In 1961 a group of citizens led by Ann Brodie founded Columbia City Ballet and offered the first performance by this civic ballet in 1961. Over the following years, CCB presented many ballets including their first full-length Nutcracker production in 1966, and subsequently The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Swan Lake, and Coppelia, with
Ann Brodie as the company’s first
Artistic Director.
In 1977, William Starrett made his first guest appearance in A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream, and in 1980, Columbia City Ballet’s only Prima Ballerina in its history, Mariclare Miranda, danced her first Sugar Plum Fairy. In 1986, and with Starrett now its Artistic Director, Columbia City Ballet moved its headquarters to its current location in the Columbia Conservatory of Dance building
at the corner of Main and Taylor Streets.
Determined to bring world-class ballet to Columbia, Starrett set forth on the task of transforming this small, civic ballet troupe into a fully professional ballet company. It goes without saying that this goal has been not only met but exceeded. In the ensuing years, William Starrett, through his never waning passion for the art and his indomitable spirit, has created what has frequently been described as a cultural icon. Pursuing an aggressive touring schedule and creating wildly popular ballets such as Off the Wall & Onto the Stage: Dancing the Art of Jonathan Green, Columbia City Ballet has burst out of the confines of the city of Columbia and now maintains regular schedules of appearances in Sumter, Charleston, Florence, Lancaster, and Hartsville in addition to Savannah, Georgia, Hamlet, North Carolina, and Avon Park, Florida. The Company has toured to 11 different states and continues to gain national interest and recognition.
This extensive touring schedule was key to the decision by the Board of Directors to rebrand the Company as South Carolina Ballet. Many people are unaware that there are 29 other cities also named Columbia, creating a great deal of confusion about exactly who we are when on tour. So, our rebranding is a by product of our great success. While we are excited about all the opportunities rebranding holds, we are in no way abandoning our rich history and legacy. All the most important aspects of Columbia City Ballet remains at the core of South Carolina Ballet and our core values remain unchanged. Each day our professional dancers rehearse in the Ann Brodie Studio here on Main Street. Our Prima Ballerina, Mariclare Miranda will continue to teach Company class and coach dancers for specific roles in our repertoire. We will still produce all our fan favorites including Dracula: Ballet with a Bite, Nutcracker, and Off the Wall. We will always be the home of the brightest stars of our past, names such as Sylvia Dansby, Pat Miller, Victoria Cholkas, Peter Kozak, Erin Jaffe Gardner, Anthony Hampton, Tabitha Garner, Taber Cathcart, Betsey Clark Ruff, Katie Smoak, Claire McCaa, and Regina Willoughby, and a fertile ground for the stars of our present and future. In short, we are not saying goodbye to Columbia City Ballet at all, but rather we are embracing our future as a critically acclaimed Company, and one of South Carolina’s cultural ambassadors.
To everyone who has been a dancer, staff member, board member, volunteer, or audience member, rest assured that your contributions to Columbia City Ballet are honored, revered, and will never be forgotten. We invite you all to come grow along with us as we celebrate our past and plan for our future as South Carolina Ballet!