Response to Comments

I have been asked to show what qualifications I have to judge a good Ballet Artistic Director from a poor one.

Absolutely none!

However, the numerous disgruntled customers, as you call them, do. People who have been involved with ballet for more than twice your few years. Don't get me wrong, its a good question. Even without the opinions of those with many years experience the facts are the facts. Mrs. Hirsch strove to develop a program for TEN years with only marginal success. Mr. Herriott brought the program from about 50 students to 250.

I am sure that the enrollment will have greatly diminished since she has taken over. Students are being demoted in the company for no reason. Parents are being told they cannot wait upstairs and watch the children dance. Customers will not stand themselves or their children being treated in these manners.

You are young and you do not realize the implications of the slanderous letter that was anonymously sent out about Mr. Herriott. Mr. Herriott obviously lost his job because of these lies, but it could possibly limit his future employment as well. Its not like he has another skill he can fall back on. If you read his resume I posted, you will see that Ballet is his life. Not just teaching ballet to a few high school girls after work, but starting with small children teaching them the basics which will develop into the skills needed to become true dancers.

You see him simply as a ballet teacher. However, being both Artistic Director and Executive Director for a school with 250 students is daunting. Having a non-profit company means that you have to stay within many guidelines set forth by the IRS. In order to raise money you have to be understanding and savvy enough to write grants which enable the company to obtain funds for costumes and sets which are very expensive. You have to be able to manage not just your time but the time of your students and their parents so that everyone gets the classes they need and want. You have to be a true master of the dance being able to teach and choreograph performances. Then you must manage the rehearsals and everything needed to put on the performance.

He was trapped between two masters, Columbus State University and the Columbus Ballet Conservatory. The desires of each were not always the same.

Do not dare say the Columbus Ballet has done the responsible thing. Seven week before the largest performance of the year they fired the Artistic Director who wrote the choreography that was to be performed. There is absolutely no reason that would justify the timing.

My reasons for this blog. To shed light onto the subject. The lies have not been sent out in the mail by me, no that was done by a few backstabbing cowards. No I have just voiced my opinions here on my little corner of the web.

Thanks for the input