Contract Disputes in the Dance World
There are few good resources for thoughtful, specific writing about conflicts between artists and institutions. Plenty has been written about successful collaborations. But when things go awry, nobody wants to talk about how and why on the record. Often it’s very painful, everyone’s afraid of losing money and other support, and there are legal complications. I wish there were a book of case studies about collaborations-gone-wrong and what was learned by all parties. It would be useful, particularly for emerging leaders (on both sides) who know about best practices but have not yet learned from experience when to prioritize a gut feeling or a red flag, when to seek outside help, and when to compromise.
With that in mind, Claudia La Rocco’s New York Times article about negotiations between the 92nd Street Y and choreographer Pavel Zustiak is a fascinating look behind the scenes of a contract dispute.