Trey McIntyre Project to Disband
The Trey McIntyre Project will take its final bow as a full-time company at Jacob’s Pillow this June. McIntyre will continue to live and work in Boise, but he plans to explore new artistic avenues such as film, photography and writing. He’ll also keep choreographing, accepting freelance opportunities and working with some of the TMP dancers on a project-by-project basis. The Idaho Stateman reports that the 22 ballets McIntyre created during TMP’s 10-year run will now be up for purchasing by other dance companies.
This announcement follows last summer’s resignation of co-founder and executive director John Michael Schert, who stepped down amidst controversy over a CNNMoney story “Why Hewlett-Packard is Hiring Dancers.” Reporter Cheryl Strauss Einhorn (who’s the daughter-in-law of one of TMP’s board members) quoted Schert describing how HP paid TMP for dance presentations, but HP claims the story was completely falsified. Ever since, many fans have wondered about the fate of the company, which had been hailed for its innovative business models devised through close collaboration between both founders.
The farewell performances at the Pillow June 25–29 will feature a new work inspired by the surrealist illustrator Edward Gorey, plus the East Coast premiere of McIntyre’s popular ballet set to the music of Queen, Mercury Half-Life. Read more about McIntyre plans for the future here.
