THE PLACE TO PURSUE LIFE'S PASSIONS - Sarasota Ballet
THE PLACE TO PURSUE LIFE'S PASSIONS - Sarasota Ballet
THE PLACE TO PURSUE LIFE'S PASSIONS - Sarasota Ballet
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8 The <strong>Sarasota</strong> <strong>Ballet</strong> | Box Office: 359-0099 x101 | www.<strong>Sarasota</strong><strong>Ballet</strong>.org<br />
PHO<strong>TO</strong>S BY CLIFF ROLES<br />
Jean Allenby-Weidner<br />
Founder and Chair Emeritus<br />
Welcome!<br />
As Founder of The <strong>Sarasota</strong> <strong>Ballet</strong>, I am extremely proud to welcome you to<br />
our 21st season. Under the superb direction of Iain Webb, now in his fifth year<br />
as Director, The <strong>Sarasota</strong> <strong>Ballet</strong> of today is unparalleled with an International<br />
repertoire that is the envy of many major companies.<br />
As former principal ballerina with the Stuttgart <strong>Ballet</strong> and founding director<br />
of the Evansville Dance Theater, I was approached in 1987 by Leo Rogers,<br />
then chairman of the <strong>Sarasota</strong> Opera, who asked me to present ballet at the<br />
newly renovated Opera House. Thus The <strong>Sarasota</strong> <strong>Ballet</strong> was born! With many years of<br />
hard work, growing pains and commitment, every effort has been rewarded as we have<br />
achieved a top-notch ballet company.<br />
This season starts off with an exciting collaboration with The Suzanne Farrell Dance<br />
Company (Balanchine’s muse) performing in <strong>Sarasota</strong>, Clearwater and the Kennedy<br />
Center in Washington, D.C. This collaboration and opportunity to perform at The John<br />
F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts brings high praise for Iain Webb and his wife,<br />
former Prima Ballerina, Margaret Barbieri, who have tutored and mentored our talented<br />
dancers. I thank them both for their dedication and passion to The <strong>Sarasota</strong> <strong>Ballet</strong>!<br />
I give my heartfelt thanks to all who supported and assisted me in launching The <strong>Sarasota</strong><br />
<strong>Ballet</strong> Company some 21 years ago and continue to support the ballet to this day. Special<br />
recognition to: Ed and Elaine Keating, Marvin and Betty Danto, Alfred and Ann Goldstein,<br />
Sydney and Jerome Goldstein, Bob and Jeanne Zabelle, Ernest and Alisa Kretzmer, Ulla<br />
Searing, and many others who have been with us from the very beginning, and of course,<br />
my generous husband Ken Weidner who mentored all for so long.<br />
Thank you all for helping to celebrate our 21st season - You are in for a treat!<br />
20th Anniversary Gala<br />
www.<strong>Sarasota</strong><strong>Ballet</strong>.org | Box Office: 359-0099 x101 | The <strong>Sarasota</strong> <strong>Ballet</strong> 9
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