No question about it: Ballet Nouveau Colorado has this party thing Down. That’s right. With an uppercase D.
A mere two days after 1,200 friends of the Broomfield-based company helped open The Container Store in FlatIron Crossing, 150 Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan look-alikes squeezed into Dr. Gregory Buford’s Denver home for Gatsby Nouveau, the first of three themed fundraisers taking place over the next few months.
Gatsby Nouveau — which netted $16,000 — was organized by Andrew Kauth, Robin Repass, Diane Nagler, Holly Kylberg and Bradley Joseph. Kauth, Repass and Buford are members of the ballet’s board, while Joseph, the “cash cowboy” of One Trick Pony Productions, gets credit for lining up two major sponsors for the series, Three Tomatoes Catering and Southern Wine and Spirits.
Guests included the ballet’s artistic directors, Garret Ammon and Dawn Fay; executive director Lissy Garrison; board members Sue Shaffer, Dan Lassen and Robin Braun; Dan Brogan, whose 5280 Magazine also is a series sponsor; jeweler Raz Gnat, who donated a pair of white gold and pave diamond earrings to the silent auction; Aaron LaPedis, owner of Fascination St. Fine Art; Fox-31’s Peggy Bunker; benefactors Ken Reinig and Tim Schafer; builder Christopher Meza; and Robin Richards, a teacher at Denver’s Highline Academy who wore a 1920s flapper dress that had belonged to her great-grandmother. For that, she won the prize for best costume.
Next up: the June 13 Miami Nouveau from hosts John Moinzad, David Hintgen and Gregory Buford.
Meanwhile, at FlatIron Crossing, The Container Store’s chief executive officer Kip Tindell and general manager Jodi Hager, were “happy beyond belief” with the response to the cocktail party. And the company will donate $14,000 to Ballet Nouveau as a result of opening weekend sales.
Guests, including Broomfield Mayor Patrick Quinn, Derek and Laura Hoven, Marti Fox, Ted and Kathy Schmidt, Josh Hurd, Joe and Dolores Alvarado, Bette Erickson, Wayne and Pam Anderson, Allison Mellor, John and Valerie Toney and Kim Sheets, enjoyed Epicurean Catering’s supper by the bite, a spread that included sliders, chocolate milkshake shooters, sushi, mac ‘n’ cheese, cupcakes and stir-fry.
Ballet Nouveau received 10 percent of the opening-weekend sales. The company also is a Denver Ballet Guild grant recipient, and members Edie Bell, Gail Kassan, Joyce Wilson, Barb Anderson, Karen Demmel, Laura Harmon and Sandy Betker carpooled to Broomfield for the preview.
Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also,
