Hamburg’s way

Lewis Segal’s comments on the performance of the Hamburg Ballet, and the state of the art of ballet in general, should be required reading by all dance company directors (“In German Dance, the Heart Moves First,” Feb. 18).

Unfortunately, even if his words were taken to heart, by and large, funding does not exist to enable them to be put into practice.

Another factor is that the school attached to the Hamburg company is beyond first-rate and teaches a cohesive style and technique which enables dancers to be artists, rather than offering students the extraordinary mishmash of “styles” and lack of real technical knowledge that is generally available in most ballet “schools” in this country.

Stella Gardiner

Los Angeles