Peter Martins with School of American Ballet students.
On
March 9, 2009, The School of American Ballet celebrated their Winter
Ball which this year also served as their 75th Anniversary of
the school. This glamorous black-tie dinner dance at Lincoln
Center's David H. Koch Theater was attended by over 400 patrons,
including the School's board members and alumni. The Encore was
the Winter Ball's after-party which after dinner,
200 of the city's philanthropic chic young professionals joined
guests for dancing and dessert. A highlight of the Winter Ball was
a pièce d'occasion performed by the School's
students, choreographed by Adam Hendrickson (SAB alumnus and New
York City Ballet Soloist).
To honor the School's 75th Anniversary, Van Cleef & Arpels
created a special Award of Excellence named after Claude Arpels,
whose friendship with SAB co-founder George Balanchine inspired the
ballet “Jewels” in 1967. The first award, which
will become annual, was presented to George Balanchine posthumously
and was accepted by SAB artistic director Peter Martins.
Over $800,000 has been raised to support The School of American
Ballet. Proceeds from the Winter Ball are used to award scholarships,
maintain state-of-the-art studios and a residence hall, and offer
vital student programs beyond the studio.
The Founding chairmen are Coco Kopelman, Liz Peek. The chairmen
are Effie Fribourg, Robert Fribourg and Pamela J. Joyner. Nicolas
Luchsinger is Corporate chairman. Chelsea Clinton, Stacey Bendet
Eisner, and Kate Davidson Hudson are Young Patron chairmen. Sara
Mearns, Katie Peek, Amar Ramasar, and Alexis Tobin are Encore chairmen.
Notable Attendees included: Penn Badgley (Gossip Girl), Chelsea
Clinton, Robert Couturier, Alexandra Lebenthal and Jay Diamond, Stacey
Bendet Eisner (Fashion Designer, Alice + Olivia) and Eric Eisner,
Dani Evans (Winner of America's Next Top Model cycle
6), Susan Fales-Hill, Effie and Robert Fribourg, Carole Divet Harting
and Bruce Harting, Kate Davidson Hudson and Patrick Hudson, Pamela
J. Joyner, Jill and Harry Kargman, Nathalie Kaplan, Coco and Ari
Kopelman, Blake Lively (Gossip Girl), Nicolas Luchsinger
(Van Cleef & Arpels Store Manager), Peter Martins (Artistic Director
and Chairman of Faculty) and Darci Kistler (Principal Dancer NYCB/SAB
teacher), Gillian Miniter, Sara Mearns (Principal Dancer NYCB), Moby,
Philip Neal (Principal Dancer NYCB), Sarah Jessica Parker, Liz and
Jeff Peek, Katie Peek, Laura Poretzky (Fashion Designer, Abaeté),
Amar Ramasar (Soloist NYCB), Desiree Rogers (White House Social Secretary),
Jonathan Stafford (Principal dancer NYCB/SAB teacher), Jock Soto
(SAB Teacher, former NYCB Principal dancer), Crystle Stewart (Miss
USA 2008), Alexis Tobin, and Zang Toi (Fashion Designer).
