Joffrey Drops Former Director’s Ballet Works

In a surprise announcement Sunday afternoon, the Joffrey Ballet Company pulled three Gerald Arpino works and instead performed the Los Angeles premiere of a work by a Joffrey dancer and two other non-Arpino ballets.

In addition, it was announced that Arpino works scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday evening programs at the Music Center also will be substituted.

The change in programming came in the wake of Arpino’s resignation last week as the company’s artistic director. The action was triggered by a letter from Arpino’s attorney, Harold Messing, prohibiting the Joffrey from performing Arpino’s copyrighted ballets after last Friday.

Joffrey Executive Director Penelope Curry said the Joffrey Ballet Foundation did not want to do anything to suggest that “we were not trying to continue to negotiate.” She said the foundation “was not able to clear” with Arpino’s attorney whether the company could perform the three Arpino works scheduled for Sunday’s matinee at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

“It’s in the hands of attorneys and other people,” Curry said. “We’re trying to make sure the performances go on. (I don’t think) there’s anything else we can say or do till Wednesday.”

Despite the deadline set by Messing, the Joffrey performed three Arpino works Saturday night. Curry said the dances were performed “with his (Arpino’s) permission.”

The legal battle centers on ownership of ballets created by Arpino while employed by the company. Messing claims that Arpino owns the works because the choreographer copyrighted them and had no contract with the company pertaining to his employment or works created for the company.

On Thursday, Messing had said that if the company ignored his directive, legal options included taking “injunctive relief and suing for money damages on the basis of copyright infringement.”

Arpino has declined interviews and Messing could not be reached Sunday.

Ronald Bruguiere, manager of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, said Sunday’s substitution was announced with program inserts.

The Joffrey was supposed to perform the Arpino works “Round of Angels,” “L’Air d’Esprit” and “Trinity.” Instead, the program became Eugene Loring’s “Billy the Kid,” the premiere of “Lacrymosa” by Joffrey dancer Edward Stierle, and “Arden Court” by Paul Taylor.”

Times dance writer Lewis Segal contributed to this report.

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