The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is apologizing to students on the same day a court approved a $10-million settlement in a class-action lawsuit over allegations a former teacher and photographer took intimate photos and released them without consent.
The dance company has posted on its website a one-page apology, which was a term of the settlement agreement.
In the post, the organization acknowledges that the photography sessions were traumatizing for many students.
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The lawsuit alleged Bruce Monk took nude, semi-nude and intimate photos of students, some of which he published, sold and disseminated online.
The action was brought on behalf of students who attended the ballet school between 1984 and 2015 and were alleged to have been photographed by Monk in a private setting.
The lawsuit did not allege Monk’s conduct was criminal and none of the allegations have been proven in court.