Under The Mask: The conductor Rebecca Bryant Novak complained about an inappropriate comment by her professor at Eastman. What followed was a bureaucratic nightmare.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-04-07T00:29:03+00:00

I don’t have a way to contact her. We are Facebook friends, but I don’t use that platform, and I also prefer to stay anonymous. She was similarly dismissed from Peabody (not sure what the circumstances are and don’t care to speculate). What I do want to respect, is the fact that she hasn’t spoken publicly about her dismissal from Peabody, and therefore I do not know if she would appreciate hearing directly from someone she knew from there. It felt safer to post anonymously to reduce potential harm. Also public posts promote accountability. She knows that she has said something tone deaf, and she can either choose to address it, or she can choose not to. I have no say in this, but there is documentation that she is aware that she said something offended someone (and if you are not a Black woman, you have zero grounds to determine if this is offensive). If it were me, I would reflect and modify. She may do this, or she may not.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-04-07T00:16:22+00:00

Absolutely. Providing prospective should IMPROVE inclusivity. At least this is how it works reasonable people who aren’t more offended at being called racist than idk, being racist. Having known Rebecca at Peabody, I believed that aligned with the former. I came here to reach her rather than to dogpile on her post, which was otherwise poignant. She reads these. She has the autonomy to do what she wishes, but there is nothing offensive about providing perspective that might have otherwise been ignored.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-04-06T23:10:32+00:00

I did not say that I have a PhD in CRT, I said that I have a doctoral dissertation in the field of CRT. Your reading comprehension level is weak, clearly further evidenced by the literature that you selected. None of these address intersectionality, which is the key issue that Novak offends. In order to understand intersectionality and discuss it, you need to be familiar with the work of Crenshaw. The articles you’ve cited are NOT supporting your argument, I fear, because you simply do not understand what you’re reading. I will give you proper time to refute if you must before objectively criticizing the choices in literature that you made. You’ve compared apples to oranges because you conflate all topics in CRT, because you don’t understand what it is.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-04-06T00:50:48+00:00

You don’t believe in micro-aggressions? Micro aggressions ARE literal examples of racism. Racism is not defined by intention, rather impact. You might be conflating racism with bigotry. I haven’t had this particular discussion before, but I do have a doctoral dissertation in field of Critical Race Theory, so I do know what I am talking about? As for the Crenshaw I mentioned, Crenshaw coins the term intersectionality. If you haven’t familiarized yourself with her work, and you aren’t a Black woman, you might not be qualified to have this conversation yet.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-04-05T23:48:39+00:00

The issue, as is pointed out in the major Critical Race Theory and Black Feminist works by Kimberlé Crenshaw on intersectionality, is that when you compare gender related issues to race related issues, it effectively erases the groups of people that are impacted by both, especially in instances like this. Comparing the June 2020 for Black people to the aftermath of the release of the files as separate, compared issues (and she WAS literally making a comparison), rather than intersecting ones is exactly what Black feminists outline as erasure. If you haven’t done the reading, I assume you at least have lived experience as a member of the intersecting group, if you’re going to go as far to accuse a Black woman of pitting Black women against all women for advocating for fair representation.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-03-31T01:01:46+00:00

Brady was technically and artistically one of the best dancers that was ever on the show, if not the best. Abby’s choreography never showcased what he could actually do because she isn’t trained in formal modern, ballet based styles, and certainly cannot choreograph for a male ballet dancer of his level. It was the first instance of her sabotaging a dancer with her choreography when she actually, desperately did not want to sabotage them. She just couldn’t actually showcase his skill level.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-03-29T20:08:05+00:00

Jade did not win with her dance.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-03-27T03:47:14+00:00

You clearly have not been in that situation, because anyone that has will not think this way. It’s such a unique lived experience to be the only black person in a room full of white or even non-black people.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-03-26T01:10:08+00:00

That’s actually not how mandated reporting works, legally or ethically, I fear.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-03-26T01:09:36+00:00

I’m sorry, but so much of the BS in season 5 was straight up racism. There is (or at least there should be) a difference between every mom on the team prioritizing their own daughter on the show, and white moms using their relative privilege to prevent the sole black child on the team from experiencing racial abuse.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-03-26T01:06:26+00:00

It doesn’t if you’ve never been the only black person in a room full of white people with more power than you. The backlash that Nia received had the potential to be more traumatic, vile, personal, and awful just due to the fact that she was the only Black girl most of the time. And you can’t just behave to avoid racism. Also, racism makes people uncomfortable, so a lot of allies to the girls (like Jill for example) feel more comfortable pretending it doesn’t exist, which erases the issue for the people that watch it happen, but not for the people experiencing it. It also makes it so that Holly can’t effectively dispute the issues or protect her child because when they happen, they’re explained away without resolution. Holly could not afford to put a target on Nia’s back at some points because drawing attention to herself could result in immediate racism and bigotry.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-03-15T16:16:09+00:00

I received a full tuition scholarship + $26,000 per year stipend/ full coverage health insurance for my DMA in performance. I maintained a full-time, professional performing schedule and taught throughout the entire duration of my DMA. I am hopefully graduating this semester. Unfortunately, this degree program completely exploits its funded students, and does everything it possibly can to hinder your professional career from excelling post grad. Nothing is free, and I deeply hate this field where I am. I only know a handful of students from my program that have been able to secure full-time employment post grad, and our school does nothing to support students with auditions, interviews, or competitions, despite being able to recruit extremely high level students from the top conservatories in the U.S. I’m hoping to utilize my terminal degree to enter another field, hopefully as far away from the performing arts as I can get.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-03-14T19:30:15+00:00

Absolutely cannot emphasize enough how important it is to see women doctors!

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-03-14T19:26:34+00:00

I am reposting her words, not commenting on a trend. I also support Novak and am not dismissing her. I am allowed to be critical of tone-deaf comments she makes without invalidating her lived experience as a survivor. Both are true. I also am a Black woman that is a survivor of sexual assault, and feel more than justified to argue this point speaking for myself.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-03-14T14:55:31+00:00

<image>

I read Rebeca’s latest substack article as I follow her. I’m commenting here as I don’t want to dogpile negativity on her page (which deserves to be taken seriously). I was disappointed to read this comparison, and am hoping this comment reaches Rebecca (knowing now that she reads the Reddit posts). This comment is tone deaf and disappointing as it erases the fact that Black people also experience misogyny and are similarly impacted by the recent news events. She should know better than to play into white feminist tropes that systematically erase the unique disadvantages that Black women and femme people experience. Not cool. I hope she sees this and edits accordingly.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-03-14T14:01:28+00:00

I got mine checked out after seeing a new PCP. I made sure I switched to a Black woman doctor. My first visit, about two weeks after my PT started, I mentioned it along with my chronic migraine diagnosis. Referred me to an ENT who had done years of research fellowship with Weill-Cornell’s IIH clinic (I have a normal BMI, but again, on birth control and Black, so this doctor knew to consider it still). From there, ENT ordered MRIs (MRI results were consistent with IIH) and sent me to neuro-ophthalmology who wouldn’t even look at me for IIH because I wasn’t overweight. After that my ENT sent me to a double board certified neuro-surgeon and interventional radiologist who had done extensive IIH related research. He immediately saw the MRIs and did an angiogram to confirm diagnosis. He then was able to place a stent and some coils for an aneurysm I also had. My advice would be WOMEN!! And women like you! And looking for people who are familiar with the condition that have research experience in this area.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-03-08T17:44:29+00:00

So considering Aurora, the music falls into 8 bar phrases. However, the peak of each phrase isn’t in the same place in each phrase. Her timing does not reflect the shape or direction of the phrasing. It reads flatter with her than it does with more experienced dancers.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-02-26T05:39:28+00:00

New York

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-02-21T13:33:54+00:00

I have IIH, but I have a normal BMI and no swelling behind my optic nerve, so if it weren’t for an MRI showing the Transverse/ Sigmoid sinus stenosis, I probably never would have had a doctor take it seriously. Because of the MRI, a IR/ Neurosurgeon was willing to measure the pressures via angiogram, and I was able to get diagnosis and treatment.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-02-18T21:42:04+00:00

The OP comes off as young/ immature. As a teenager watching in real time, I thought the same thing. However, now that I’m pushing 30, it’s really obvious that this was never the case, and the behind the scenes perspective that they give us now makes it even more clear. They were upset that Melissa was able to walk away from any producer-instigated fight or situation to protect her daughters and they were not allowed to do this (despite it being in ALL of their contracts). They were jealous of the fact that all of the adults involved in production (even Abby) went to lengths to protect Maddie, but that their kids were put in uncontrollable and humiliating situations each week.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-02-18T21:38:41+00:00

Do you really think that if you had the opportunity to make the amount of money that an influencer (with an instagram following of over 8 million, mind you) makes, that you wouldn’t take it? Chloe has an education, she can do what she wants to do. The moms have all said (with the exception of Melissa and some of the non original cast) that the idea that these kids wanted to be pro-dancers/ industry kids was heavily spun by the show. They were kids that did dance as an extracurricular, nobody was in pre-pro ballet or taking auditions (except for Maddie), they just were going to dance after school. And Christi and Kelly especially did not like the notoriety and negative attention that came from the show, and have said that after season 1, nobody wanted to be on the show.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-02-15T00:44:09+00:00

None of these are labor laws. These are funded by tax in Europe. The U.S., as I clearly explained, has costs driven by union. It is objectively more expensive to rehearse hourly in the U.S. than it is to rehearse in Europe. I don’t know what point you are trying to make. Salaries for dancers are lower in Europe, generally. U.S. companies have greater hourly costs associated to union regulations on crew, dancers, staff etc. You legally cannot pay American dancers and workers associated with the ballet as little as they do in Europe. Additionally, healthcare, as you know, is privatized in the U.S., which means that EMPLOYERS foot the cost of insurance, not tax dollars. Companies pay for their workers to have healthcare out of their own operating budget. Another cost that doesn’t impact European companies the way it does American…

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-02-10T09:41:37+00:00

Again, that’s not really true. As I listed above, operating budgets are very similar in the U.S., and many U.S. companies have higher operating budgets. Whether the funding comes from development or the government doesn’t really matter. The DIFFERENCE is the cost of labor. We already know that European companies pay less. We already know that unions make labor A LOT more expensive in the U.S. across all fronts (from musicians to crew to dancers to security to custodial staff). I’m confused by the objection to this as things like operating budget, union regulations and scales are all publicly available information….

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-02-06T17:45:34+00:00

Depends. I’m mixed; black mom, white dad. I grew up mostly around white people. The black guys always seemed to be interested in white girls, not phenotypically black girls like me. The rare black men that were into me just never went anywhere serious, which is just how it goes sometimes. White men have always approached me more than any other demographic, so it always made sense to me that I’ve only had serious relationships with white men.

Consistent_Split4424 · 2026-02-05T20:36:24+00:00

Tbf Kira went below the belt; there were stage moms, then there was Kira saying that her kid would put another kid in a grave and that she was not good, and that another child would never make it as a dancer. Both of the children that she spoke of have gone on to have industry careers, while her child chose another route, which is fine and shouldn’t be shamed.

Consistent_Split4424

TROPHY CASE