Sarasota Ballet welcomes special guests for gala performance

The house lights dimmed and spotlights flooded the stage. For a moment, there was no one there — but the curtains rustled sporadically as if several energetic puppies were trying to break through.

Then, principal dancer Logan Learned popped out from behind the curtains wearing a suit and tie. He appeared frantic, nervously fixing his tie and looking for his jacket. Soon after hurriedly putting it on, the curtains went up and the stage was full of Sarasota Ballet dancers dressed in the same gender-neutral outfit.

The Sarasota Ballet's 27th Season Gala had begun.

What ensued was the world premiere of Sarasota Ballet Resident Choreographer Ricardo Graziano’s “The Jolly Overture.” The fun, quirky piece set the tone for a light-hearted melting pot of a show featuring everything from opera singer Susan Graham singing “Somewhere” from “West Side Story” while Amy Wood and Weslley Carvalho danced beside her to world-renowned dancers Misty Copeland and Marcelo Gomes performing the Act II Pas de Deux from “Swan Lake” and contemporary piece “Toccare.”

Guests enjoyed cocktails both before and after the show, but pre-dinner drinks also included hors d’oeuvres at Art Ovation Hotel. After light bites and a trip to the bar, guests enjoyed dinner in a ballroom adorned with pink and white tablescapes, featuring hydrangea and rose centerpieces.

The evening honored longtime company supporter Sydney Goldstein.