ABT
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Photo Credit: Alex Berliner
American Ballet Theatre’s (ABT) annual Stars Under The Stars: An Evening in Los Angeles was a glittering affair, thanks in equal parts to its location—outside underneath the stars at Jeanne and Anthony Pritzker’s Beverly Hills home—the influential attendees, and the evening’s sponsor, Piaget.
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Photo Credit: Alex Berliner
The 200 + guests mingled on the sprawling lawns of the Pritzker home, taking in the spectacular views of the city below. As in the past two years (this is the Pritzkers third year hosting), the tennis court was transformed into a magical dinner setting by Silver Birches, with Lucques providing the menu. Guests dined on a sweet corn and avocado salad and braised niman ranch beef with halibut and herb salad. A dessert buffet in the home’s inside courtyard followed the performance, where the ABT dancers joined the guests to celebrate.
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Photo Credit: Alex Berliner
Highlighting the evening was a one-night-only special performance by the world-renowned artists of American Ballet Theatre, including principal dancers Veronika Part, Hee Seo and Cory Stearns; soloists Alexandre Hammoudi, Christine Shevchenko and Devon Teuscher and Corps de Ballet members Blaine Hoven, Luciana Paris and Arron Scott, dancing selections from the company’s unrivaled repertoire including “Seven Sonatas,” “Cinderella,” “Swan Lake” and “Toccare.”
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Photo Credit: Alex Berliner
The event marked the beginning of ABT’s celebration of its 75th anniversary. Avery & Andy Barth, Dr. Richard Merkin and Laura & Jamie Rosenwald served as co-chairs for the evening, along with along with Vice-Chairs Bob Barth & Nicole Frank and Florence Sloan; benefit committee members John Bartlett, Ambassador Frank & Kathy Baxter and LeeAnn & Ron Havner. Attendees included Jane Kaczmarek, Cameron Silver, “The Insider” host Louis Aguirre, Sutton Stracke, Karyn Lovegrove, Florence Sloan, Sarah Arison, Christina Lyon, Barbara Guggenheim, Piaget North American president Larry Boland and Wendy Goldberg.
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Photo Credit: Alex Berliner
$250,000 was raised at the event; Stars Under The Stars raises funds to support the company’s extensive domestic and international touring, the creation of significant new works, and award-winning education and outreach programs, which are also held in California.
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Photo Credit: Alex Berliner