Guest Writer: Suzie Cadey, Special Events Manager
On October 8, more than 600 guests joined together to kick off the 2014 Houston Ballet Ball, chaired by S. Shawn Stephens, at an extravagant celebration at the Galleria. The ice rink, covered with layers of protection, was transformed into an elegant and dazzling environment complete with food stations, bars, lounge furniture, and chandeliers.
© Gary Fountain and David Rossman.
On October 8, more than 600 guests joined together to kick off the 2014 Houston Ballet Ball, chaired by S. Shawn Stephens, at an extravagant celebration at the Galleria. The ice rink, covered with layers of protection, was transformed into an elegant and dazzling environment complete with food stations, bars, lounge furniture, and chandeliers.
The Ballet Ball, themed La Mille et Deuxième Nuit, or “The Thousand and Second Night,” will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2014, at the Wortham Theater Center. The exotic theme will usher in the American premiere of David Bintley’s Aladdin the following week, and Houston Ballet dancers begin Aladdin rehearsals at the Center for Dance shortly.
Dancer: Joseph Walsh; Ballet: Aladdin; Photo by Amitava Sarkar
The kickoff celebration piqued the guests’ interest in the Ball, which offers individual tickets starting at $1,500, as well as tables starting at $15,000.
Kickoff party hostesses Carmina Zamorano and Nancy Arreguin, co-owners of Carnan Properties, which celebrated its Houston grand opening during the evening, spared no expense in providing guests with a one-of-a-kind event.
© Gary Fountain and David Rossman
Seventeen Academy students, dressed in costumes from Houston Ballet’s American premiere of Aladdin (February 20 – March 2, 2014), performed a “costume parade” in the exquisite Sue Blane-designed costumes never before seen in the U.S.
Guests were also entertained by the performance by two majestic Lusitano horses, which shared the floor with the Academy students, and who pranced to the same music. Rafael Chavez, Zamorano’s husband, breeds and trains the beautiful horses at Haras dos Cavaleiros in Magnolia.
© Gary Fountain and David Rossman
A cocktail hour included a lavish spread from Zamorano’s Haras Catering, as well as wines from the family vineyards in Spain.
De Beers Jewelers, which is donating a stunning $20,000 necklace to the Ball auction, provided more than $1 million in diamond jewelry for the hostesses, Ball chair Stephens, and emcees KPRC’s Dominique Sachse and KHOU’s Katherine Whaley.
© Gary Fountain and David Rossman
In attendance were Lynn Wyatt, Beth Muecke, Nick Florescu, Jim Jordan, Diane Lokey Farb, Kristy Bradshaw, Diane and Phil Bazelides, Phoebe Tudor, Patti Murphy, and Philamena and Arthur Baird, among many other Ballet patrons.
© Gary Fountain and David Rossman.
© Gary Fountain and David Rossman
For more information about the Ball, contact Suzie Cadey at (713) 535-3230, or scadey@houstonballet.org
