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Jeffrey. . .you know "I love ya like my luggage", but this "news story" is pretty one-sided and biased. First, I need to ask, where are the letters that Ms. Iaquinto wrote which prompted Mr. Starrett's "legal action?" Didn't "she" give you those? Jeffrey, do you recall the comments I made about egos and board members? Well, here you go; someone just got their 15 minutes of fame, albeit unprofessionally. "This isn't Kansas." When does a personality conflict rate a news article? Coralee

Just to correct an inaccuracy. Mr. Starrett's prior salary was $80,000. His new salary for the upcoming year is $99,000. So, in spite of all the uncertainties and debt, he's getting a 20% raise....go figure.

I've know William for many years and haven't always agreed with him but I've always respected his devotion to his dancers, his tireless work to make certain his company presents a first rate performance and his ability to make a penny scream because he pinched it so hard. He's given Columbia a ballet company that can be used to help lure potential businesses to our state as families always are interested in education and arts availability when looking to relocate. Before you make assumptions about someone, you should first be certain of your facts. How long has it been since Mr.Day has seen Off the Wall and has he ever seen Cleopatra? I've lived in Europe for many years and have enjoyed ballet while living there. These two productions equal any I saw in Europe. Mr Day must first know dance then perhaps he can give an accurate review but then that would require him to know the facts before reporting.....something foreign to him.

I love William and I love the Columbia City Ballet. That said, I think the company would flourish by having the executive management separated from the artistic direction. City Council and the community has, for years, questioned the integrity of the ballet's management structure. This has led to funding and PR issues galore. So just do it already! Take that $20,000 raise, and give it Lauren Hahn (Membership, Development and Marketing Director). She's already practically the Executive Director anyway.

No one wants to see a ballet company with the history of CCB go through difficult times. William has been steadfast in his dedication to the company. While my taste may not always agree with the programming of City Ballet, no one can deny the need for a professional ballet company in Columbia. Back in the 80's I had a professional company the SC Ballet Theatre. We had a small deficit ( @50,000.00), but it was the first time in 6 years that the company had not been in the black. It's a long story, but to make it short, the Cultural Council sent us a letter saying that they were prepared to withdraw our funding and give it to " a more deserving one" ( CCB, which was still a civic ballet) unless we merged with Ballet Michigan. We did so, and the Council insisted that the management of Ballet Michigan take over the reins. I resigned as Artistic Director. Within 4 months, BM moved out in the middle of the night, leaving us bankrupt. Our Board jumped ship. I was served a gag order. CCB's troubles remind me of those times, and times of other companies, where board members begin to question the choices of the Artistic Director, rather that doing the jobs of the Board which are - to 1: Get money, 2: give money or 3: get out. I hope that William is able to retain his artistic vision and does not get beaten down trying to run a "business".

Quote: (Starrett is paid $99,000 annually, an increase of $20,000 during the past decade.) It is my understanding that this is a $19000 increase in his salary for this year alone- not over a decade. How can that be when the ballet is having to cut funding in other areas and is still functioning at a deficit- with outstanding money owed to others?

After reading this article, I question whether Mr. Starrett should be the Executive Director OR the Artistic Director of the company. I've long since stopped buying season tickets as the first two shows of each season - Dracula & Nutcracker -are the same every year, year after year. I caught William and Co. performing bits of Dracula on a morning show around Halloween last year and I have to say: The choreography, costumes and music for "Castle Rocks" are the EXACT same as when I FIRST saw it in 1992. And a Hootie Ballet might have been relevant and fresh in 1995, but in 2009? No. Perhaps it is time to breathe new life into this stale company. With all the new talent appearing on the City's horizon (like Unbound dance company), surely we could find a new vision or direction for the City Ballet to go. Until then, I'll continue to donate my time, money and adoration to our Philharmonic.

In the immortal words of former Columbia City Ballet dancer Carl Askew, "Drama, girl!"

Starrett took Ms. Brodie's vision of a company to train dancers to be professionals in the classical ballet tradition & turned it into his neon dream of ballet as Las Vegas spectacles. Does the arts community really want glitzy productions of Disney rip-offs and DRACULA??? This is another thing that makes SC a laughingstock.

It is amazing to me that a person can say that they are "not a dance expert" in one sentence and then say that William Starrett's work is not of a genius level. Because you are not a dance expert, your statement is null and void. What is the old saying? "One man's trash is another man's treasure?' There are many styles of dance and art that I do not find flashy and brilliant, but I am not going to bash them because I am uneducated about that particular style. To do so only makes one sound ignorant. It seems to me that there is information that has been left from this article...either intentionally or purposefully. Where is all the information on Mrs. Iaquinto? If you can produce a letter from Mr. Starrett, you should be able to do the same for her. I believe that there are always two sides to a story. It doesn't seem here that each side got the same representation. It makes you wonder. Is this piece of "journalism" written from a truly non-biased journalist trying to report the news, or is it an article that is driven by a personal agenda to bash Mr. Starrett. I guess we'll never know. And as far as the Columbia City Ballet being the laughing stock of SC....I think not. I applaud William for broadening the scope of ballet by creating more modern pieces as well as continuing to make the classical ones even better.

As a former member and supporter of the Columbia City BalletI say we all meet in a "forum" if you will, FACE TO FACE with eachother , to discuss how we can come together as a TEAM, to overcome our obstacles. So that we can work on what OUR issues are as a TEAM. This entire issue thus far has been discussed with the critics, the scorned board memeber, William haters (for whatever reason), valid or not, versus William. William is not the Columbia City Ballet. Columbia City Ballet is every person that set foot through those doors, to dance,, teach, make a costume, DONATE their time, weather helping back stage to a monetary contribution, all the way back to Anne Brodie. I think we need to sit down and really analyze what our problems are, rather than slinging mud. We are an arts organization inwhich we are most famous for our scandels, than we are so called "biggest arts organization, that brings in the biggest audience, at the biggest theatre" ART.......and that my friends is sad.

After 23 years of Starrett leadership, this ballet should be a nationally renouned regional teaching and performing ballet company. It clearly IS NOT. Instead, its an mismanaged, artistically uninspired, directionless ballet company. It's clearly time for a change in leadership at the top. 23 years is far too long.

This in response to Jared's comment. You say that if one is not a dance expert, then their critique is null and void. Well, if we play by your rules everything you wrote is useless, because I don't believe you're an expert on dance. But hey, everyone has an opinion. Next time speak for yourself though. Because from where I've sat or should I say danced, recycled choreography, same ballets year after year and safe choices in subject matter is not broadening the scope of the art. Trust me, I'm an expert.

How many business managers has William run off over the years? Hembree? Keaton? There were at least two others.....

@long memory - McWilliams, Miller, Portnoy.

I don't really call Hootie and the Blowfish and Off the Wall safe subject matter. I'm pretty sure the Columbia City Ballet has pushed the envelope with the concepts involved in those 2 ballets. And yes, I am no dance expert. But, I have seen, first hand, the hard work and dedication it takes to become a professional ballet dancer. Either way, you can critique something without being demeaning. And if "Ben Their" was there year after year, it couldn't have been that bad.

While we're talking about business managers that Starrett has run off over the years, let's not forget office managers and marketing managers (Phillips, Garrick). And board members!

Jonathan Green is totally safe, and Hootie and the Blowfish is pandering to a crossover audience...The mere concept also draws laughs from people whenever I mention it--I have to tell them I'm serious. Whatever happened to Coppelia? Gisele? and how come the Columbia Classical Ballet can put on quality shows for so much less?

One of the reasons that Columbia Classical can put on shows for less is because Radenko brings in fresh foreign dancers every year who dance long enough to get their green cards then leave as soon as the coast is clear. That said, it is time for a change at City Ballet. William has surrounded himself with people who don't know jack about ballet and consequently praise his every mis-step. It is time for him to pass the torch to someone with an eye toward quality rather than gimmicks, tricks and bling. The bar for dance has been raised in Columbia and more and more people are learning what talent, coaching and real choreography looks like. City Ballet does have some talented dancers. But William is sadly out of touch with the 21st century dance scene. He is stuck in the 80s and the mediocre 80s at that. He either needs to get with the program and give us the city ballet that we deserve or move over and let new blood move in. It is inevitable. He can go out smiling, or he can just go.