THE JOFFREY BALLET BREAKS ATTENDANCE RECORD IN 2017-2018, ACHIEVES HIGHEST GROSSING SEASON IN COMPANY HISTORY
he Joffrey Ballet set a new attendance record in 2017-2018 and achieved the highest grossing season in its 62-year history, breaking the previous record established during the 2016-2017 season. Total attendance in 2017-2018 exceeded 100,000, with ticket revenue surpassing $7.7 million. The record numbers come at a time of growth for the Joffrey, which recently received a $1 million grant from the Alphawood Foundation to fund a transformational three-year project aimed at audience expansion and sustainability.
“I am incredibly proud of the Joffrey dancers and staff for producing art of the highest quality,” saidArtistic Director Ashley Wheater. “One of our goals is to engage people through diverse programming, whether it be a classic like Giselle or a wild adventure like Midsummer Night’s Dream. There is much more to come in the seasons ahead.”
“We remain loyal to founder Robert Joffrey’s DNA with a commitment to the classics and an eye on the new,” added Executive Director Greg Cameron.” From Giselle to Midsummer, our devoted subscribers and expanding audiences sent a loud and clear message that Ashley’s courage and vision have been received with joy. The numbers tell a story of success, though I assure you that our work is far from finished. Focused planning will keep the Joffrey at the forefront of the local, national, and international world of dance.”
2017-2018 By the Numbers
Revenue for the 2017-2018 season totaled $7,770,510, representing an 11% increase from the previous year. The numbers were buoyed by the blockbuster successes of Giselle and Alexander Ekman’s Midsummer Night’s Dream (opening and closing the season, respectively), which surpassed $2.3 million in combined ticket revenue. Records show that Giselle and Ekman’sMidsummer count as two of the Joffrey’s top five best-selling productions ever (not counting The Nutcracker).
Completing the 2017-2018 season was the second year of Christopher Wheeldon’s reimagined Nutcracker, which topped $4.6 million in ticket sales; and Modern Masters, the Joffrey’s winter program of mixed works featuring choreography by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, San Francisco Ballet’s Myles Thatcher, and a world premiere by Joffrey Ballet Master and Choreographer Nicolas Blanc.
2017-2018 On Tour
The Joffrey’s 2017-2018 touring schedule included sold out engagements at Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, CA, and a month-long residency at The Music Center in Los Angeles, CA. The Joffrey’s residency in LA was one-of-a-kind, with alternate presentations of Krzysztof Pastor’s Romeo & Juliet and John Neumeier’s critically-acclaimed Orpheus and Eurydice in collaboration with LA Opera.
About The Joffrey Ballet
Classically trained to the highest standards, The Joffrey Ballet expresses a unique, inclusive perspective on dance, proudly reflecting the diversity of America with its Company, audiences, and repertoire, which includes major story ballets, reconstructions of masterpieces and contemporary works.
The Company’s commitment to accessibility is met through an extensive touring schedule, an innovative and highly effective education program, including the much-lauded Academy of Dance, Official School of The Joffrey Ballet, Community Engagement programs and collaborations with myriad other visual and performing arts organizations.
Founded by visionary teacher Robert Joffrey in 1956, guided by celebrated choreographer Gerald Arpino from 1988 until 2007, The Joffrey Ballet continues to thrive under internationally renowned Artistic Director Ashley Wheater and Executive Director Greg Cameron.
For more information on The Joffrey Ballet and its programs, visit joffrey.org. Connect with the Joffrey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.