The entire remaining leadership committee of the Toledo Ballet Guild resigned in a letter on Wednesday addressed to the board of Toledo Alliance for Performing Arts.
The letter states that the mass resignation of nine people was inspired by “the unacceptable treatment and non-renewal of Lisa Mayer-Lang by the Toledo Alliance for Performing Arts executive officers. It is our opinion the actions of the TAPA executive officers were borne of a complete lack of understanding of the culture of the Toledo Ballet by TAPA leadership despite three years as a united organization.”
The Toledo Ballet, which dates back to 1939, and Toledo Symphony merged in September, 2018, to form TAPA.
Traci Curth was the co-president of the Toledo Ballet Guild who sent the group’s resignation letter.
“It was a 100 percent unanimous, no confidence vote in TAPA,” Curth told The Blade on Thursday. “I think it’s important to note that this was not an easy decision for any of us. We have all given so much of our free time and blood, sweat, and tears over the years to help build the ballet into the organization it was before Jan. 3.”
TAPA announced on Jan. 3 that it would not be renewing the contracts for Toledo Ballet artistic director Lisa Mayer-Lang and her husband, resident choreographer Michael Lang. Mayer-Lang had been with Toledo Ballet for 15 years.
The move was met with widespread disapproval by parents, students, and Toledo Ballet Guild members.
TAPA executive director Zak Vassar met with parents and Toledo Ballet board members on Jan. 4. During the often contentious meeting, Vassar fielded questions from a hostile crowd about the refusal to renew the contracts of Mayer-Lang and her husband.
Vassar told the crowd that “new structure and new leadership are needed” and that after three years of Toledo Ballet being under the umbrella of TAPA, “it became apparent that Lisa and Michael’s vision didn’t align with the greater vision that we had created for TAPA.”
Vassar did not return an email or phone call requesting comment on Thursday.
The Toledo Ballet Guild exists to “support the Toledo Ballet in the accomplishment of its mission by fostering a sense of community among the dancers and their families, raising funds, increasing membership in the Guild, organizing volunteers for events and productions, publicity of events, and assist in promoting Toledo Ballet to prospective dancers and their families," according to its bylaws.
The letter, signed by all nine remaining members of the Toledo Ballet Guild’s leadership committee, included a list of accomplishments conducted by the guild since the merger between Toledo Ballet and Toledo Symphony. The list includes points such as “increased overall Guild cash on hand from approximately $32,000 to approximately $50,000” to “established the Toledo Ballet Guild Scholarship Fund in 2020; the fund was established with $5,000 and was increased to $7,500 in 2021.”
Christina Ramsey, past Toledo Ballet Guild president, also signed the letter. She told The Blade on Thursday that she didn’t know how Toledo Ballet would recover from the loss of the Langs.
“We’re so heartbroken over what has happened,” Ramsey said. “It’s sad how bad leadership can decimate an organization like Toledo Ballet. TAPA has destroyed people’s trust in their organization.”
Curth said that with the resignation of the Toledo Ballet Guild members, “the institutional knowledge of history of Toledo Ballet is gone. Everything that [Toledo Ballet founder] Marie Vogt created and that Lisa Mayer-Lang cultivated for the last 15 years is gone.”
Curth received an email from Vassar after she sent the letter, expressing his regret that she was resigning. He also requested that she and fellow guild co-president Stephanie Cole, who resigned from her position last week, relinquish their administrative login information for the Ballet Guild Facebook page, as well as “return all confidential information belonging to TAPA, Toledo Ballet, or the Toledo Ballet Guild.”
He wrote that this included “contact information for current and former employees, students, parents, patrons, and donors; lists and/or contact information for Ballet Guild event attendees; planning information related to Tea with Clara or other Ballet Guild events; financial information regarding the Ballet Guild and Toledo Ballet; and any other information that has not been released to the public by TAPA or the Toledo Ballet.”
Judy Gonia is a another member of the guild who resigned as production manager for the Toledo Ballet in January, following the announcement about Mayer-Lang.
“Zak has never been able to articulate his vision,” Gonia said. “He’s been questioned many times about saying that Lisa didn’t meet up with the vision for TAPA, but when you ask him what the vision is, he couldn’t articulate it.”
Sadie Evener, 18, has studied at Toledo Ballet since age 3, becoming both a faculty member and a dancer with the company. She resigned her teaching position at Toledo Ballet on Jan. 4, following the dismissal of the Langs.
“They are belittling the name of Toledo Ballet by getting rid of [the Langs],” said Evener.
Contact Jason Webber at: jwebber@theblade.com.
First Published February 17, 2022, 4:55 p.m.
