Star couple to leave Ballet Pacifica

More trouble for Orange County’s Ballet Pacifica: Husband and wife John Gardner and Amanda McKerrow, former dancers with American Ballet Theatre, will leave their administrative posts with the Irvine-based company when their contracts are up at the end of July.

Last year, Ballet Pacifica hired ABT star Ethan Stiefel as artistic director and announced big plans to restructure, raise money and hire 20 to 25 permanent dancers to raise the profile of the 46-year-old troupe. To that end, Stiefel hired McKerrow and Gardner as ballet mistress and associate director, respectively.

But last month, the company canceled its planned 2006-07 season because of fund-raising woes and then Stiefel resigned, calling the cancellation of the season -- already 18 months into the planning stages and slated to begin rehearsals in September -- the key factor in his decision. Company executive director Thomas Gulick also resigned, with businesswoman Melody Wolfgram stepping in as interim management director.

-- Diane Haithman