Friday, January 24, 2014
Breaking News!
It seems Maria Hirsch has been removed from the Columbus Ballet. No details at this time but will post when we know more. The pendulum of karma has swung.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Missing News
The article written by Brett Buckner in November has been removed from the archives of the Ledger-Enquirer. Interesting! Do you think it hit too close to home?
I sent an e-mail to Valerie Canepa publisher of the Ledger-Enquirer and she has already replied that she would look into it.
The article is up in the Archives now and must be purchased in order to read it. Much older stories remain accessible under regular news.
I sent an e-mail to Valerie Canepa publisher of the Ledger-Enquirer and she has already replied that she would look into it.
The article is up in the Archives now and must be purchased in order to read it. Much older stories remain accessible under regular news.
Monday, December 28, 2009
What Remains?
The Nutcracker is over but the wounds created still are visible. Jessica, who was so exuberant at the parents meeting when David was fired, has been let go. I wonder how she feels after being recruited by Maria to do all the work of the show only to be used as a scapegoat when the smoke cleared. If she had asked anyone who had been around for a while they would have told her. Did Maria ever mention her partner Beth when talking about HER studio in the past. doubtful! Did anyone ever see Maria lift a hand to help in any way with a show in the past, that wasn't her job I guess. I really like a comment that Daphne president of the board said, "I was told I only had to help with fund raisers", well Daphne that was when David was doing all of the work.
I think Mrs Pippas and Mr Beach were in for more than they bargained for as well.
So now, Maria has students teaching classes and a teacher taking a spot in the show from a student. Students are being forced to only take classes at Her studio. That way there can be no contention or strife, the students will only be exposed to her San Juan style of Ballet. They are also subjected to her tyrannical style of teaching, berating and mentally abusing the students until they feel she and only she is the well from which all ballet springs.
So, now Columbus is stuck with her until CSU and the "board" can decide what to do. She won't be easy to get rid of. She is motivated to stay so her daughter can have a place to dance. I hope for everyone's sake the contract isn't a long one.
Columbus State University, a small community college formed to provide a need in the community. Well they certainly seemed to have grown too big for their britches as my grandfather would have said. They wanted the Rankin Center for another purpose. Is it a semi-professional ballet company as Maria and the board think or is it for something else. Rumors have been flying that CSU wants to expand its theater department with music theater. Now wouldn't the space at the Rankin just be perfect for that. If that is the case why didn't they just ask the Columbus Ballet to leave? Give them notice and let them find another place. Why destroy something good in the community?
I wonder what other independent local organizations or even business's might be in the sights of CSU's dreams of expansion.
I think Mrs Pippas and Mr Beach were in for more than they bargained for as well.
So now, Maria has students teaching classes and a teacher taking a spot in the show from a student. Students are being forced to only take classes at Her studio. That way there can be no contention or strife, the students will only be exposed to her San Juan style of Ballet. They are also subjected to her tyrannical style of teaching, berating and mentally abusing the students until they feel she and only she is the well from which all ballet springs.
So, now Columbus is stuck with her until CSU and the "board" can decide what to do. She won't be easy to get rid of. She is motivated to stay so her daughter can have a place to dance. I hope for everyone's sake the contract isn't a long one.
Columbus State University, a small community college formed to provide a need in the community. Well they certainly seemed to have grown too big for their britches as my grandfather would have said. They wanted the Rankin Center for another purpose. Is it a semi-professional ballet company as Maria and the board think or is it for something else. Rumors have been flying that CSU wants to expand its theater department with music theater. Now wouldn't the space at the Rankin just be perfect for that. If that is the case why didn't they just ask the Columbus Ballet to leave? Give them notice and let them find another place. Why destroy something good in the community?
I wonder what other independent local organizations or even business's might be in the sights of CSU's dreams of expansion.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Servant Leadership
A friend asked that I post this anonymously. They felt it was too long and would get lost under comments.
Servant Leadership
As the events of the Nutcracker weekend unfolded, I found myself reflecting on leadership styles. It was particularly enlightening to recall the fact that our organization is associated with CSU, and that one of CSU's primary emphases is the concept of servant leadership. (Yes, the element of irony is ever-present....)
"A cornerstone of our values at Columbus State University is servant leadership; effective, ethical leadership through empowerment and service," said CSU President Tim Mescon. (2/11/2009, CSU website.)
I thought to myself, ok, if servant leadership is the emphasis here, let's try to find out what it is, where it came from, and apply it to this last weekend.
The basic definition of SL points to a philosophy of leadership that seeks first to meet the needs of those being led, in order to facilitate their growth as persons. Ok, sounds good. But where did this idea come from? Hmm....well, since our current leadership chooses to start performances with PRAYER, maybe we should look to scripture. In Matthew 20, Jesus states, "...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
But how is this different from the standard way of doing things? "Unlike leadership approaches with a top-down hierarchical style, servant leadership instead emphasizes collaboration, trust, empathy, and the ETHICAL USE OF POWER. At heart, the individual is a servant first, making the conscious decision to lead in order to better serve others, NOT TO INCREASE THEIR OWN POWER." Hmmm....
So, it seems that doing things this way would reflect how CSU would like to see things done. Let's see how this played out with one particular case study from this weekend.
We all know how tirelessly Becky White has served us all for the last several years in her organization of the cast party. We have been fed lavishly abundantly every year, and this year's spread was particularly sumptuous and beautifully presented. Becky has served us all with a sweet and loving spirit.
How wonderful it was, therefore, that Becky had the joy of seeing her baby as Clara this year! Imagine the excitement for child and parents; the pride and happiness; the hard work and demanding schedules which were endured simply for the joy of it all. This was the biggest thing that had ever happened to this precious little girl.
Her loving parents, being proud and excited, spent $106 on a custom bouquet when the current leadership told her that she needed to bring flowers to be presented. They brought the flowers, but the flowers were carelessly thrown in a pile in the child's dressing room without their knowledge or permission, and s simpler bouquet was handed backwards to the child--not even face to face with a smile--thereby minimizing what should have been a special moment for Tricia.
Why could Tricia not have had her parent's flowers given to her? Clara is in a class by herself; she is not competing with, let's say, the director's daughter. No one in the audience is going to sit there comparing people's flowers, and no one of any older age, even a teenage girl, could get upset at a little girl getting nice flowers from her parents.
This stingy, mean-spirited, uncaring, and petty act was the thanks Becky was given for all her years of service to us, and may very well be her last hurtful memory of the Columbus Ballet.
So, what did all this result in? A mother who was denied the opportunity to have her daughter either receive onstage or personally from her parents the gorgeous flowers she had bought her child on the biggest night of her life, was left, as a reward for all her loving efforts and support of our production, sad, weary, and frustrated at being lied to and reneged on at the 11th hour.
Uh, wait....what about servant leadership?????????? Wasn't there something in there about leadership serving those under them to facilitate their success and serve their needs?
I'd like to know exactly what need was being met by denying Tricia the flowers her parents had been told to buy for her. I certainly don't see "collaboration, trust, empathy, and the ethical use of power" being exhibited here.
Anyone care to Comment?
(P.S.--Another whole dissertation could be written on the subject of servant leadership as truly exemplified by David Herriot.)
Servant Leadership
As the events of the Nutcracker weekend unfolded, I found myself reflecting on leadership styles. It was particularly enlightening to recall the fact that our organization is associated with CSU, and that one of CSU's primary emphases is the concept of servant leadership. (Yes, the element of irony is ever-present....)
"A cornerstone of our values at Columbus State University is servant leadership; effective, ethical leadership through empowerment and service," said CSU President Tim Mescon. (2/11/2009, CSU website.)
I thought to myself, ok, if servant leadership is the emphasis here, let's try to find out what it is, where it came from, and apply it to this last weekend.
The basic definition of SL points to a philosophy of leadership that seeks first to meet the needs of those being led, in order to facilitate their growth as persons. Ok, sounds good. But where did this idea come from? Hmm....well, since our current leadership chooses to start performances with PRAYER, maybe we should look to scripture. In Matthew 20, Jesus states, "...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
But how is this different from the standard way of doing things? "Unlike leadership approaches with a top-down hierarchical style, servant leadership instead emphasizes collaboration, trust, empathy, and the ETHICAL USE OF POWER. At heart, the individual is a servant first, making the conscious decision to lead in order to better serve others, NOT TO INCREASE THEIR OWN POWER." Hmmm....
So, it seems that doing things this way would reflect how CSU would like to see things done. Let's see how this played out with one particular case study from this weekend.
We all know how tirelessly Becky White has served us all for the last several years in her organization of the cast party. We have been fed lavishly abundantly every year, and this year's spread was particularly sumptuous and beautifully presented. Becky has served us all with a sweet and loving spirit.
How wonderful it was, therefore, that Becky had the joy of seeing her baby as Clara this year! Imagine the excitement for child and parents; the pride and happiness; the hard work and demanding schedules which were endured simply for the joy of it all. This was the biggest thing that had ever happened to this precious little girl.
Her loving parents, being proud and excited, spent $106 on a custom bouquet when the current leadership told her that she needed to bring flowers to be presented. They brought the flowers, but the flowers were carelessly thrown in a pile in the child's dressing room without their knowledge or permission, and s simpler bouquet was handed backwards to the child--not even face to face with a smile--thereby minimizing what should have been a special moment for Tricia.
Why could Tricia not have had her parent's flowers given to her? Clara is in a class by herself; she is not competing with, let's say, the director's daughter. No one in the audience is going to sit there comparing people's flowers, and no one of any older age, even a teenage girl, could get upset at a little girl getting nice flowers from her parents.
This stingy, mean-spirited, uncaring, and petty act was the thanks Becky was given for all her years of service to us, and may very well be her last hurtful memory of the Columbus Ballet.
So, what did all this result in? A mother who was denied the opportunity to have her daughter either receive onstage or personally from her parents the gorgeous flowers she had bought her child on the biggest night of her life, was left, as a reward for all her loving efforts and support of our production, sad, weary, and frustrated at being lied to and reneged on at the 11th hour.
Uh, wait....what about servant leadership?????????? Wasn't there something in there about leadership serving those under them to facilitate their success and serve their needs?
I'd like to know exactly what need was being met by denying Tricia the flowers her parents had been told to buy for her. I certainly don't see "collaboration, trust, empathy, and the ethical use of power" being exhibited here.
Anyone care to Comment?
(P.S.--Another whole dissertation could be written on the subject of servant leadership as truly exemplified by David Herriot.)
Merry Christmas Everyone
The 2009 Nutcracker is history. The events leading up to it have been well chronicled here and will remain posted for anyone interested. Following the most recent comments I feel my job here is done. My goals were to illuminate CSU's manipulations of the Columbus Ballet, and to give those conspirators a little taste of the personal attacks they had launched upon Mr. Herriott. The goals soon evolved into exposing the actions of the new directors as the Nutcracker neared. With much help I feel my goals were met.
It is December and Christmas will be here in a blink. Wrongs were committed, passions were stirred, things were said that left a bruise. (the truth isn't always pretty) From a quiet corner in the north east of Huntsville came a brief request. Let it go.
I want it understood from the start that Mr. Herriott had nothing to do with this blog. I started this because of my wife's love of ballet and my love for her. The conspirators never guessed when they launched their attacks on Mr. Herriott that anything like this would happen. He is much too much a gentleman and they were sure he would create no disturbance in any way. I, on the other hand, was unfettered by the threat of retaliation or attacks upon my character. However, when he askes me to let it go, I comply.
So, unless something unprescedented occurs, this will be my last post. I will continue to post any comments that I deem applicable.
Thanks again for your support.
Ward Joines
It is December and Christmas will be here in a blink. Wrongs were committed, passions were stirred, things were said that left a bruise. (the truth isn't always pretty) From a quiet corner in the north east of Huntsville came a brief request. Let it go.
I want it understood from the start that Mr. Herriott had nothing to do with this blog. I started this because of my wife's love of ballet and my love for her. The conspirators never guessed when they launched their attacks on Mr. Herriott that anything like this would happen. He is much too much a gentleman and they were sure he would create no disturbance in any way. I, on the other hand, was unfettered by the threat of retaliation or attacks upon my character. However, when he askes me to let it go, I comply.
So, unless something unprescedented occurs, this will be my last post. I will continue to post any comments that I deem applicable.
Thanks again for your support.
Ward Joines
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Don't forget the Real Deadline
You might have heard its the 15th, maybe even from Jessica or Maria, but the REAL DEADLINE is December 11.
If you don't withdraw by then you will be charged for next year.
Quality people
If you don't withdraw by then you will be charged for next year.
Quality people
SECURITY ALERT
It seems the RiverCenter security have been told to be on high alert. Has there been a bomb threat...NO. Have parents been seen carrying in sporks...NO. Are they worried that Melissa will set the place on fire...MAYBE.
A very overstressed tight-lipped Mr. Drew Beach was overheard saying "its because of the air horns, THE AIR HORNS. They must have heard about the air horns. I don't know how it leaked out. (picture the green-eyed man here from the movie Blot rubbing his hands together and frowning wickedly)
So, in order to diffuse a potentially explosive situation, I am asking everyone to PLEASE leave your air horns at home...And extinguish all smoking materials...prior to entering the RiverCenter
A very overstressed tight-lipped Mr. Drew Beach was overheard saying "its because of the air horns, THE AIR HORNS. They must have heard about the air horns. I don't know how it leaked out. (picture the green-eyed man here from the movie Blot rubbing his hands together and frowning wickedly)
So, in order to diffuse a potentially explosive situation, I am asking everyone to PLEASE leave your air horns at home...And extinguish all smoking materials...prior to entering the RiverCenter
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