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Nutcracker, As It Were

June 9, 2010 by

Dear readers, I just received the following email (“this message was sent to Jeff”): 

Moscow Ballet seeks freelance writers to produce 200-400 word blurbs on Moscow Ballet and the following subjects: health, fashion, European culture, accessories, jewelry, motherhood, travel and perfume. Remuneration of $15 per accepted story paid within 5 business days. Send letter of interest and contact information to sally@nutcracker.com. www.nutcracker.com.

Now, I knew this sort of thing went on, but treated the fact as if it were a faint dead-mouse smell I could learn to ignore. How sad and awful, then, to see the desperate game up close, fake criticism for less, much less than a dime a word: 10 cents a dance, a nickel a schtickle, a penny for our thoughts.

Moscow Ballet website image, unidentified dancer.jpg

And what exactly is a ballet blurb, a pirouette post, a terpsichorean tweet? Short can be sweet, to be sure, but praise for hire must always taste bitter, sour. And what a charming lesson for all those sugar-plum girls and boys out there in the dark.
I suppose that absurd string of other writing pearls lends itself to Dada thoughts. Health and jewelry. Motherhood and accessories. Culture and cows.
Does anyone know of additional cultural organizations that do the same thing?
For an automatic alert when there is a new Out There post, email jiweinste@aol.com.

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