The Cincinnati debut of Paul Taylor Dance Company at the Aronoff last weekend knocked most of the audience sideways and then right to their feet.

Can Cincinnati expect an encore teaming of Cincinnati Ballet and Cincinnati Arts Association to bring big name dance to the city?

Ballet artistic director Victoria Morgan isn't encouraging. "One of my pet peeves is that there aren't enough performances for our own dancers," she sighs. "Dancers are made into principal dancers through the act of being on stage."

If we want to see a better Cincinnati Ballet, it will be through company members getting more and better stage time.

She doesn't see another similar collaboration "in the near future.... That's not to say if something happened to work out we wouldn't do it."

The Cincinnati Arts Association team, still enjoying adrenalin high from the Taylor company appearance, feels differently.

"We're grinning from ear to ear," says CAA chief Steve Loftin. "It was a great success artistically and financially."

Nonprofits do define financial success differently than the for-profit world. "Nobody made any money," Loftin expanded, "but we didn't expect to."

CAA has hosted touring dance companies, including Alvin Ailey, in the past. A performance of the scale of the Taylor Company, Loftin says, demands a partnership. Not the least of which is starting with a subscription base. "That changes the dynamic immensely."

Loftin says he understands where Morgan is coming from. "It's all about her dancers - and should be." He remains optimistic.

"When you have a success like this you want to build on it immediately," he notes. "I hope this opens doors to future collaboration, with the Ballet and with others."