange County Performing Arts Center Jan. 19-24. Members of the company were “definitely upset,” the dancer said, not only over the financial problems but also because no one has yet been named to succeed Jane Hermann, the ABT co-director whose resignation, announced in May, was effective Aug. 31.

Some of the artists said that they had begun getting invitations for lucrative guest stints in various productions of “The Nutcracker” at Christmastime, and that if they didn’t have a commitment of employment soon from ABT regarding tour dates, “we’re going to take them. We all have to make some money,” the dancer said.