S.F. Ballet Cancels L.A. Summer Season : Dance: Director cites ‘an anticipated shortfall in projected...income for fiscal year 1993.’

Due to financial difficulties, the San Francisco Ballet has canceled its summer 1993 engagement at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, contributing further to the decline of dance presentations by the Los Angeles Music Center.

Company executive director Joyce A. Moffatt said that the company would be unable to come to Los Angeles for previously announced performances June 15-27 because of “an anticipated shortfall in projected earned and contributed income for fiscal year 1993.”

Moffatt also said a hiring freeze will go into effect and that the company would lay off five to seven members of its administrative staff, and will not fill two open staff positions.

Moffatt blamed the recession for the company’s financial problems. “In both cases, in earned income and contributed income, it’s really about what’s happening in this country, and specifically what’s happening in California,” she said. Moffatt said the company has accumulated a deficit of $3.2 million over the past five years.

Sandra Kimberling, president of the Music Center Operating Company, said that Moffatt had contacted her about a week and a half ago to say that the company would be unable to perform for two weeks, so the center shortened the engagement to one week. On Thursday, Moffatt called to cancel the engagement altogether, Kimberling said.

Kimberling said that the center would try to fill the San Francisco dates with another dance company, but “I really haven’t thought of a replacement at this point.” She added that finding a company that can afford to present itself in Los Angeles during those dates will be difficult, if not impossible.

“It’s real grim,” Kimberling said. “But I think it’s kind of the nature of things right now. That’s why I don’t really think we have a prayer of getting anything in. There is no funding available here.” Kimberling observed the dance world is experiencing financial problems, and Music Center officials recently said the center has temporarily disbanded a committee formed to develop dance at the center in order to deal with other more pressing financial concerns.

Houston Ballet sponsored its own performances at the Music Center last June and ended up losing $100,000, said company public relations manager Vivien Arnold. She added that dance companies are having difficulty covering the costs of self-presentation; Houston pulled out of scheduled performances at New York’s City Center in November because the company could not afford another loss like it suffered in Los Angeles. Arnold said most companies may not be able to afford to present themselves in the future without a major corporate sponsor.