PHOTOGRAPHY OF OUR 12TH ANNUAL SHOW "THE nights" BY PHOTOGRAPHER John Yelinek AT BETTY OLIPHANT THEATRE
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On Silhouettes’ 2014-2015 production “The Nights”:
Silhouettes Dance Company wishes to apologize for the lasting hurt that the production “The Nights” has caused. “The Nights” was the theme for Silhouettes’ 2015 show and was conceived based upon the 8th-14th Century Middle Eastern folktales: 1001 Nights. This theme, along with the costume selection, dancer selection, and certain conducts throughout the year in building the show, were culturally insensitive and appropriative, and caused lasting distress for many members of the company. The environment and culture of Silhouettes which allowed for a production of this nature to take shape urges reflection on and investigation of the deeper issues of diversity, inclusion, awareness, and transparency within the company itself. Additionally, the fact that company members did not feel safe or comfortable speaking up about their concerns is incredibly disheartening and we hope that Silhouettes can grow to be a safe space for members of all backgrounds to openly discuss their opinions and have their voices valued. We hope that by addressing this, we can begin the process of making amends with all. We will actively encourage discussion around such concerns and work collaboratively with previous and future members and executive teams to reflect and improve upon company practices.
