Kage is not suing Ballet West

Contrary to news reports Thursday, former artistic director Jonas Kage is not planning to sue Ballet West.

Kage's lawyer, Erik Strindberg, had told The Salt Lake Tribune that negotiations had broken down and Kage was planning to sue for breach of contract. But Kage told the Deseret Morning News on Thursday that he and his lawyer are still trying to work with Ballet West to find an amicable severance settlement after Kage was released from his contract a year early.

"There were some miscommunications," Kage said Thursday. "We submitted our proposal and didn't hear from Ballet West for a long time. So we tried to cut off the negotiations, but the company came back with a counter proposition a few days later.

"We're still trying to work something out. So, yes, the negotiations are still going on."

In April, the Ballet West executive board announced Kage was voluntarily leaving his post as artistic director. A week later, Kage went public and said that the board had actually forced him to resign.

As a result, negotiations were set up to discuss Kage's severance payments and to resolve the issue of whether the company could perform Kage's works "Giselle" and "Sleeping Beauty" next season.

All parties and their attorneys have signed a gag rule preventing them from making any comments during the negotiation process.

Kage said his lawyer's comments to the Tribune, which also were reported by television news stations, were the result of a miscommunication. Strindberg did not return calls.

On Thursday, Kage said the ongoing negotiations with Ballet West are a long and slow process.

Ballet West spokeswoman Jessica Dalton confirmed on Thursday that negotiations are continuing but declined to say anything further.

---

E-mail: scott@desnews.com