By Ballet fan

January 19, 2011 1:58 PM | Link to this

Mr. Burke, you will be missed. You have improved our ballet company so very much.

By ballet lover

January 19, 2011 2:46 PM | Link to this

Mr. Burke has made his mark. It’s time for a fresh view, new ideas and goals for the company. Why doesn’t Dayton Ballet look outside the company for new direction? That’s what the company really needs. Karen Burke, as artistic director, is going to be just like Dermot Burke, just watered down. We need FRESH ideas, not recycled ones. Please, please, please, do a national search, Board of Directors. It’s a huge disservice to your dancers and audience if you don’t. You’ll be wasting an enormous opportunity.

By Best Wishes

January 19, 2011 6:20 PM | Link to this

Best wishes on your retirement and thanks for your service to the arts in Dayton! Ballet Lover: my husband and I share many interests and opinions, but if anyone ever called me a “watered down” version of my husband, I’d be insulted!

By TFOL61

January 19, 2011 6:26 PM | Link to this

All the best in your retirement. I am sad to see you go.

By balletchica2009

January 19, 2011 7:15 PM | Link to this

So sad to hear Mr. Burke is leaving. However, it would’ve been nice if the article about him and the Dayton Ballet had some correct information—such as that they have 3 children, not 4, a woman in the studio is a ballet ‘mistress’, NOT a ‘master’, and Mr. Burke is actually 63, and has been at Dayton Ballet for 19, not 18 years. Given all the inaccuracies, I bet the salary has been overestimated as well. Hope the Dayton Ballet will continue to succeed in the future.

By art fan

January 19, 2011 8:00 PM | Link to this

I completely agree with ballet lover. This is a sad day for the Dayton Ballet in many ways. Dermot Burke did a tremendous job in keeping the company alive, especially over the last few years with the state of the economy. However, it is even more sad that they did not hire someone from outside the company. They really need to bring in someone who will be more progressive and tap into the potential that the Dayton Ballet has. This is unfortunately not going to happen with who they have hired. I feel bad for the company and the dancers who have to endure this.

By sam

January 19, 2011 10:36 PM | Link to this

Best wishes to Mr. Burke, however I disagree with the statements before me regarding Karen Burke as a “watered-down” version on Mr. Burke. If you have actually been to the ballet and watched their different performances you would know that they are different styles. Mr. Burke has put together wonderful pieces involving traditional ballet movement (not saying of his pieces are traditional), and Karen’s pieces involve more intricate weaving of dancers, different patterns and movements. Mr. Burke has done an unbelievable with the tools at hand with the ballet and I believe that Karen will do a tremendous job and I am looking forward of the year to come.

By sam

January 19, 2011 10:41 PM | Link to this

Best wishes to Mr. Burke, however I disagree with the statements before me regarding Karen Burke as a “watered-down” version on Mr. Burke. If you have actually been to the ballet and watched their different performances you would know that they are different styles. Mr. Burke has put together wonderful pieces involving traditional ballet movement (not saying of his pieces are traditional), and Karen’s pieces involve more intricate weaving of dancers, different patterns and movements. Mr. Burke has done an unbelievable with the tools at hand with the ballet and I believe that Karen will do a tremendous job and I am looking forward of the year to come.

By luke

January 19, 2011 10:42 PM | Link to this

Best wishes to Mr. Burke, however I disagree with the statements before me regarding Karen Burke as a “watered-down” version on Mr. Burke. If you have actually been to the ballet and watched their different performances you would know that they are different styles. Mr. Burke has put together wonderful pieces involving traditional ballet movement (not saying of his pieces are traditional), and Karen’s pieces involve more intricate weaving of dancers, different patterns and movements. Mr. Burke has done an unbelievable with the tools at hand with the ballet and I believe that Karen will do a tremendous job and I am looking forward of the year to come.

By same

January 19, 2011 10:56 PM | Link to this

Best wishes to Mr. Burke, however I disagree with the statements before me regarding Karen Burke as a “watered-down” version on Mr. Burke. If you have actually been to the ballet and watched their different performances you would know that they are different styles. Mr. Burke has put together wonderful pieces involving traditional ballet movement (not saying of his pieces are traditional), and Karen’s pieces involve more intricate weaving of dancers, different patterns and movements. Mr. Burke has done an unbelievable with the tools at hand with the ballet and I believe that Karen will do a tremendous job and I am looking forward of the year to come.

By hopeful

January 20, 2011 9:32 AM | Link to this

In hopes of Dayton Ballet someday returning to the high caliber of dancers and artists it had over a decade ago, my husband and I are deeply saddened by this news. We had been avid followers and supporters of the ballet until some of our favorite performers left the company. The economy and Mr. Burke have depleted a lot of what made Dayton Ballet so spectacular. What a poor choice in just appointing someone and not holding a search. We imagine the possibilities of applicants was probably threatening to the current leaders of the company. This could have been a huge turn around for the Dayton Ballet. Ms. Russo-Burke has created some nice work on the company, but can she lead? We will all be anxiously awaiting and hopeful!

By Edward

January 20, 2011 10:25 AM | Link to this

Folks, the Ballet is catered towards a very niche market. The general population is not interested in going to the ballet; today’s society does not have the patience in this fast-paced world. The Ballet company would be better suited to pack up its things and find another city that would appreciate its worth.

By Ohio Dancer

January 20, 2011 12:55 PM | Link to this

It’s a poor idea, balletchica2009, to set oneself up as an expert, when one’s own knowledge is sadly lacking: “a woman in the studio is a ballet ‘mistress’, NOT a ‘master’.” Using the term “ballet mistress” is an outmoded convention and most ballet companies have used “ballet master” for both male and female rehearsal coaches for many, many years.

By t

January 21, 2011 10:11 PM | Link to this

The Dayton ballet is such a special place- I only knew it with Dermot at the Helm- I wish him and Karen and Kathy and the very special Dayton Ballet all the best.

By d8tnrts

January 24, 2011 1:38 PM | Link to this

I have to say that I am surprised at the lack of professionalism that the Board of Directors of the Dayton Ballet is showing, by not conducting an appropriate search for a new director. The Board has a fiduciary responsibility to the Ballet. That responsibility is not being taken seriously. I feel that the arts community and all those who have donated to the Ballet, need to come together and voice their disappointment. If the Board of Directors is not willing to accept the responsibility that they have signed up for , then the community needs to force the issue.

By Long-time Subscriber

January 25, 2011 1:35 PM | Link to this

The Dayton Ballet’s Board of Directors has done a grave disservice to the company and to ballet lovers by appointing Karen Russo, Dermot Burke’s wife, as the new Artistic Director. In doing so, the Board is apparently endorsing the policies that have led to steadily declining ticket sales and a shrunken company. If the Board continues in this fashion it will continue to lose the support of the Dayton arts community.

By JP

January 25, 2011 1:50 PM | Link to this

We all remember when Dayton Ballet had a national and even international reputation as an exemplary regional ballet company. Not any more. Now it isn’t even worthy of a review or an article in the Dayton Daily News. Is the Board of Directors not aware of this? Do they not see the need to reassess what has happened administratively or artistically and seek change by looking for new directors outside the present staff?

By dbcalum

January 25, 2011 6:34 PM | Link to this

Does the word nepotism mean anything to the Board of Directors of the Dayton Ballet? That one word should be enough to make the Board do an objective search for an new director, and Mrs. Burke should remove herself from consideration since her husband is the acting executive and artistic director. Nepotism should never be allowed by a board of directors of a non-profit receiving public funds because it puts other employees or potential employees at a disadvantage. In my long ballet career, I saw it happen twice, and it was never fair, never objective and always led to poor morale and outcomes for the company until the nepotism was corrected. Case in point: How many dancers, artistic and administrative staff lost their jobs in the last couple of years when Mrs. Burke got to keep hers, especially when her husband was the highest paid employee of the ballet? How many of those dancers and artistic staff members lost their opportunity to move up through the ranks of the company? I am saddened and appalled that the Board of Directors of the Dayton Ballet could have allowed this kind of behavior in such an important and storied institution as the Dayton Ballet. I think Miss Jo would agree.

By DBfriend

February 1, 2011 12:29 PM | Link to this

I am flabbergasted that anyone who cares about the Dayton Ballet would disapprove of Karen Russo becoming the next Artistic Director. How could anyone object to having such an experienced, passionate, creative, and resourceful, professional guide the Dayton Ballet? How irresponsible it would be to waste precious DB funds searching for a new artistic director when the perfect candidate, Ms. Russo, is already here. I applaud the Board of Directors for showing good sense. Ms. Russo is one of the most hard-working, generous and inventive people I’ve ever known. She has her own creative style and has tirelessly applied her skills and knowledge to benefit the Dayton Ballet. Neither Ms. Russo nor Mr. Burke can control the economic climate. As with nearly every other business in the nation, difficult decisions had to be made in order for the company to survive. Mr. Burke not only kept the ship afloat, but managed to ensure quality programming as well. He will be an excellent mentor. We need to support the Ballet through this transition, not waste money and energy denying the abilities of the obviously qualified.

By art fan

February 8, 2011 11:26 PM | Link to this

First, did anyone see “Eve of Frankenstein”, a Karen Russo ballet? If so, you got a glimpse of how terrible things are going to be. It was a complete amatuer production. Second, are any of the current (or recently former) dancers exicted about this change? Go ahead and ask any of them - they are certainly not jumping for joy over this decision.

By dbcalum

February 10, 2011 11:02 PM | Link to this

To Dbfriend, How do you know Karen Russo Burke is the perfect candidate for the job until you see what other talent is interested. She could very well be at the bottom of the talent pool or the top, but how will you know until a search is done. Not doing a search deprives the company of a chance to grow. And you failed to address my comments on nepotism and the appalling manner in which Mrs. Burke aquired her new position, because they cannot be denied, and you know it. Why else has Burke and the board done this so under the radar? Furthermore, the company was deteriorating for years under Burke before the economy went into recession. Did you even notice that all talented dancers went to BalletMet or elsewhere? Speaking of BalletMet, their artistic director and board of directors seemed to navigate the recession much better than Burke and the DBC board. In fact, during the recession the board of BalletMet made a firm commitment to increase the budget over five years instead of decreasing it. Now that is leadership desperately lacking at the Dayton Ballet. No one could care more about the Dayton Ballet than me. I had my first ballet lesson from Miss Jo when I was eight and moved on to a professional career in dance years later. Burke cares more about himself than the ballet. Period.

By dbcalum

February 10, 2011 11:04 PM | Link to this

To Dbfriend, How do you know Karen Russo Burke is the perfect candidate for the job until you see what other talent is interested. She could very well be at the bottom of the talent pool or the top, but how will you know until a search is done. Not doing a search deprives the company of a chance to grow. And you failed to address my comments on nepotism and the appalling manner in which Mrs. Burke aquired her new position, because they cannot be denied, and you know it. Why else has Burke and the board done this so under the radar? Furthermore, the company was deteriorating for years under Burke before the economy went into recession. Did you even notice that all talented dancers went to BalletMet or elsewhere? Speaking of BalletMet, their artistic director and board of directors seemed to navigate the recession much better than Burke and the DBC board. In fact, during the recession the board of BalletMet made a firm commitment to increase the budget over five years instead of decreasing it. Now that is leadership desperately lacking at the Dayton Ballet. No one could care more about the Dayton Ballet than me. I had my first ballet lesson from Miss Jo when I was eight and moved on to a professional career in dance years later. Burke cares more about himself than the ballet. Period.

By abitmiffed

February 20, 2011 7:58 PM | Link to this

As I sit back and read all of the posts, a few things come to mind, some that just don’t make sense…dbcalum- Just a question - How can any readers truly value what you said if you do not give us background information on how you know all of this? Furthermore, how do we know you didn’t leave the ballet in not so great terms, which could lead to such an immature bashing post,as above? Just Wondering, a resident of dayton.

By BalletLover

February 22, 2011 11:33 AM | Link to this

What I find interesting in reading the negative posts, are those writers absolute disregard of the financial challenges presently facing arts organizations. To write that another ballet increased its BUDGET means nothing. I can increase my budget at home, but if I have no hope of increasing my paycheck, then the budget increase is merely a symbolic act that bears no resemblance to my ability to pay my bills and survive. Have the writers not read about the closure of many ballet companies including Ohio groups? Instead of being negative, you should applaud all the efforts made to keep our DB alive, and with a future. Enough with the negative bashing. You folks don’t live in the real world.

By Ballet Lover

February 22, 2011 11:47 AM | Link to this

Re Ballet Met. While doing better financially now (as is the Dayton Ballet), in Summer 2009, Ballet Met annoucned that it had frzoen salaries, laid off staff, reduced dancers from 28 to 24, decresed its budget by $500,000 and furtherfaced a season ending $400,000 deficiet. Not exactly the rosey picture portrayed by some posters for that company.

By DBFriend

February 22, 2011 11:59 AM | Link to this

Karen Russo earned her position through hard work, talent, and years of experience. To negate her skill, to say that the ballet cannot grow with Russo, simply because she is married to the former artistic director is narrow-minded nonsense. In addition, as one who supports the ballet I resent your irresponsible attitude toward spending. And have you heard about all the businesses that have left Dayton? We’re in a recession and Dayton has been hit particularly hard. Keeping the ballet going has been a real accomplishment. I smell sour grapes…

By Ballet lover

February 22, 2011 12:35 PM | Link to this

I also found offensive the statement that ALL the quality ballet dancers have left DB for other companies. Wonder if DBcalum would like to make that claim to the faces of our dancers, many of whom have been with DB for most if not all of their professional careers.

By daytonballet fan

February 26, 2011 3:23 PM | Link to this

Does anyone realize how much money would needed to be spent to conduct a search for this job. More money than the ballet has room to spent. Also with the decrease salaries, how does this job sound appealing to anyone not in the dayton community. They would have to relocate their housing for a salary that isn’t worth the move.