A North Central Florida ballet company is dancing to a slower beat... thanks to the economy. Now their dancers are getting a temporary pink slip to go with their pink slippers.

Donations to the company have been cut in half from contributors who have their own problems.

For the first time in the history of the dance alive national ballet, directors are having to lay-off dancers in an effort to save money... and many people say this is an organization the /community/ can't afford to lose.

Dancers will be laid off beginning in January, which is a slow month anyways. Directors say the lay-offs are only temporary, and dancers should be back at work by February.

But they say the problem is that contributions need to continue to put the dancers back on stage. They say the troubled economy is the reason many individual contributors aren't able to give as much... or even at all.

Kim Tuttle says other local arts programs are also feeling the pinch.... such as The Orchestra and The Hippodrome Theater.

But for now... the show must go on at dance alive. and directors say it will. The Nutcracker and Danscape will be presented as scheduled.

But Ah-Man-Chuu says she's worried about her future as a dancer... and her future here in Gainesville... if money continues to dry up.

Dance Alive National Ballet has been the official state touring company of Florida for 33 years, and has toured in 17 states.