Norton to Attend Ballet Performance as Lockout Ends - March 10, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2006

Norton to Attend Performance Tonight in
Solidarity with Dancers as Washington Ballet Lockout Ends

Washington, DC—As a show of support for Washington Ballet dancers, who this week reached a contract settlement with management after a two-month lockout, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton will attend a benefit performance the dancers are holding at 7:30 tonight at the American Dance Institute in Rockville, to help makeup for income losses they suffered while they were unemployed. Norton already had planned to attend the fundraiser to support the rank and file in their labor dispute before the settlement occurred, but is pleased that federal mediation has led to an agreement that ballet officials say is fair, comprehensive and satisfactory to both the dancers and the administration.

Norton, who is a cosponsor of several pending bills to strengthen collective bargaining, said, “I applaud Washington Ballet dancers for engaging in artistic self-help and praise the community, which expressed its solidarity by attending these performances. Artistic companies of every variety have a difficult time, but not as difficult as these dancers. I congratulate the management of the company for reaching a fair settlement, which apparently does not jeopardize or penalize the current dancers, and I applaud the Washington Ballet for bringing the company home to resume its much appreciated contribution to our city.”

This is the first contract since the dancers voted to join the American Guild of Musical Artists last year. During the complicated negotiations, The Washington Ballet canceled several performances here and elsewhere. With a settlement reached, some performances will be rescheduled, starting with the “The Bach/Beatles Project”from May 10 - 14, 2006 at the Kennedy Center.