The School of American Ballet’s 2013 WINTER BALL: A Night in the Far East Raised More Than $1.1 Million for Scholarships and School Programs at the David H. Koch Theater.

The evening, sponsored by legendary French Maison Van Cleef & Arpels, began with cocktails at 7pm and dinner at 8pm, followed by a one-time-only performance, and The Encore dessert and dancing…..

“We are thrilled to announce that we achieved our goal of $1.1 million. The overwhelming generosity of our sponsor Van Cleef as well as our attendees and donors made for a fantastic celebration last night,” shares Margie Van Dercook, executive director of The School of American Ballet. “Their much-appreciated donations will provide scholarships to aspiring young dancers as well as support the School’s student life programs.”

This glamorous annual dinner dance was attended more than 400 patrons, including the School’s board members and alumni as well as leaders from the New York corporate and social communities. Notable attendees included: Corporate Chair Nicolas Luchsinger; Honorary Chairs Coco Kopelman, Elizabeth R. Miller, Liz Peek, and Betsy Pitts; Event Chairs Diana DiMenna, Julia Koch, Jenny Paulson, Laura Zeckendorf; and Young Patron Chairs Amanda Brotman, Brie Bythewood, Ann-Marie MacFarlane, and William Yang, as well as Peter Martins, Jock Soto, Darci Kistler, Ashley Bouder, Jared Angle, Rebecca Krohn, Kay Mazzo, Mikhail Baryshnikov & Lisa Rinehart, Kyle Blackmon, Fe Fendi, John Galantic, Carolina Herrera, David Koch, Arie L. Kopelman, Alexandra Lebenthal, Tom Murro, John Paulson, Kelly Rutherford, Will Zeckendorf.

A highlight of the evening was a one-time-only performance by the advanced students of The School of American Ballet choreographed by Silas Farley, who was selected by Peter Martins, Artistic Chairman of The School of American Ballet. “Silas delivered just as I expected and that is why I asked him. It was wonderful!” said Mr. Martins.

A brilliant tableau by Van Cleef & Arpels with Ron Wendt Design greeted guests as they entered to evoke the ambiance of the Far East with a vivid tableaux vivant featuring pieces from the Van Cleef & Arpels collection. Created by Ron Wendt Design, the décor of the 2013 Winter Ball evoked the colors and ornaments of the Baron Alexis de Redé’s 1969 Le Bal Oriental, held at the Hotel Lambert in Paris.

The dinner began with peking duck rolls with plum sauce and an Asian salad, followed by chicken curry, mango chutney and cucumber raita, basmati rick with raisins and almonds, and cumin glazed vegetables. Dessert was pomegranate ice cream with chocolate crumble and crystallized ginger cookies.

For the sixth consecutive year, Van Cleef & Arpels was the lead corporate sponsor of the gala, with Corporate Chair Nicolas Luchsinger. This momentous occasion salutes the storied friendship between SAB’s founder George Balanchine and Van Cleef & Arpels founder Claude Arpels. Following dinner, 200 of the city’s most sophisticated philanthropic young professionals joined the Winter Ball for The Encore is the Winter Ball after-party, with dancing and dessert.

The event was headed by Honorary Chairs Coco Kopelman, Elizabeth R. Miller, Liz Peek, and Betsy Pitts; Event Chairs Diana DiMenna, Julia Koch, Jenny Paulson, and Laura Zeckendorf; and Young Patron Chairs Amanda Brotman, Brie Bythewood, Ann-Marie MacFarlane, and William Yang. Proceeds from the Winter Ball enable SAB to award scholarships, maintain world-class studios and residence halls, and offer vital student programs beyond the ballet studio.

ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF AMERICAN BALLET:

The School of American Ballet, the official training academy of the New York City Ballet, was established in 1934 by legendary choreographer George Balanchine and philanthropist Lincoln Kirstein as the first and most essential step in their quest to create an American classical ballet company.

SAB, located at New York City’s Lincoln Center, is the premier ballet academy in the United States, training more students who go on to become professional dancers than any other school. SAB’s former students fill the ranks of the New York City Ballet and other leading U.S. and international ballet companies.

Silas Farley is one of a select group of SAB advanced students who was recently chosen by Peter Martins to begin their professional dance careers as apprentices at New York City Ballet. Silas, who hails from Charlotte, North Carolina, and has been dancing since the age of 7, is an avid dancemaker who has been choreographing since childhood. A student at SAB since age 14, he has further expanded his choreographic skills through his enthusiastic participation in SAB’s annual Student Choreography Workshop; and in the summer of 2012 he was tapped by Peter Martins to choreograph at the Summer Session of the New York Choreographic Institute. Silas was a recipient of SAB’s 2012 Mae L. Wien Award for Outstanding Promise and graduated from New York’s Professional Children’s School with the Jeffrey Lawrence Award for Excellence in all Subjects. Now 18, he was profiled last October in Vogue.

**Party photo credits: Erin Baiano, above photo Rosalie O’Connor