Photo Flash: LA Ballet Honors Lawrence Bender and Governor Gray Davis at Season 11 Gala

Los Angeles Ballet (LAB) celebrated its Season 11 Gala on Friday, April 21, 2017 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. This year's honorees were Academy Award® nominated film producer Lawrence Bender and Governor GRay Davis & Sharon Davis.

The Gala was hosted by Antiques Roadshow's Mark. L. Walberg and the co-chairs were Leslie Kavanaugh and Kirsten Sarkisian. The evening included an exquisite performance of excerpts from George Balanchine's Who Cares?, an homage to Broadway with music by George Gershwin, that was featured in Los Angeles Ballet's recent production Balanchine - Master of the Dance.

The Gala supports Los Angeles Ballet's mission to provide world-class performances, and provide diverse outreach opportunities throughout Southern California. At a time when the arts are underfunded and continue to be absent from public school curricula, it is Los Angeles Ballet's mission to share the gift of dance with the broadest possible audience and to give back to the community that has so generously supported it. LAB opens its doors with free classes for all ages with A Chance to Dance, and provides thousands of free tickets with Power of Performance (POP!), to special needs children and adults, military families, veterans and seniors through collaboration with 50 community partners. The Gala will also include a short performance by students that are served by A Chance to Dance.

For additional information about Los Angeles Ballet and the 2017 Gala please visit Los Angeles Ballet.

Photo Credit: Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging

Nigel Lythgoe arrives for the 2017 Los Angeles Ballet Gala held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Friday, April 21, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)
From left, Former California Governor GRay Davis, Sharon Davis, producer Lawrence Bender and Artistic Directors Colleen Neary and Thordal Christensen arrive for the 2017 Los Angeles Ballet Gala held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Friday, April 21, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)
Dancers Julia Cinquemani and Tigran Sargsyan perform during the 2017 Los Angeles Ballet Gala held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Friday, April 21, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)
From left, actor Sofia Carson and Bruno Tonioli pose during the 2017 Los Angeles Ballet Gala held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Friday, April 21, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)