Thread: The Rockettes and Mormon Tabernacle Choir to Perform at Trump Inaugural

I am speaking for just myself but please know that after we found out this news, we have been performing with tears in our eyes and heavy hearts. We will not be forced! #notmypresident,” Pearl posted.

If I were Trump, I wouldn't want anyone there that didn't want to be there.

Rockettes allowed to skip Trump’s inauguration

By Associated Press
December 23, 2016 | 5:19pm

NEW YORK — The Radio City Rockettes will be dancing at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration next month, but not everyone is kicking up their heels at the booking.

One of the famed dancers took to Instagram to say she was “embarrassed and disappointed” by the gig, triggering calls for a boycott by some on social media. Critics have posted the phone numbers of the dancers’ union and the Rockettes’ employer to urge complaints.

But Madison Square Garden Co., which employs the dancers, said Friday no dancers are being compelled to attend the event.

“For a Rockette to be considered for an event, they must voluntarily sign up and are never told they have to perform at a particular event, including the inaugural,” the company said in a statement. “It is always their choice. In fact, for the coming inauguration, we had more Rockettes request to participate than we have slots available.”

Many on social media believed attendance was mandatory, including Julissa Sabino, a performer who is part of the union, who tweeted that the issue “breaks my heart” and urged supporters to “help these ladies.” Autumn Withers, a former Rockette, supported a boycott, saying “take a knee, ladies!”

The American Guild of Variety Artists, which represents the Rockettes, has not publicly responded. Many Rockettes — there are 80 women employed for the Christmas show, split into two casts — are employed year-round and also appear in a summer show that debuted this year.

The Rockettes, who have performed at Radio City Music Hall since the 1930s, have previously appeared in Super Bowl halftime shows, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parades and George W. Bush’s inaugurations in 2001 and 2005.

The dancers who choose to attend will join The Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20. Earlier this month, Trump’s inaugural committee announced that “America’s Got Talent” star Jackie Evancho will be singing the national anthem at the ceremony.

The presence of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which has performed at several past inaugurations, hasn’t been met with universal applause.

Former choir member John Bonner, for one, said he was shocked and upset when he heard the news.

“I expect the church to stand on their moral high ground,” Bonner told KUTV in Salt Lake City. An online petition calls on the group to re-consider.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledged that the response to the announcement has been mixed, though church spokesman Eric Hawkins said in a statement that the appearance is a demonstration of support for the office rather than party affiliations or politics.

http://nypost.com/2016/12/23/rockett...-inauguration/

Yeah, I think Pearl's got to go. Maybe her understudy would like the chance to perform at one of the most important and historic Inaugurations in US History in front of the entire world? Who knows, maybe the understudy voted for Trump and would love the opportunity to dance to his music.

“For a Rockette to be considered for an event, they must voluntarily sign up and are never told they have to perform at a particular event, including the inaugural,” the company said in a statement. “It is always their choice. In fact, for the coming inauguration, we had more Rockettes request to participate than we have slots available.”

THANK YOU JD2 for that wonderful article. Great news!! So everyone who will be dancing wants to be there.

Bye Bye Pearl.

Petition Calls for Mormon Tabernacle Choir to Cancel Performance at Trump Inauguration



by DANIEL NUSSBAUM
23 Dec 2016
770 comments

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is facing intense pressure to pull out of performing at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration as an online petition has gathered thousands of signatures.

The Change.org petition seeks to persuade the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to end its practice of having the choir perform at presidential inaugurations.

The choir has performed at numerous presidential inaugurations throughout history, including for Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Ronald Reagan, George Bush and George W. Bush. During his 1981 inauguration, Reagan called the MTC “America’s choir.”

“We, as signers of this petition, believe that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ decision to allow the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to perform at the upcoming presidential inauguration of Donald Trump DOES NOT reflect the values of Mormonism and does not represent its diverse 15+ million members worldwide,” the petition, begun by one Randall Thacker, states.

The petition continues:

“We also believe that an official LDS organization performing at a presidential inauguration gives the perception that the LDS Church and its diverse 15+ million members worldwide support an incoming president’s agenda, values and behaviors. Performing at other government events would not be a concern (e.g. national holidays such as July 4th).

As members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we strongly urge the Church to stop this practice and especially for an incoming president who has demonstrated sexist, racist, misogynistic, and xenophobic behavior that does not align with the principles and teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

The petition further claims that the performance would harm the Mormon church’s image, and would send “the wrong message” to its children.

The petition had gathered 7,111 signatures at the time of publication.

Prospective performers for Trump’s inauguration have received significant backlash and threats of boycott from those dissatisfied with the results of the election. As Breitbart News previously reported, opera legend Andrea Bocelli was the subject of a “#BoycottBocelli” campaign on social media after it was reported that he had been approached by Trump to perform at the inauguration. The singer reportedly decided not to perform in the wake of the backlash.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir will join iconic dance company The Rockettes at the inauguration in Washington DC on January 20, along with teenage opera singer Jackie Evancho, who is expected to sing the National Anthem.



http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywo...-inauguration/

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  Rockette ‘embarrassed’ to perform at inauguration
  
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  News of the famed dance troupe’s participation in Donald Trump's big day is being denounced by critics and dancers alike.Pressured to perform? »
  

We are just going to have to become as active as these people in making our wishes and dissatisfaction known.

I wish someone would start a website to list all the companies, movie stars, etc., etc., so we can let them know, and so we will know whose products not to purchase, whose movies not to watch, etc.

There are so many, many things that need to be made aware there is a whole wide country out here - not just those who are ranting..

We should not be nasty, sling insults, simply state our views - and back it up with action. The action of not putting our money, our patronage where it obviously isn't appreciated.

Report: D.C. Marching Bands Skipping Trump's Inaugural Parade

Dec 15, 2016 // 5:15 pm

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DC Marching Bands Break Tradition, Won't Perform for Trump Inaguration - CBS Local: CBS Local DC Marching Bands… http://dlvr.it/MtxV6Z
11:27 AM - 15 Dec 2016




D.C. Marching Bands Break Tradition, Won't Perform for Trump Inaguration

A D.C. Public Schools spokeswoman says she wasn't aware of any marching band in D.C. that applied to participate in President-elect Trump's inaugural parade.
washington.cbslocal.com

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For the first time in 20 years, no Washington, D.C., area public schools will be performing in the president's inaugural parade.

According to a Wednesday report by NBC4 Washington, a D.C. Public Schools spokeswoman said she was not aware of any schools that applied to march in the January 20 parade following the scheduled inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

At least one D.C. marching band has participated in each of the past five presidential inaugurations.

Applications to march in the parade were due by Dec. 5.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee is set to announce soon which bands were selected. The NBC report said the committee did not respond to inquiries about how many applications were received.

In the wake of the presidential election, many D.C. area students took part in anti-Trump protests.

http://insider.foxnews.com/2016/12/1...augural-parade

Well, that is a shame. I can't imagine students being so foolish as to not want to march in the Inauguration Parade that will be viewed by almost every American with a TV or computer and most of the world as well. But I guess that's their choice now. In my day, our Music Teacher and the School made all the performance arrangements, we didn't get to choose which ones or refuse to participate in the ones selected. Americans in 30 states voted for this President and several million from the others, so there will be no shortage of American High School or College Marching Bands in the parade.

Trump Supporters will make sure their children have the opportunity to participate in one of the most important Inaugurations in US History. This is the Inauguration of a President who will fix our country and bring peace in the world. So I guess anyone choosing to oppose that should stay home and sulk, because there is no stopping US now.

Texas State Strutters face backlash over Trump inauguration performance

By Madalyn Mendoza
Updated 5:20 pm, Saturday, December 24, 2016

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Photo: Matthew Busch, Stringer / For The San Antonio Express-News

Members of the Texas State Strutters march during the Battle of Flowers parade in San Antonio, Texas on Friday, April 22, 2016.


The Texas State Strutters marked their invitation to perform in the presidential Inauguration Day parade for President-elect Donald Trump Jan. 20 as a "once in a lifetime opportunity," but a wave of opposition on social media is criticizing the group's decision to attend.

The Texas State University precision dance team announced the performance on their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts on Wednesday.

Word of the performance sparked online criticism from users who said the invitation acceptance indicated the university was "showing support to a racist and misogynistic man," as one Facebook user wrote.

RELATED: Radio City Rockettes 'appalled' over Trump inauguration performance




"It's sickening and un-American to support 'its' inauguration in any way, shape or form," another echoed.

Instagram and Twitter condemnations mounted Thursday, resulting in several users being blocked by the official Texas State Strutters Twitter account and an eventual deletion of the page entirely, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Instagram users accused the group of censoring disapproving comments from their post by deleting all that did not congratulate the news.

RELATED: Garth Brooks Will Not Perform at Trump Inauguration
"It's hilarious that the Texas State Strutters think this Trump performance is some accomplishment," one person tweeted. "D.C. schools aren't even playing."

The inauguration performance is Jan. 20, but the Strutters also hinted at additional Washington, D.C. events they would participate in.

The parade will follow President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.

Trump, Pence and their families will watch the parade from the Presidential Viewing Stand, according to the Joint Congressional Committee, which organizes the 227-year-old event.

RELATED: Texas State probes pro-Trump fliers calling for 'torture' of school leaders over 'diversity garbage'

Participants are picked by the Presidential Inaugural Committee from participation requests gathered by the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region, the website explained.

Celebrities like Elton John have reportedly declined performing at the inauguration celebration. The Radio City Rockettes announced Thursday they would be performing, a decision that some dancers, like Phoebe Pearl, said they resented.

Pearl used an Instagram post to say she was "embarrassed" to perform at the event.

Neither Texas State University nor the Strutters were immediately available to return requests for comment as of Friday morning.

mmendoza@mysa.com

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...n-10815410.php