All 38 of the company’s staff members, from artistic director John Alleyne to the administrative assistants, have lost their jobs as the company reels from declining subscriptions and ticket sales. But the company’s chairman says that if 7,000 tickets to next month’s Nutcracker can be sold (2,000 have been purchased so far), the 2009 spring season can be saved. He also says that “In no way does it mean Ballet British Columbia is going out of business. We anticipate emerging from this current situation as a stronger company.”