In the wake of Trump attaching his name to the Kennedy Center and firing several board members — resulting in a cascading stream of cancellations, SF Ballet fans are urging the company to cancel its stop at the center in May during its upcoming Mere Mortals tour.
As KRON4 reports, a petition urging the San Francisco Ballet to cancel its upcoming May performances at the Kennedy Center has received almost 7,000 signatures as of Sunday. As the Chronicle reported last month, the petition was created in early January following President Donald Trump’s dismissal of much of the center’s board, to which he made himself chairman, and renaming the center the “Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”
Per KRON4, groups such as the Washington National Opera, composer Philip Glass, the Martha Graham Dance Company, and Lin-Manuel Miranda have cancelled their performances at the center in recent weeks.
As KGO reports, Daniel Detorie, who’s been an SF Ballet patron for 50 years, began the petition out of concern for the optics surrounding the ballet keeping the tour stop on its schedule in light of recent events.
"I love the ballet so much. I don't want to see them taint it," Detorie told KGO. "It does make a political statement by us going, and I just don't think it's the time to be there."
Per KRON4, Trump announced earlier this week he’ll be closing the center for renovations for two years starting July 4.
“This important decision, based on input from many Highly Respected Experts, will take a tired, broken, and dilapidated Center, one that has been in bad condition, both financially and structurally for many years, and turn it into a World Class Bastion of Arts, Music, and Entertainment,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Sunday, per the Chronicle.
“The San Francisco Ballet, with its global prestige and rich history, deserves a platform that wholly respects and champions its intrinsic values,” states the petition. “We ask supporters and conscious citizens to stand with us in ensuring the performance reflects these ideals, rather than sacrificing them to political influences.”
SF Ballet supporters added their thoughts to the petition's comments.
"I’ve attended SF Ballet shows for over five decades, since I was a small child to the devoted supporter I am today," wrote one commenter. "I can’t imagine continuing to support SF Ballet if they tarnish their image by performing at the Kennedy Center under present circumstances."
"Yes, SF Ballet, art is political," they continued. "It’s past time to make the right choice."
"As a former SFB dancer and lifelong fan, I would be heartbroken for this beloved company to be associated with this heartless administration," wrote another commenter. "Stand strong in the values that make you a great company and cancel in protest to protect the legacy of this important arts institution!"
Image: Jennifer Stahl and San Francisco Ballet in Aszure Barton and Sam Shepherd's 'Mere Mortals' // © Chris Hardy
Related: SF Ballet Premieres ‘Mere Mortals,' a Must-See Blend of Mythology, Technology, and Choreography
