Serenity S Forchion New England Center for Circus Arts

Elsie Smith and Tranquility Smith Forchion, the identical-twin founders of Brattleboro's New England Center for Circus Arts, were two of six Windham County residents to receive Governor's Arts Awards last fall at the Putney School. Photo by Kristopher Radder/Brattleboro Reformer

Editor'southward note: This story by Bob Audette first appeared in the Brattleboro Reformer on July 11.

[B]RATTLEBORO — In a motion that is leap to send stupor waves around the international circus earth, the lath of directors of the New England Center for Circus Arts has removed founders Elsie Smith and Tranquillity Smith Forchion as artistic directors.

The news was appear during public comments at the Brattleboro Select Lath meeting Tuesday night by Sam Payne, who moved to Brattleboro with his wife, Sandra Feusi, for the express purpose of coaching at NECCA.

"NECCA is in a state of crisis," said Payne. "The board of directors has focused its efforts on removing Elsie and Quiet and they did so yesterday."

Payne also accused the board of meeting secretly and with less than a total complement of board members.

Pat Howell, who is on NECCA'southward public relations and development committee, confirmed to the Reformer that the sisters "were separated from employment with NECCA for reasons I cannot disclose legally at this point in fourth dimension. Withal," said Howell, "the board did offer an option that would permit for their continued involvement with NECCA merely we haven't received a response yet."

2 calls to board members were not returned to the Reformer by early on Tuesday evening. Michael C. Helmstadter, the current executive director of NECCA, whose wife, Tracy Prentiss, is also a fellow member of the board, declined to annotate at this fourth dimension.

"NECCA is one of the jewels in the Brattleboro crown," Payne told the Select Board. "Nosotros are asking if you care nearly the circus, please get involved."

Serenity Smith, who spoke for herself and her sis, told the Reformer they were very disappointed by the lath's deportment.

"Nosotros feel let down by the leadership of the board of directors and the executive director," she said. "We put our blood, sweat and tears into this organization."

NECCA recently conducted a fundraising campaign to construct its new facility on Putney Road. On June 19, information technology began its first session of summertime classes in the new building, after a decade at the Cotton Manufacturing plant.

Smith told the Reformer that over the past few weeks, a number of board members have resigned.

And Jamie Hodgson, NECCA'southward ProTrack program managing director, told the Reformer that v coaches accept also tendered resignations.

"I turned in my resignation today," she said, adding that the turmoil has been humid beneath the surface for a while.

"This is such a shocking thing. We accept been trying to handle this in-house and to maintain a respectful soapbox in all of our efforts. Information technology seemed to not have worked."

Hodgson said she and the other coaches understood the board was trying to brand some changes to NECCA's programming and its mission.

"We had been growing in size, with the new building ... definitely a lot changes needed to come up with that. Simply my opinion, and that of the rest of the coaching staff — I am speaking for them — the lath became fixated on terminating the founders and at the same time let organizational matters slide."

Hodgson besides mentioned "allegations" the lath had leveled against the 2 founders, but declined to go into particular.

"They take believed a few different things," she said. "They have a lot of allegations but the staff are pretty confident the allegations are inherently false. We believe the board is not doing its due diligence in researching or asking about the allegations."

Hodgson said one of the reasons the lath gave for terminating the founders was the circus world is changing and Elsie and Placidity were not changing with the times.

"They see a new creative direction for NECCA, against the advice of the NECCA coaching staff, who, ane might fence are more aware of the current trends than they are."

Hodgson said she and the other coaches are also concerned about the safety of the NECCA'due south new facility.

"We fear it's not a safe identify to work in or teach our students in correct now. We have concerns near safety that have gone unaddressed. We don't experience our concerns are being heard."

Hodgson said she as well believes the electric current board has "abandoned our mission argument. This is non what information technology used to be, an amazing collaborative space."

A lot of people are "up in arms, as y'all would wait," Howell said. "They are the founders, they are excellent spokespeople and excellent coaches. Simply the lath felt they needed to accept this action to protect NECCA'southward nonprofit condition."

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Source: https://vtdigger.org/2017/07/12/new-england-center-circus-arts-founding-sisters-terminated-positions/

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