SAB Artistic Director Peter Martins With the Encore Dancers

The School of American Ballet celebrated their 75th anniversary at their annual Winter Ball at Lincoln Center. At the start of the evening, New York's social and artistic elite enjoyed an elegant dinner. After dinner, the partygoers were joined by more than two hundred young professionals for the after-party, which featured an Encore dance performance by the students of the School of American Ballet. The Encore performance was choreographed by Adam Hendrickson, a SAB alumnus and New York City Ballet Soloist.

Deborah Fenker, Designer Zang Toi, Miss USA Crystle Stewart and Dani Evans
All Wearing Zang Toi

It was a black-tie ball and black and white ball gowns and décor were the evening's trends.The guests were surrounded by art and sculpture and chicly designed table settings featuring white orchids. Famed designer Zang Toi co-hosted the Encore. Zang was elegantly attired in a tuxedo (no kilt this time) and surrounded by a posse of beautiful models (Deborah Fenker, Miss USA Crystle Stewart and Dani Evans), all attired in Zang Toi designed black and white ball gowns.

Penn Badgley and Blake Lively With a Group of Dancers and Friends

After the Encore performance, everyone spilled onto the dance floor to dance to music that was club-like, fun and upbeat. The SAB students encouraged everyone to get into the spirit of the evening and dance with them. The party was filled with youthful spirit, even though many of the participants were dancing in formal frocks, complete with trains.

Nicholas Luchsinger of Van Cleef & Arpels
Presents Award to SAB Artistic Director Peter Martins

According to the press release (from Lauren Thayer of Lisa Lori Communications), over $800,000 was raised to support The School of American Ballet. Also according to the press release: "To honor the School’s 75th Anniversary, Van Cleef & Arpels created a special Award of Excellence named after Claude Arpels, whose friendship with SAB co-founder George Balanchine inspired the ballet “Jewels” in 1967. The first award, which will become annual, was presented to George Balanchine posthumously and was accepted by SAB Artistic Director Peter Martins." Van Cleef & Arpels jewels adorned ball attendees Blake Lively (Gossip Girl) and Ball Chairwoman Pamela Joyner.

Notable attendees included: Penn Badgley (Gossip Girl), Chelsea Clinton, Robert Couturier, Alexandra Lebenthal and Jay Diamond, Stacey Bendet Eisner (Fashion Designer, Alice + Olivia) and Eric Eisner, Dani Evans (Winner of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 6), Susan Fales-Hill, Effie and Robert Fribourg, Carole Divet Harting and Bruce Harting, Kate Davidson Hudson and Patrick Hudson, Pamela J. Joyner, Jill and Harry Kargman, Nathalie Kaplan, Coco and Ari Kopelman, Blake Lively (Gossip Girl), Nicolas Luchsinger (Van Cleef & Arpels Store Manager), Peter Martins (Artistic Director and Chairman of Faculty) and Darci Kistler (Principal Dancer NYCB/SAB teacher), Gillian Miniter, Sara Mearns (Principal Dancer NYCB), Moby, Philip Neal (Principal Dancer NYCB), Sarah Jessica Parker, Liz and Jeff Peek, Katie Peek, Laura Poretzky (Fashion Designer, Abaeté), Amar Ramasar (Soloist NYCB), Desiree Rogers (White House Social Secretary), Jonathan Stafford (Principal dancer NYCB/SAB teacher), Jock Soto (SAB Teacher, former NYCB Principal dancer), Crystle Stewart (Miss USA 2008), Alexis Tobin, Zang Toi (Fashion Designer).

Liz Peek, Robert Fribourg, Effi Fribourg, Coco Kopelman,
Nicholas Luchsinger and Pamela Joyner

The founding chairmen of the Winter Ball are Coco Kopelman and Liz Peek. The evening's chairmen were Effie and Robert Fribourg and Pamela J. Joyner. The Corporate Chairman was Nicolas Luchsinger of Van Cleef and Arpels. The Young Patron Chairmen were Chelsea Clinton, Stacey Bendet Eisner (of Alice + Olivia) and Kate Davidson Hudson. The Encore Chairmen were Sara Mearns, Katie Peek, Amar Ramasar and Alexis Tobin. The Encore was sponsored by Designer Zang Toi.

Arie Kopelman, Coco Kopelman, Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker