Ballerina sues New York Ctiy Ballet, says she suffered 'sexual degradation'
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The New York City Ballet is facing a lawsuit from a teenage ballerina who says the ballet company turned a blind eye to sexual degradation.
Ballerina Alexandra Waterbury, 19, filed the lawsuit saying she suffered significant embarrassment and emotional pain.
Waterbury called her time with the ballet, "The worst nightmare of any woman."
She said dancer Chase Finlay, who is also named in the lawsuit, shared naked photos of her with other dancers.
According to the lawsuit filed in state court in Manhattan, Waterbury and Finlay dated for a year before she learned in May 2018 that he had shared the pictures.
The lawsuit claims the ballet did nothing to stop the men, allowing them to "objectify and abuse women."
City Ballet Chairman Charles Scharf said the company denies the allegations.
A lawyer for Finlay, Ira Kleiman, said the lawsuit "should not be taken as fact."
Finlay resigned from City Ballet last month after the company questioned him about Waterbury's allegations. Two other principal dancers accused by Waterbury of sharing explicit photos have been suspended without pay.
The ballet says it took action once it was made aware of the allegations.
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