Ballet Director's Unconventional Response to Criticism

In a shocking display of frustration, German ballet director Jürgen Hoffmann recently responded to criticism from a journalist by throwing dog feces at her. The incident occurred during an interview with the unnamed journalist, who had been questioning Hoffmann about his most recent production. The altercation began when the journalist asked Hoffmann about certain creative choices he had made in the show. Hoffmann became increasingly agitated as the questions continued and eventually lost his temper. In response, he grabbed a bag of dog feces from nearby and threw it at the journalist. The stunned woman immediately left the scene without comment. Hoffmann has since issued an apology for his behavior but many are still outraged by his actions. Many members of the ballet community have expressed their disappointment with Hoffmann’s reaction and some have even called for him to be removed from his position as director of the company. Others have argued that while his behavior was inappropriate, it is understandable given how much pressure directors are under to create successful productions. The incident has sparked debate over how artists should respond to criticism and whether or not there is ever an acceptable way to express anger or frustration in such situations. While most agree that violence is never an appropriate response, some believe that more understanding should be shown towards those who are put under immense pressure in their creative fields and may not always handle criticism well.