American Repertory Ballet Will Hold 'Mask-erade' Gala Next Month

American Repertory Ballet (ARB) will open its spring season with a festive evening of whimsy, world premieres, and gorgeous dancing at its Mask-erade Gala on Saturday, March 12, 2022, at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC). This major fundraising event supports the organization's artistic, educational, and community engagement programs.

The performance program will feature an exclusive sneak peek of Ethan Stiefel's new A Midsummer Night's Dream, an exhilarating excerpt from the classical ballet Don Quixote; a bewitching duet created by American Ballet Theatre's Claire Davison; and a showstopping pièce d'occasion by Michael Mindlin, a Princeton Ballet School alum and dance supervisor of Hamilton, among others. Students from Princeton Ballet School, the official school of American Repertory Ballet, will also take the stage.

The evening's honorees include the Rutgers Global Health Institute; Jeffrey Grosser, Princeton's Deputy Administrator of Health and Community Services; and the Princeton Spine & Joint Center, for enabling ARB and Princeton Ballet School dancers to safely return to the studio and the stage.

"These health partners have been instrumental in helping us safely navigate the ongoing pandemic," says Julie Diana Hench, Executive Director. "Not only do they provide access to consistent testing, but they offer expert guidance that continues to shape our safety policies. We are incredibly grateful for the many ways they work in the community and behind the scenes to keep our dancers dancing."

The Gala will also pay homage to dance legend Maurice Hines, Honorary Chair Emeritus of DANCE POWER (American Repertory Ballet's flagship residency program serving nearly 800 New Brunswick students each year). Maurice Hines served as honorary chair of American Repertory Ballet's acclaimed DANCE POWER program after Gregory Hines' passing in 2003, helping to ensure its continued success. American Repertory Ballet's DANCE POWER, founded in 1986 by Dr. Penelope Lattimer in partnership with the New Brunswick Board of Education, was the recent recipient of the 2021 Distinction in Dance Award from the Dance Studies Association.

Sponsors of the Mask-erade Gala will enjoy a VIP pre-show reception with Artistic Director Ethan Stiefel and honorees. Festivities continue in the lobby after the performance, with whimsical surprises inspired by the masquerade theme. The event will feature a silent auction and live lots presented by professional fundraiser Lucas Hunt, president of HUNT Philanthropy and a celebrated American poet. He graduated from World Wide College of Auctioneering and is a Benefit Auction Specialist (BAS) who has helped hundreds of organizations raise hundreds of millions of dollars. His latest volume of poetry NEW YORK is being published this spring.

To purchase tickets for ARB's Mask-erade Gala, visit arballet.org/gala.

Proof of vaccination, and a booster if eligible, will be required to attend the Gala. Safety masks fully covering the nose and mouth must be worn unless actively eating or drinking.

American Repertory Ballet's Gala is generously supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The event is chaired by Ngoc Nguyen, member of the Board of Trustees. Committee members include Naomi Byank, Nancy MacMillan (Trustee), Pam Mingle (Trustee), Beth Padron, Jolly Vazapphilly, Lisa Patterson, Rosella Porter, Jeri Schaefer (Trustee), and Tricia Vera. ARB also appreciates support from Apotheosis Events by Ryan Hill.