A boycott like Fico's. Czech National Ballet doesn't understand how the media works

A boycott like Fico's. Czech National Ballet doesn't understand how the media works

Author Clara Zanga

I approached the PR of the Czech National Ballet company (CNB) Kateřina Hanáčková with a request to connect with the young first soloist Patrik Holeček. I wanted to talk to him about the joys and sorrows of working in a large theatre institution. Hanáčková was very helpful after the initial phone call. What more could a PR want than to participate in a very non-confrontational podcast that is more of a nice chat than anything else. However, when I repeated my request, the situation took a 180 degree turn. Apparently, Taneční aktuality does not support the Czech National Ballet or its dancers, so the company is not accepting the invitation for the first soloist. 

The CNB clearly lives on a different piaristic-media planet. What does the media support of dancers look like according to this institution? Are we supposed to loudly applaud the whole institution even for what hasn't gone too well? This is certainly not what appropriate support for dancers looks like. Taneční aktuality and Dance Context as a whole support absolutely all dancers by offering a platform for discussion, highlighting what has worked and pointing out what needs to be improved. And most importantly, they give dance a voice at a time when the mainstream media, with its cultural sections cut or outright abolished, can barely afford to do so.

Boycotts of media that do not go along with public institutions or politicians do not belong in a liberal democracy. As an example, we know such behaviour from Tomio Okamura, Miloš Zeman and, more recently, Robert Fico and his entire Smer party. Thus, there are rightly fears in Slovakia that it is taking small steps towards a semi-authoritarian regime. There is simply no full-fledged democracy without a strong and free media. Viktor Orbán, who controls 80% of the Hungarian media, has already shown us this in a frightening way. 

The National Theatre, home of the Czech National Ballet, is established by the Ministry of Culture, so it is a public institution and should act as such towards the media. Czech National Ballet has its partners, sponsors and patrons. It should therefore ask for uncritical cheerleading from bank and card companies, car companies or cosmetics manufacturers. The role of Dance Context as an independent industry media is different.