South Carolina Ballet

South Carolina Ballet is the state's leading professional ballet company, founded in 1961 as Columbia City Ballet by a group of citizens led by Ann Brodie. The company presented its first performance that same year, followed by its first full-length Nutcracker production in 1966. Over the following decades, the company expanded its classical repertoire to include The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Swan Lake, and Coppelia under Brodie's artistic direction.

In 1986, William Starrett became Artistic Director and relocated the company to its current headquarters in the Columbia Conservatory of Dance building at the corner of Main and Taylor Streets. Starrett transformed the small civic ballet troupe into a fully professional company with world-class ambitions. The company now maintains an aggressive touring schedule across South Carolina, regularly performing in Sumter, Charleston, Florence, Lancaster, and Hartsville, as well as appearances in Savannah, Georgia, Hamlet, North Carolina, and Avon Park, Florida. The company has toured to 11 different states and has earned national recognition.

In recognition of this expanded reach and to avoid confusion with 29 other cities named Columbia, the company rebranded to South Carolina Ballet while preserving its rich history and core values. The rebranding reflects the company's growth into a critically acclaimed organisation and one of South Carolina's cultural ambassadors.

The company's professional dancers rehearse daily in the Ann Brodie Studio on Main Street. Mariclare Miranda, the company's only Prima Ballerina in its history, continues to teach company class and coach dancers for specific roles. The 2026–2027 season features mixed repertoire productions including Disco Inferno, Dracula: Ballet with a Bite, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Off the Wall & Onto the Stage: Dancing the Art of Jonathan Green. The company also invites young dancers to audition for children's roles in professional productions.

Educational programs and community initiatives reach audiences across South Carolina and the Southeast. Season memberships offer priority seating and discounts, with special events including preshow receptions and themed teas throughout the season.

South Carolina Ballet performs at the Koger Center for the Arts in Columbia. You can attend full-length classical ballets, contemporary mixed repertoire productions, and special themed events including preshow receptions and tea parties. The company draws from over 60 years of ballet tradition and maintains professional standards across all performances.

William Starrett is CEO and Artistic Director. Mariclare Miranda, the company's Prima Ballerina and only prima ballerina in its history, serves as Company Instructor and Repetiteur. Miranda teaches company class and coaches dancers for specific roles in the company's repertoire. Miranda Bailey is Ballet Mistress.