CLEVELAND — In an update to a 3News Investigation, the Cleveland Ballet Board of Directors is refuting claims of lack of due process from former CEO Michael Krasnyansky, who resigned after being confronted with sexual misconduct claims.
Kransyanky is quoted in a closed Change.org petition that sought his reinstatement to the Cleveland Ballet as saying that the claims against him are "entirely without merit," and that he was "surprised and disappointed that such serious allegations have been made without affording [him] the opportunity to properly respond."
Cleveland Ballet Board Chair Dr. Michael Frank told 3News Investigates that Kransyansky's comment about being surprised "couldn't be more false."
"Three separate times he was given opportunities to respond. For him to say he wasn’t given the chance to do so is untrue," Dr. Frank said, referring to sexual misconduct allegations brought to the board by at least 16 individuals. "When those claims were reported to the investigators, Mr. Krasnyansky was interviewed by the investigators, was directly confronted with these issues, and he denied everything.
"When the investigative team met with Mr. Krasnyansky and his lawyers and were told the reason the Board was asking for his resignation — i.e., that he was sexually harassing dancers — Mr. Krasnyansky remained silent," Frank continued. "Finally, when Mr. Krasnyansky's lawyers were briefed on the findings of the investigation, we again received no response."
WKYC has tried to reach Krasnyanksy for comment, and has not yet received a reply. He's quoted in the closed Change.org petition as saying:
"I want to unequivocally state that these and other allegations about me and my fellow Cleveland Ballet co-founder Gladisa Guadalupe are entirely without merit. We have always been committed to fostering a safe and respectful environment within the organization we've built back from the ground up.
"In regards to information given to media, which originated from the Cleveland Ballet board, it is important to note that I have not been provided with the report of the investigation, and I am genuinely surprised and disappointed that such serious allegations have been made without affording me the opportunity to properly respond. While I have resigned from my position, I remain committed to truth and justice."
In a statement provided to 3News, Frank acknowledged that it was our initial investigation into alleged body size discrimination and other toxic workplace behaviors that launched the Cleveland Ballet's investigation into the actions of both Krasnyansky and his wife Gladisa Guadalupe, the ballet's fellow co-founder who was terminated from her role as artistic director earlier this month. WKYC first reached out to the Cleveland Ballet on Oct. 30, 2023, with a list of allegations that had come to our attention.
The only communication 3News Investigates has received from Kransyansky to date came two days later on Nov. 1, in an email response to our inquiry that read: "Cleveland Ballet organization and its Board of Directors have received your inquiry. We take these allegations seriously, are reviewing them, and will respond accordingly."
Frank informed us that the Cleveland Ballet had launched its own internal investigation into Kransyansky and Guadalupe's actions on Nov. 3. On Nov. 7, Frank told 3News Investigates the Board had engaged outside counsel from the Jones Day law firm to conduct an independent investigation into the organization's leadership.
On Nov. 14, 3News was informed that the Board of Directors had temporarily suspended Krasnyansky and Guadalupe. It was later revealed their suspensions were due to "their overt and deliberate interference with the investigation through intimidation of staff members and dancers, in defiance of the Board's explicit instructions," according to investigation findings released on Jan. 10. The Board told 3News it suspended them "immediately to preserve the integrity of the investigation, not as has been suggested, because of Ms. Guadalupe’s alleged dismissal of a community dance instructor because of her body size."
Prior to the Board's release of any information related to its findings, 3News Investigates followed up with the Cleveland Ballet Board on Nov. 16 asking about alleged sexual misconduct by Krasnyansky, among other things. Kransyansky resigned from ballet leadership on Nov. 22, and the sexual misconduct claims made against him were revealed by the Cleveland Ballet Board of Directors on Jan. 10, 2024.
On Jan. 2, Cleveland Ballet cut ties with the dance school founded by Guadalupe, which is a separate non-profit entity that was long-referred to as the School of Cleveland Ballet. It's official entity name has always been the Cleveland School of Dance since its founding in July 2000, but now, the Facebook page for Guadalupe's school is listed under the name "Cleveland Ballet Theatre."
In just under two weeks, the Cleveland Ballet plans to open its own dance school called the Academy of Cleveland Ballet "with free classes for all ages and levels January 29 - February 3," according to its website.
In an email received on Jan. 12, Dr. Frank shared this message for Cleveland Ballet patrons:
"Your support of the Cleveland Ballet and its Academy going forward is sincerely appreciated. If we can muster the support, financial and otherwise, of the people of Cleveland, we believe we now have all the building blocks needed to continue our upward trajectory as a world-class ballet company, one with an unwavering commitment to maintaining a safe, productive, diverse, inclusive, professional, collegial and secure work environment for all our artists and staff."
View the results of the independent investigation led by the Jones Day law firm in to Cleveland Ballet's former leadership here, as shared by the Cleveland Ballet Board of Directors (only contact information has been redacted):