Draconian cuts in the funding of the two professional Irish ballet companies have placed the future of the art form in this country in question. Michael Seaver examines the background to this crossroads, and wonders what future ballet can have in Ireland

Last year I wrote in these pages that, in the absence of any clear policy for ballet provision, the artform's development would remain stagnant. Many within the ballet community might have preferred a bit more stagnation on hearing the recent decisions by the Arts Council. In December, Cork City Ballet had their grant completely cut and, last Tuesday, Ballet Ireland received a decrease of almost 80 per cent on its multi-annual agreement, from an expected €293,000 to just €60,000. Since the two companies are the only two professional ballet companies operating in Ireland at present, this €60,000 represents the total amount to professional ballet performance in 2003.

"I've studied the Arts Council's Three Year Plan," states Cork City Ballet director Alan Foley, "and cannot see any reason why we have been cut. We have fitted in with the guidelines, increasing the amount of performances of ballet and increasing performance opportunities, and I've had absolutely no indication or warning signals as to why this has happened. I have always had positive feedback and advice by Gaye Tanham [dance officer with the Arts Council\] and always felt there was an honest engagement between the company and the council as to how we could develop. Then this happens. The council have claimed that they want to lessen the dependence that companies have on Arts Council funding, yet Cork City Ballet had a turnover of more than €110,000 last year from a grant of just €32,000."

Ballet Ireland director Anne Maher claims the first indication she received that there might be a curtailment of their grant was when she received the letter that was sent to all Arts Council clients from Patricia Quinn, warning of cuts in the coming year. "We then had a meeting in December, which was the mid-term review of our multi-annual agreement with the council, where it was stated that some cuts were inevitable because of the Arts Council's own decreased allocation from the Government. But there was never any indication that the scale of that cut would be anything close to 80 per cent."

The scale of this reduction (which Tanham herself admitted was "massive") and the lateness of the decision means that Ballet Ireland has had to cancel its spring tour of Giselle. "I signed contracts with theatres months ago for this tour, and now have to contact them all to cancel our performance," Maher explains. "We were to perform for a week in the Civic Theatre in Tallaght in April. How are they now going to fill that slot now? They themselves have had their grant cut, so they are in a double predicament. The Arts Council is insisting that arts companies perform in a professional, business-like way, and yet they make a decision like this and behave in a completely un-business-like way themselves."

Tanham, however, offers a different view. "Certain artistic issues were flagged with Ballet Ireland. The multi-annual agreements are contracts, and both sides have to be delivered on. We brought up issues around repertoire, and particularly the opportunities for Irish artists."

That both sides should take such diverse positions again shows up the complete lack of clarity around the nature of the multi-annual agreement and the procedures for negotiation. "When the Arts Council of England was unhappy with London Festival Ballet, they brought them in for a meeting," says Joanna Banks of the College of Dance, "and were blunt but perfectly clear about what they expected from the company in return for their grant."

Since the debate emerged around the council's recent cuts, many companies from different art forms have had a difficulty around the dialogue they have with the council. Also, it seems inevitable that reducing Ballet Ireland's grant by 80 per cent will shut down dialogue instead of opening it.

The ballet community probably has reason to distrust the Arts Council more than most. In 1989, Irish National Ballet had its funding axed by the council, who claimed the money was to go into "grassroots development" (although it ended up being siphoned off to other artforms). This was not a sudden decision but had been contemplated back in 1985, when Peter Brinson wrote the policy paper 'The Dancer and the Dance'. Although the report claims that "to lose Irish National Ballet would be to lose a creation of great value and throw away the work and expenditure of many years", Brinson's own reaction to news of the INB's cut in 1989 was to say: "First, this was a couragous decision with which I agree. Second, we would have made a similar root-and-branch recommendation in my report had it been possible at the time."

Six years later, the council's Arts Plan 1995-97 recommended that guaranteed funding be given to Rubato Ballet, along with Dance Theatre of Ireland and Irish Modern Dance Theatre, "with a view to laying the foundation for a full-time company". Before the end of the three-year "experiment", Rubato Ballet was dropped without explanation.

Throughout this time, the lack of a dedicated dance officer was constantly cited as a reason for dance's poor representation within the council, and this situation was finally alleviated with Gaye Tanham's appointment. Yet, there are still problems around the decision-making process. In the case of Cork City Ballet, Tanham recommended that the company get funding, but this recommendation was overturned by the council.

While it is their right to do so, the question remains about what basis this decision was made. Cork City Ballet could not confirm that any Arts Council member, apart from Cork-based Mary Brady, saw their performances in 2002. So just how are council members informing themselves for their decisions, particularly those decisions that ignore the recommendations of the council's executive?

In many ways, Mary Brady is in an unenviable position: as the only dance professional on the council, the sector expects her to fight for all things dance when sitting at the council table. It's a misconception that Tanham vociferously attacks: "Mary Brady is not there as a dance adviser. All council members are there as individuals and leave their respective hats outside the door."

Nevertheless, others would argue that, if a decision is being made about a company and council members have not seen its work, it is not unreasonable to expect that a member who works in that art form would be first to be asked for advice? After all, council members are appointed because of their expertise in a chosen field. The upshot is that the council once again appears to be dictating a ballet policy through making cuts. And right now, they have no idea what that policy is. Tanham claims that there was "vigorous debate about ballet in the November, December and January meetings", yet also admits that this debate didn't yield any coherent policy.

So where does ballet go from here? While many would be critical of the quality of work presented by Ballet Ireland, they are also loathe to see the money taken from ballet entirely. Small increases to the Irish Youth Ballet Company and Shawbrook's development programme are no compensation for the huge cuts to performance groups.

Emma Martin is a former dancer with Ballet Ireland, but has given up dancing to return to college. "I quit because I felt uncomfortable with the company and felt that Irish dancers weren't being given the opportunities they deserved. Unfortunately, since there are no other companies that can offer a reasonable amount of work throughout the year, I had no other option but to go back to study. If we are to develop a company here, we really need to get the Irish dancers working abroad to return home, bring in some fresh choreography, provide a full range of support for dancers like physiotherapists, etc. and then look for a base and a school."

Anica Louw from Shawbrook agrees: "A full-time company needs to be small, but with an interesting mixed repertory that can tour."

But all of this costs money, and the experience with opera has shown that resource-hungry artforms are problematic for the Arts Council right now. Careful planning is needed so that the money spent is invested for future dividends. Foley would like to see an independent report on ballet provision that will lay the foundations for future work, a proposal with which Tanham is in agreement. Hopefully this would take a wide view of the artform, as there are important issues around ballet's standing within Ireland's cultural landscape. "It's all very well blaming the Arts Council for not providing money," says Tanham, "but the climate within the overall dance sector and its attitudes to ballet are really interesting. The culture within ballet itself is also interesting and maybe it needs more self-reflection."

IN contrast to some initiatives in training and development (as well as the invaluable work of private dance teachers and schools), it seems as if ballet performance faces a long, slow recovery. Cork City Ballet will go ahead with some of its Ballet Spectacular performances with the support of Cork Opera House, and Ballet Ireland plans to continue with its autumn tour. But, as the Arts Council assumes its self-appointed mantle of development body, it faces a huge challenge in creating the conditions for ballet to flourish and allow it to make a recognisable and meaningful contribution to our culture.