The new governance of the Béjart Ballet Lausanne is long overdue. Recommended at the end of October by a critical audit, it has not yet been implemented. The director general who will oversee the institution, including the Ecole-atelier Rudra Béjart, has not been hired.
The Board of Trustees has also not yet named the person who will fill the new position of human resources manager, also announced on October 29, Keystone-ATS has learned. These two key people in the new organization of the Béjart Ballet Lausanne (BBL) must precisely embody the new governance.
Once appointed, they will have to set up a staff commission, a better structured work and vacation schedule, the consolidation of the health plan, a zero tolerance policy for the consumption of alcohol or narcotics and any behavior inappropriate, as well as a revision of the salary policy. A whole series of measures recommended following the audit launched in mid-June 2021, revealing “serious problems”.
This global investigation was triggered following a first audit which revealed malfunctions at the Rudra Béjart School-workshop at the end of May 2021. Its director and manager had been fired and the school had since closed, for at least a year. Subsequently, the criticism extended to the company itself.
Current process
“The process of hiring a general manager or general manager is currently underway. It was launched quickly following the issuance of the audit report”, replied to Keystone-ATS the president of the Foundation Council Solange Peters.
“The same goes for the human resources manager. In the meantime, we have hired an external professional, temporarily responsible for managing these issues on a daily basis, until the manager in question is hired. “, continues Ms. Peters.
“The processes concerned naturally take some time. They should be completed by the start of the school year in the fall,” she announces. “Once the people concerned are in office, they will be called upon to implement or perpetuate the measures mentioned. They will precisely be part of their attributions. In the meantime, the aforementioned professional is also working there”, explains the President of the Council. of foundation.
Gil Roman pinned
The audit brought to light “a confusion of roles” at the BBL and in particular a distribution of artistic and administrative responsibilities “poorly delimited”. The Foundation Board has therefore decided to put in place a new organization chart redefining the current management positions. The company’s number one, Gil Roman, continues his mission as choreographer and ballet director, but with specific support and guidance
His artistic qualities have been unanimously recognized. The survey described him as “sensitive, sharp, demanding”, but also as “vulgar, impulsive, short-tempered and abusive”. To remedy this, the reframing consists of a close collaboration with a new ballet master.
The Foundation Board also wished to point out that the audit report in no way attested to the rumors of sexual harassment, homophobia, cocaine use or trafficking or even nepotism on the part of the artistic director.
On the other hand, the production director of the BBL was dismissed on October 18th. If his professional qualities have been recognized, he has committed serious shortcomings in the management of distances with employees and respect for women, according to the Foundation Board. His attitudes and comments amount to sexual harassment.
No open criminal proceedings
The audit report had therefore been sent to the Vaud public prosecutor’s office so that it might decide on any follow-up to be given.
“The latter read the report and found no indication therein of acts for which criminal prosecution should take place ex officio. As a result, no proceedings have been opened, nor are they in progress. “, said his spokesman Vincent Derouand. He also recalls that “no complaint or denunciation has been addressed” to the MP, both within the framework of the BBL and that of the School-workshop.
Finally, with regard to the Rudra Béjart school-workshop, it has still not reopened and no opening date has yet been announced, according to a BBL spokesperson.
“The operating and reopening methods are being evaluated and analyzed and will be finalized by the new director”, specifies for its part the Foundation Board.
This article has been published automatically. Source: ats