READERS' FORUM.

Send your letters to Readers' Forum, Dance Magazine, 33 West 60th St., New York, NY 10023, or e-mail us at [e-mail]. Letters must be signed with name, city, and state and include a weekday telephone or fax number for confirmation. Letters become the property of Dance Magazine, which reserves the right to edit them.

"POINTE AND CLICK" ALERT!

In your July 1999 issue, the article "Pointe and Click" (p.40) by Jim Williams, did not mention the Web site Ballet Alert! Online (www.balletalert.com). This Web site has been in existence for almost a year and has been among the top-rated ballet sites on the Yahoo and Excite! search engines. I frequent several web sites and Ballet Alert! Online is the most informative, most civil, and best moderated of the group.

Giannina Mooney Brea, CA

JIM WILLIAMS RESPONDS:

Nothing against Ballet Alert! (in fact, I'm a paid subscriber to the print edition). But my goal for the article was a general overview, NOT a comprehensive "best of the Web" directory. I think it's more exciting for people to discover the Web on their own from a suggested starting point, such as the Dance Magazine site--where, among other things, they'll find a link to Ballet Alert!

Jim Williams via e-mail

ALLEGED MOUTH TAPING AT OBT 

I am writing in regard to your article (February 1999, p.36) on Oregon Ballet Theatre artistic director James Canfield and school director Haydee Gutierrez. My daughter was a student at Oregon Ballet Theatre's School and on two separate occasions Ms. Gutierrez put athletic tape over my daughter's mouth because sometimes she bites her tongue while she is in class. Not only was my daughter put in danger, but she was also humiliated in front of her classmates and OBT company members.

Now Mr. Canfield and Ms. Gutierrez have denied this ever happened. In an interview with one local newspaper here in Portland, they say that the taping of a student's mouth never happened. Then in another article they say that the tape was placed on the bar, in front of my daughter and that she was told to put it on her own mouth if she wanted too and that she did. OBT's board also told me, in person, that the board saw the taping as an appropriate action to take since my daughter sometimes did bite her tongue while she danced. To quote a board member, "Did it work?"

I am angry that no one is standing up for these girls. With OBT, Mr. Canfield's only concern is where his next world-class dancer is coming from. He could not care less about what happens to that dancer's mental state in the process.

Debi Guthery Portland, Oregon

OBT RESPONDS:

On behalf of Oregon Ballet Theatre, I write to correct several misstatements made in your February 1999 article regarding Oregon Ballet Theatre and its school.

First of all, neither James Canfield nor Haydee Gutierrez "categorically shrugged off' any complaints by any school parents. In fact, once the parents raised several concerns (none of which included child abuse), artistic director James Canfield wrote a letter to the parents inviting them to meet with him to discuss those concerns. None of the parents requested a meeting.

The company conducted an investigation into the allegations and learned that the claims stemmed primarily from issues of personality differences. The lack of merit to these complaints was further substantiated by the fact that representatives from the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, the Portland Police Bureau, and the State Child Abuse Hotline reviewed these allegations and took no action.

There is no question that director Gutierrez has only one motivation: to prepare the students of the school to excel. Some may take exception to the rigorous, difficult, and complex training needed to ensure that students succeed.

All of this is supported by the simple fact that the school continues to thrive. In response to the allegations, both the company and school received an outpouring of support from parents of children in the school and community members at large. These facts speak much louder than the innuendos in your article.

Ray Steinfeld, Jr., President Oregon Ballet Theatre Board of Trustees Portland, Oregon

COLLENETTE CELEBRATES 100

Thank you so very much for the article about Beatrice Collenette (June 1999, p.29). I haven't seen her face in many years, and she was my first and most revered dance teacher. Many of us passed through her hands, and she has left her traces all over the dance world without much public acclaim. 100! Who would have ever thought it? Thank you so much,

Catherine Levy via e-mail

SUBSCRIPTION AWARD

I am a teacher of modern dance and dance history at Talent Unlimited High School in New York City. This year I am establishing the Dance Magazine Subscription Award as a gift for the outstanding graduating dance students in my class each year. This year's three recipients will be able to enjoy and learn from the many wonderful articles that appear each month in your magazine. As a longtime subscriber to Dance Magazine, I've decided to do this to continue to educate my students about past and present events in dance, as well as current trends and personalities that continue to emerge.

Therefore, I am very happy to be able to be instrumental in introducing present and future young people to the world of dance through Dance Magazine.

Mary Barnett New York, NY

SCHOLARSHIP AID

I am concerned about the young dancer who is seeking scholarship aid to attend Marymount Manhattan College. As you stated, senior year is late to begin a scholarship search. At this point an appointment with a reference librarian might not be the most expeditious use of this young man's time. I recommend that he speak with the financial aid officer at MMC; there is frequently some latitude in financial aid as other students accept or reject their offers.

This student should contact an educational consultant in his area who is knowledgeable about performing arts programs. Most educational consultants are also an excellent resource for noninstitutional sources of financial aid.

Joan Bress, LICSW, CEP via e-mail