Pirouette 2010: A Perfect Turning Pointe
For Immediate Release
February 12, 2010
Kelowna, BC: What a night ... Pirouette 2010 defined a new turning pointe for Ballet Kelowna! An amazing evening with amazing results: $128,000 raised through generous sponsors, donors and bidders. Honourary Chairs Jamie Maw and Yvonne Drinovz were fabulous hosts, the Master Chefs delighted guests' palates and the Ballet Kelowna dancers moved everyone in the room.
"Pirouette was everything it was initially set out to be........beautifully elegant, brilliantly playful and boldly entertaining," said Debbie MacMillan, Event Coordinator. "This year the participation of seven Master Chefs paired with seven equally impressive wineries definitely raised the barre for Pirouette and exceeded the expectations of even the most discerning guest."
Featured chefs were Mark Filatow, proprietor and executive chef of The Waterfront Restaurant and Wine Bar; Roger Sleiman, executive chef of Quails’ Gate Estate Winery; Matt Batey, winery chef of Mission Hill Family Estate; Bernard Casavant, executive chef of Manteo Resort, and host chef Stuart Klassen along with Olivia Harding and Stephanie Schnepf also from the Delta Grand.
"Pirouette is all about the power of the collaborative in action—just as dancing requires teamwork on the stage, so too is it required from the wings," remarked Jamie Maw. "We send our sincere thanks to all who had a hand in creating such a beautiful, inspiring and, yes, uplifting evening and especially Canaccord Wealth Management for being our Title Sponsor for the third year in a row!"
The final highlight of the evening came when President Birgit Bennett announced that Honourary Chairs Jamie and Yvonne, have already made their commitment to Pirouette 2011 and promise to raise the barre even higher!
The funds raised at Pirouette are critical to Ballet Kelowna as it launches its Spring Season "Masters' Play" which will tour to 16 communities in BC and Alberta. Audiences will feel the artistic tension, drive and excitement of "Masters' Play" featuring influential and ground-breaking ballets that helped shape dance in Canada, along with formative ballets commissioned by Ballet Kelowna or created by our own Artistic Director David LaHay. Featured will be Brian Macdonald's "Double Quartet, Kay Armstrong's "Etude", Nesta Toumine's "Gymnopedies" and Joe Laughlin's "Butterfly Affect". Full tour and dates are listed on www.balletkelowna.ca.
Ballet Kelowna is breathtakingly beautiful and elegantly bold. This proudly ‘Made in Kelowna’ professional dance company is now in its 7th Season of presenting its signature ‘inno-classical’ style featuring both classical and innovative, modern ballets. Named ‘BC Touring Artist of the Year in 2008’, Ballet Kelowna will be touring to 40 communities in the 09/10 Performance Season.
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Contact:
Debbie MacMillan
P: 250-764-4803
E: debbiemacmillan@shaw.ca