Working as the artistic director for Columbia's premiere ballet company comes with a unique set of challenges. This season William Starrett, Executive and Artistic Director of the Columbia City Ballet, is tasked with making an old play new. On Saturday, Jan. 27, the Columbia City Ballet will perform its fifth rendition under Starrett's direction of one of Shakespeare's classics: "A Midsummer Night’s Dream."
"The currents change. It's like in the olden days you could repeat something four times, but today I don't even barely want to see it the second time," Starrett said. "It's got to be better ... and bigger."
Previously a dancer with Joffrey Ballet, a prestigious dance company based in Chicago, Starrett first came to Columbia as a performer in a 1977 production of "A Midsummer Night’s Dream." Now, ten years later, he has created his own version of the production.
Though Starrett has shown his adaptation multiple times with the Columbia City Ballet, this year will be a whole new experience. With the help of conductor Morihiko Nakahara and the full South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra, Starrett and the company will perform to live music.
“The live music makes it a more enjoyable experience because the artist and the orchestra are creating the music in that moment and then the dancers are interpreting that music that you’re hearing,” Starrett said.
The audience, for example, may hear a violin at the same time they see a dancer’s movement — a symmetry Starrett hopes will bring deeper meaning to the story.
Starrett said modern sound equipment can mimic live music at a less expensive price, but the orchestra creates an in-the-moment experience that can never be recreated.
“The dancers are bringing the music to life and so you’re seeing the music interpreted physically by the human spirit and the human body,” he said.
Although the bare bones of the performance are similar every year, Starrett takes special consideration to make each year's choreography unique. The last five shows have featured different dancers and Starrett adjusts his choreography to fit their strengths. He also refines his work with each rendition and adapts them to current trends.
“When I hear music, I see the movement and the moods within the music are very clear to me,” he said. "I've really worked hard at that, and so I hope the audience sees that."
Starrett also hopes to show audiences Columbia's artistic talent. Living in a small metropolitan area, he believes many people forget about the opportunities to engage with art in their own backyard.
“My challenge is always that I want clarity for the audience so it’s fun for them and they don’t have to work too hard and they can just really enjoy the process,” Starrett said.
Above all, Starrett hopes the show and all of his work with Columbia City Ballet inspires the city and gives people a way to invest in the community.
“I want everyone to discover and love ballet as much as I do,” Starrett said. "That's my whole existence ... That's why I'm on the planet."