So who here went to the ballet coronavirus party?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not the PR the WSB needs right now.

can we also talk about how all that fundraising effort was for the ballet as opposed to things that people actually need right now?

The arts are important to many, many people. Not on the same level as healthcare, no, but fundraising has to continue if the arts are to survive. (not that that excuses her silly party)

agreed. And the performing arts are in deep trouble -- with indoor crowds and no ability to social distance (for performers), it's completely up in the air when they can resume. Hope WSB doesn't get bad publicity; as far as I can tell, they had nothing to do with this bad idea party.

+1

NP. The article says no one from the ballet attended or performed at the party. And it's clear that the ballet had zero input, approval, anything. This was entirely this one foolish woman's idea.I hope that any subsequent recycling of this incident does not reflect badly on the dance company because none of it is on them.

Total agreement with you PPs above regarding the arts.

What some posters here, those saying "food etc first" are forgetting is that actual human beings with families, rents, mortgages, and yes, food bills, work for arts organizations.

I think people see only actors, dancers, and well-known solo musicians and think they ARE the performing arts, period. But the reality is that there are many families supported by the arts--performers, yes, and also management staffs, design and costume staffs, whole orchestras of not-famous but steadily working musicians, lighting techs, sound techs, concession workers, restaurant workers at some theaters, cleaning crews, staff and teachers for dance and theater programs...and on and on.

These are not magical jobs that only appear when a performance is taking place, but full-time jobs and careers for many. Those employees are now just as unemployed as anyone who works in a factory or store or bar. And their families have exactly the same needs as any family.

So if you'd raise money to help any out of work employee, then you can also raise money to help arts organizations that employ many people, all of whom are out of work and likely to be out of work for a very, very long time.

The benefit to the overall community of the performing arts, in terms of making us as human beings a bit more thoughtful, wiser, and happier -- that's priceless, even if you yourself don't take advantage of it. But even if you personally dislike or don't get anything out of dance or theater or concerts, it's worthwhile to understand that those things do employ people.

Let's call it what it is. She wanted an excuse to have a social gathering and try to elevate/further her social status in the process -- health and safety of everyone else be damned, especially all of the people who have unknowingly come into indirect contact with people who were at the party. The fundraising was just a cover for all of that, so let's not make it into some benevolent self-sacrifice here.

I agree with you, by the way, on the worthiness of the cause more generally, but that doesn't give her a free pass for being this reckless.

[Anonymous]

I watched the online ballet gala and it seemed that everyone involved with the ballet had been very careful (only zoom rehearsals, the performances that night were outside and unrelated performers were at a distance)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:picture of backyard - https://mylittlebird.com/2016/10/first-look-the-spring-valley-house-tour/

Outdoor TVs are so trashy

I think her husband is a big sports fan and that was probably the one thing he asked for in the backyard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:picture of backyard - https://mylittlebird.com/2016/10/first-look-the-spring-valley-house-tour/

Outdoor TVs are so trashy

I think her husband is a big sports fan and that was probably the one thing he asked for in the backyard.

Last summer I moved a tv to the covered porch. It was perfect for watching movies at night. We aren't super close to a neighbor, so we didn't bother anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:picture of backyard - https://mylittlebird.com/2016/10/first-look-the-spring-valley-house-tour/

Outdoor TVs are so trashy

That whole house is like someone who is rich but still has the “poor man’s idea of a rich man’s house” mentality. They hired an over the top interior designer because they were a friend of a friend and they wanted to keep in their rich white people circles and everything just looks inauthentic. Like it’s just to impress. It’s not harmonious at all. But whatever. I’d take the house... and sell it or redo it.

But yeah the “it can’t happen to me, does Corona KNOW WHO I AM?!” mentality is gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:picture of backyard - https://mylittlebird.com/2016/10/first-look-the-spring-valley-house-tour/

Outdoor TVs are so trashy

I think her husband is a big sports fan and that was probably the one thing he asked for in the backyard.

Last summer I moved a tv to the covered porch. It was perfect for watching movies at night. We aren't super close to a neighbor, so we didn't bother anyone.

If you aren’t in the woods at least 50 yards away from your nearest neighbor, I guarantee you it’s annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:picture of backyard - https://mylittlebird.com/2016/10/first-look-the-spring-valley-house-tour/

Outdoor TVs are so trashy

That whole house is like someone who is rich but still has the “poor man’s idea of a rich man’s house” mentality. They hired an over the top interior designer because they were a friend of a friend and they wanted to keep in their rich white people circles and everything just looks inauthentic. Like it’s just to impress. It’s not harmonious at all. But whatever. I’d take the house... and sell it or redo it.

But yeah the “it can’t happen to me, does Corona KNOW WHO I AM?!” mentality is gross.

The outside is gorgeous. The pics of the inside give me a headache. I'm not a big fan of outdoor TV, but it makes total sense if you want to host BBQs in connection with football or baseball games -- have the game on in the background while people are eating/socializing is so much better than having everyone running into the family room to check the score constantly, or having people walking around with stupid earbuds so they can listen to the game in one ear.

[Anonymous]

Those pictures are of multiple houses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:picture of backyard - https://mylittlebird.com/2016/10/first-look-the-spring-valley-house-tour/

Outdoor TVs are so trashy

I think her husband is a big sports fan and that was probably the one thing he asked for in the backyard.

Last summer I moved a tv to the covered porch. It was perfect for watching movies at night. We aren't super close to a neighbor, so we didn't bother anyone.

If you aren’t in the woods at least 50 yards away from your nearest neighbor, I guarantee you it’s annoying.

We are on one acre lots, and it's no more annoying than our closest neighbor's pool parties, or the other one playing his drum set.

It's fine. Live a little.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t that size group outdoors within DC guidelines?
I know many people are hosting back yard cocktails with groups that size (10-25) and many groups of teens meeting up in similar numbers. And even sleepovers for younger kids.

At the time, gathererings were to be less than 10, so no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This article is dumb. While having the party was a bad idea and a violation of guidelines, there’s no indication than anyone actually contracted the virus from it. Why is this news?

She was symptomatic and positive a few hours after the party, and people at her table ended up positive as well.

So... connect the dots.

To top it all off, she waited before warning all the guests and people she had come into contact recently because she was afraid of the social fallout.

Her circle is mad at her, but it's probably nothing a few expensive favors won't fix. You know these people.

It just says people at her table are rumored to have tested positive. But yes, I get that she should have notified everyone right away.

It sounds like people are afraid to talk to the press, though, so who knows?

Yes, what has happened to the Post? Nobody actually confirmed positive from this event.

Add this artile to the hysterical photographer sob story and it doesn't add up to much journalism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not the PR the WSB needs right now.

can we also talk about how all that fundraising effort was for the ballet as opposed to things that people actually need right now?

The arts are important to many, many people. Not on the same level as healthcare, no, but fundraising has to continue if the arts are to survive. (not that that excuses her silly party)

agreed. And the performing arts are in deep trouble -- with indoor crowds and no ability to social distance (for performers), it's completely up in the air when they can resume. Hope WSB doesn't get bad publicity; as far as I can tell, they had nothing to do with this bad idea party.

+1

NP. The article says no one from the ballet attended or performed at the party. And it's clear that the ballet had zero input, approval, anything. This was entirely this one foolish woman's idea.I hope that any subsequent recycling of this incident does not reflect badly on the dance company because none of it is on them.

Total agreement with you PPs above regarding the arts.

What some posters here, those saying "food etc first" are forgetting is that actual human beings with families, rents, mortgages, and yes, food bills, work for arts organizations.

I think people see only actors, dancers, and well-known solo musicians and think they ARE the performing arts, period. But the reality is that there are many families supported by the arts--performers, yes, and also management staffs, design and costume staffs, whole orchestras of not-famous but steadily working musicians, lighting techs, sound techs, concession workers, restaurant workers at some theaters, cleaning crews, staff and teachers for dance and theater programs...and on and on.

These are not magical jobs that only appear when a performance is taking place, but full-time jobs and careers for many. Those employees are now just as unemployed as anyone who works in a factory or store or bar. And their families have exactly the same needs as any family.

So if you'd raise money to help any out of work employee, then you can also raise money to help arts organizations that employ many people, all of whom are out of work and likely to be out of work for a very, very long time.

The benefit to the overall community of the performing arts, in terms of making us as human beings a bit more thoughtful, wiser, and happier -- that's priceless, even if you yourself don't take advantage of it. But even if you personally dislike or don't get anything out of dance or theater or concerts, it's worthwhile to understand that those things do employ people.

+1000 I could not agree more.

[Anonymous]

Who was the interior designer? My neighbor has a very similar look to her house and I’m wondering if it was the same one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is not the PR the WSB needs right now.

can we also talk about how all that fundraising effort was for the ballet as opposed to things that people actually need right now?

The arts are important to many, many people. Not on the same level as healthcare, no, but fundraising has to continue if the arts are to survive. (not that that excuses her silly party)

agreed. And the performing arts are in deep trouble -- with indoor crowds and no ability to social distance (for performers), it's completely up in the air when they can resume. Hope WSB doesn't get bad publicity; as far as I can tell, they had nothing to do with this bad idea party.

+1

NP. The article says no one from the ballet attended or performed at the party. And it's clear that the ballet had zero input, approval, anything. This was entirely this one foolish woman's idea.I hope that any subsequent recycling of this incident does not reflect badly on the dance company because none of it is on them.

Total agreement with you PPs above regarding the arts.

What some posters here, those saying "food etc first" are forgetting is that actual human beings with families, rents, mortgages, and yes, food bills, work for arts organizations.

I think people see only actors, dancers, and well-known solo musicians and think they ARE the performing arts, period. But the reality is that there are many families supported by the arts--performers, yes, and also management staffs, design and costume staffs, whole orchestras of not-famous but steadily working musicians, lighting techs, sound techs, concession workers, restaurant workers at some theaters, cleaning crews, staff and teachers for dance and theater programs...and on and on.

These are not magical jobs that only appear when a performance is taking place, but full-time jobs and careers for many. Those employees are now just as unemployed as anyone who works in a factory or store or bar. And their families have exactly the same needs as any family.

So if you'd raise money to help any out of work employee, then you can also raise money to help arts organizations that employ many people, all of whom are out of work and likely to be out of work for a very, very long time.

The benefit to the overall community of the performing arts, in terms of making us as human beings a bit more thoughtful, wiser, and happier -- that's priceless, even if you yourself don't take advantage of it. But even if you personally dislike or don't get anything out of dance or theater or concerts, it's worthwhile to understand that those things do employ people.

Let's call it what it is. She wanted an excuse to have a social gathering and try to elevate/further her social status in the process -- health and safety of everyone else be damned, especially all of the people who have unknowingly come into indirect contact with people who were at the party. The fundraising was just a cover for all of that, so let's not make it into some benevolent self-sacrifice here.

I agree with you, by the way, on the worthiness of the cause more generally, but that doesn't give her a free pass for being this reckless.

Let's clarify -- I'm PP you responded to and in no way did I give the hostess "a free pass." I was responding to several PPs saying that raising funds for arts organization wasn't important at this time. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

"Ten others in Bronczek’s circle were willing to discuss details of the evening only if they were not named.

People are finally social distancing, in every sense of the word"

BURN.