The New York Times reports that the New York City Ballet announced Friday it will not perform its scheduled six-day engagement at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., during the week of June 1. The company informed its dancers via email, offering no public explanation for the decision.
The cancellation is the latest in a series of high-profile withdrawals from the center, which has faced staff layoffs, audience boycotts, and significant leadership changes since President Trump installed himself as board chairman and filled it with loyalists. The board voted to affix his name to the center in December, a decision that has been challenged in court.
Read More: A Complete Timeline of Events at the Kennedy Center
The New York City Ballet had been scheduled to present two programs: a celebration of trailblazing Native American dancer Maria Tallchief, and a mixed bill featuring Alexei Ratmansky’s “Solitude.” The programs were removed from the Kennedy Center’s website shortly after the announcement became public.
Other organizations that have pulled out include San Francisco Ballet and the Washington National Opera. American Ballet Theater and Cincinnati Ballet have continued to perform at the center. The National Symphony Orchestra, which has remained, is now seeking alternative venues ahead of a planned two-year renovation set to begin in July.
