How often did The Joffrey Ballet perform in Chicago before the company moved here?
The company performed in Chicago more than in any other city in America. Robert Joffrey loved Chicago. He loved the grandeur of the Auditorium Theatre and perhaps, because we had a very strong FOJ (Friends of the Joffrey). Barbara’s mother was very active in FOJ. 3. Tell us about the challenges involved with moving the Company from New York to Chicago. I was asked to be the President of the Board in New York during a time in which the company was facing tremendous hardships. A few of the challenges we faced in NY were: lack of organizational structure, board members were unsure Mr. Arpino could run the company after the passing away of Bob Joffrey, being a touring company was no longer bringing revenue, and a lack of support from the society in New York. We had the company, the school, the ballet pieces and no money. A Strategic Meeting was called and during that meeting it became clear that the mission of The Joffrey to be a touring company had to change, but its artistic mission to c
