Tango After Dark Performance Canceled Due to Visa Issues

The scheduled performance of Tango After Dark at the Mahalia Jackson Theater has been canceled due to visa complications preventing the Argentine dance group from entering the country. Jenny Hamilton, director of the New Orleans Ballet Association, described the cancellation as an "unfortunate casualty" of ongoing delays in visa processing.

This cancellation affects not only the dance company, which has previously performed in New Orleans in 2018 and 2022, but also the local economy. Approximately 109 individuals, including stagehands and bartenders, will miss out on earnings from the event. The New Orleans Ballet Association, which presented the performance, will also face financial repercussions as it relies on such events for revenue. Ticket sales had been promising, with expectations to fill 2,000 of the theater's 2,200 seats.

Ticket holders are being offered refunds or credits and may choose to donate their ticket price to the Ballet Association. Additionally, a related fundraising event has also been canceled. Hamilton noted that in her extensive tenure with the organization, she has never encountered visa delays affecting a performance and hopes to bring the Tango company back in the future.