Atlanta Ballet picks new exec, splits leadership

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Mired in a labor dispute with its former orchestral musicians and hampered by a $2.75 million debt, the Atlanta Ballet has hired Barry Hughson as its executive director, the company announced Monday.

With Hughson expected to start March 12, Atlanta Ballet's leadership model changes. The company hasn't had an executive director since 2003 to deal with financial and administrative aspects of the company. John McFall, who is currently both artistic director and CEO, will drop the chief executive side of his duties and focus on the artistic product. Both men will report directly to the board of directors.

"In the dance world, it's called the two-headed monster," said Hughson, speaking of the co-director leadership model. "Like everything, it's about building relationships." He says his priorities will be to retire the debt and restructure the company's financial operations. "How we achieve that objective," he said, "will be a long process of multiple layers."

In a statement, McFall said, "We have been challenged over the past few years and this is a very exciting step for us as an organization. I look forward to working collaboratively with Barry as a full partner as Atlanta Ballet continues to grow and thrive."

Hughson, 38, danced professionally with the Washington Ballet and has worked in various arts management jobs in New York and Connecticut, with a certificate in arts administration from New York University. For the past year, he's been executive director of the American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School in New Brunswick, N.J. He's on the board of directors of DanceUSA, a national service organization.

Karen Vereb, a retired AT&T executive and a ballet board member who led the search committee, said the ballet has gone without an executive director to save the salary, with McFall effectively doing both jobs. In August, it became clear that the company needed an administrative leader, and a national search was begun.

"In each job where Barry's been executive director he's built the company," Vereb said. "We were impressed with his strong fund-raising experience, and he totally believes in the genre of dance."

Although McFall wasn't on the search committee, Vereb said, he was "thoroughly involved" with picking Hughson from a field of six finalists.

In the coming weeks, Vereb added, "We'll need to sit down and figure out what we're going to do in the coming year. We'll help Barry figure out his priorities. There needs to be some major decisions made."

Asked about bringing back its orchestra for performances, Hughson said, "I'd love to see the full orchestra return at some time in the future."

But he added, "Atlanta Ballet's problems are not unique --- were not in a vacuum, and there's a conversation that needs to take place about shoring up the industry."