- April 25, 2024
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Allison Jones, Jean Shorr, Anne Roberts and Diana Cable
Laurie Fitch and Jeanette Paladino
Kedren Spencer dances with Aleksandr Krapivkin.
Vlatka Ivanisevic and Janet Tolbert
Barbara Schott, Vlatka Ivanisevic and Pat Golemme
Honorary Chairman and Sarasota Ballet Executive Director Joe Volpe twirls Katherine Martucci.
Elaine Tobler and Jane Sheridan
Jim Long and Marilyn Blough
Indiana Cote dances with Nicolas Moreno.
Jay Wilson and Edward Barnes
Nicolas Hemes and Jane Bermudez
Virginia Tashian dances with Edward Gonzalez.
Shirley Fein, Jim Roque and Jeannette Malachowski
Marjorie Floyd, James Jordan and Hillary Steele
A Jay Strongwater Christmas ornament — donated by Peggy Abt — was available through the auction with a minimum bid of $100.
Rachel Costin and Caroline Hennekes
Rick and Linda Crootof with Marc and Paula Rose
Andre Roy plays the seven-string guitar for attendees.
Rick Waid and Kevin Steele
Gudrun and Jorgen Graugaard
Tom Ellison and Andre Roy of The Royz Band perform for attendees during cocktail hour.
Edward Levesque and Jean Volpe
Luis Mondragon, Abbey Kay and Edward Gonzalez
Friends of the Sarasota Ballet President Janice Kunkel welcomes the crowd.
Thomas Giugovaz and Gabriele Pacca
Luis Mondragon and Thomas Giugovaz
Percussionist/vocalist Heather Arden Roy performs with The Royz Band.
Asia Bui, Madysen Felber and James Jordan
Gwen and Tom Watson
Director Iain Webb and Christopher Hird
Daniel Pratt, Friends of the Sarasota Ballet President Janice Kunkel and Alex Harrison
Colleen Lafeber, Aleksandr Krapivkin, Friends of the Sarasota Ballet President Janice Kunkel, Kedren Spencer, Mary Ellen Everett and Amber Lageman
Holiday decorations adorned the room for the Dec. 5 event.
Kay Delaney and Murray Bring
Director Iain Webb with Honorary Chairman and Sarasota Ballet Executive Director Joe Volpe
Rose Marie Proietti laughs as she dances with Jacob Hughes.
(Back to front) Director Iain Webb, Margaret Barbieri, Frank Martucci, Honorary Chairman and Sarasota Ballet Executive Director Joe Volpe, Katherine Martucci, Sandra Jennings and Jean Volpe
Friends of the Sarasota Ballet President Janice Kunkel, Honorary Chairman and Sarasota Ballet Executive Director Joe Volpe and Director Iain Webb admire Volpe’s award.
Vlatka Ivanisevic and Janet Tolbert
Honorary Chairman and Sarasota Ballet Executive Director Joe Volpe serenades outgoing Marketing and Development Director Janet Ginn with a song that he made up earlier that day.
It was clear from a brief interaction in the women’s bathroom of the Sarasota Yacht Club that Janice Kunkel was worried. Kunkel, the Friends of the Sarasota Ballet president, wasn’t sure what to expect of her revamped holiday fundraiser. The event was a luncheon last year, but the organization decided to make this year’s Dec. 5 event, A “Jeweled” Holiday Soiree, an evening of dinner and dancing.
She was afraid that nobody would stay to dance, but all it took was the courage of a few Sarasota Ballet company members to get some of their biggest supporters out onto the dance floor.
The evening began with a cocktail hour during which guests mixed and mingled while perusing a table of auction items ranging from four rounds of golf at University Golf Club to a sunset cruise for eight on a private yacht. After being seated and savoring their entrees, guests watched a video about Joe Volpe, executive director of The Sarasota Ballet, who was honored for his service to the company and his 40+ years of work in the performing arts.
After the award presentation, many guests paired up and hit the dance floor to sway, twirl and even cha cha to the sounds of The Royz Band.
It looks like Kunkel had nothing to worry about after all.
