SOCIAL
20 • Thursday, March 23, 2017
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
Rock-A-Hula Baby Annual Elvis Ball Guests Party in a Polynesian Paradise
Kondal Kyanam and Ahana Vedre. Photos special to the Journal
From left: Lindsey Donahoo, Segal Drummond, Hillary Drummond and Caroline Drummond.
Emily and Justin Ivins.
Sam and Russ Weaver with Terri and Benjamin Osborne.
Christian and Missy Rogers.
Basheer and Meg Alismail with Jason and Amelia Strauss.
10 Years of Dance
Alabama Ballet Marks Artistic Director’s Anniversary With Gala The Alabama Ballet celebrated Tracey Alvey’s 10th anniversary as artistic director with a gala at B&A Warehouse on March 16. During her tenure, Alvey has brought the works of renowned choreographers to Birmingham, including Twyla Tharp’s “In the Upper Room,” which is being performed in April. The company also is one of eight companies in the world licensed to perform George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker” under Alvey’s leadership. Other notable works under Alvey’s direction have included Agnes DeMille’s “Fall
River Legend,” Tharp’s “Bakers Dozen,” and Balanchine’s “Stars and Stripes.” While a dancer, Alvey performed at the highest levels throughout Europe and the Far East as well as in North America. She performed lead roles in “Swan Lake,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Cinderella” and “Giselle.” At the end of her dancing career, Alvey attended the Royal Academy of Dance’s Professional Dancers Teachers course. The Alabama Ballet School still uses the Royal Academy of Dance curriculum.
Lindsay Puckett and Katherine Whitson.
Alvey’s direction, “These past 10 the company has years have been drawn high-caliber wonderful and I dancers and the have enjoyed school has continworking with ued to offer stueach and every dents exceptional dancer that was training. engaged with the “Her distinAlabama Ballet,” guished reputation Alvey said. “This amongst the ballet organization is so world has enabled much more than Alabama Ballet to just a ballet comMary Margaret Scalici, Tracey Alvey gain access to classipany, it is a font of and Tara Fasshauer. cal and contemporary talented people, I choreography, thus building a repertoire considrelish every moment.” ered one of the finest in the nation,” Goodrich Mary Goodrich, president of the Alabama said. ❖ Ballet board of directors, said that, under Journal photo by Jordan Wald
B
irmingham can’t help falling in love with the good times to be had at this event. The third annual Elvis Ball: Blue Hawaii, benefitting Creative Montessori School was held on March 4. This year, guests were greeted by hula dancers and received flower leis as they entered WorkPlay. Dressed in Hawaiian attire, guests enjoyed casino gaming; a disco featuring DJ Stevo; renowned Elvis impersonator David Lee; photo booth; silent and live auctions; and food and beverages from Emily Vanlandingham local estab- and Rachel Brawley. lishments such as Rojo, Urban Cookhouse, The J. Clyde, Continental Bakery, Cahaba Brewing Company and International Wines. Keri Lane Hontzas and Micah Cargo cochaired the school fundraiser with the help of a dedicated fundraising committee composed of parents, teachers and board members. The event was an over-thetop success, raising more than $40,000 for the school. ❖