Budget crisis at San Jose Ballet

San Jose may soon lose its ballet company because of a lack of funds, said Andrew Bales, executive director of Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley.

The ballet needs $1.2 million to keep it afloat through the end of its season in May. The company has received close to that amount in donor pledges, which are contingent on the ballet raising the full amount. Without the entire amount in place, the ballet can make its payroll only through the end of this week, Bales said.

On Monday, he asked city officials for an emergency grant of $100,000. His request was denied by the San Jose Arts Commission’s executive committee, which heard complaints from other organizations that the money should be made available to all arts groups.