Announcements

The Carolina Carillon Board of Directors is pleased to announce this year's Grand Marshal, Mr. William Starrett!

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William Starrett is a NANOE-certified Nonprofit Executive and serves as Chief Executive Officer and Artistic Director of South Carolina Ballet. The 2026-2027 Performance Season marks his 40th year as Artistic Director with the Company, having first appeared as a guest artist in 1977. Over the course of his tenure, he has held virtually every major artistic and executive role within the organization, including Artist-in-Residence, Associate Director, Premier Danseur, Artistic Director, Executive Director, and Chief Executive Officer. Appointed Artistic Director in 1986, Mr. Starrett is only the second Artistic Director in South Carolina Ballet’s 65-year history.

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Mr. Starrett enjoyed a distinguished international performing career. In 1979, he won the bronze medal at the inaugural U.S. International Ballet Competition (USA IBC) in Jackson, Mississippi—the first medal ever awarded by the competition in the United States. He went on to become one of the world’s most prolific guest artists, performing in 29 countries and all 50 U.S. states. His appearances include many of the world’s most prestigious venues, such as Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, the New York Metropolitan Opera House, the New York State Theater, London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre, and major opera houses in San Francisco, Berlin, Monte Carlo, Buenos Aires, and Mexico City. Reflecting his continued stature in the field, Mr. Starrett was invited to return as an Adjudicator for the USA IBC in 2015 and 2023.

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As a choreographer, Mr. Starrett has been a driving artistic force for South Carolina Ballet for more than three decades. Since 1988, he has created more than 25 full-length ballets for the Company’s repertoire. He is also the founder of South Carolina Ballet’s Educational Outreach & Engagement Series and, over the past 35 years, has choreographed more than 24 educational outreach ballets. Since its inception, the Series has delivered high-quality, curriculum-driven arts education to more than half a million students.

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Beyond the stage, Mr. Starrett is widely recognized for his leadership and community impact. In 2025, he was named a Vanguard—defined as a leader at the top of their field whose influence helps put Columbia on the map—in Free Times magazine’s “Empowerment List” of Columbia’s 30 most influential people. He is a graduate of Leadership Columbia; founder of the AIDS Benefit Foundation of South Carolina; a member of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce; a Board Member of the Columbia Rotary Club; a member of the Columbia Executive & Owners Association (CEOA); and the Founding Director and principal faculty member of the Columbia Conservatory of Dance.

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Mr. Starrett is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Order of the Palmetto, the Governor’s Award for the Arts; One Columbia’s Steve Morrison Visionary Award; a 2019 Jefferson Award recognizing his extraordinary contributions to the community; and the RICE Award from the Lowcountry Rice Culture Project, honoring his exemplification of inclusion and culture.