Yep, it was different in the old days, when the honor was reserved for pedigreed maidens whose parents hoped the experience would bring their daughters to the attention of a marriage-minded beau. To be a debutante today, though, you’d better be smart, talented and athletic — just like the 24 young ladies presented at the 2010 Fine Arts Foundation Debutante Ball.
Lauren Atkinson, for example, a high-honors graduate of Cherry Creek High School, was on the swim team and volunteered for Project C.U.R.E; Katherine Bailey and Sarah Chetham were editors of the Regis Jesuit High School yearbook and members of the National Honor Society. Katie Sullivan was editor in chief of the Denver Academy yearbook and volunteered at Swedish Medical Center.
Andie Zitek, who performed in three South High School dramatic and musical productions, is a Special Olympics athlete with gold medals in swimming and skiing. Isabel Day of Colorado Virtual Academy has an 11-year association with Boulder’s Peanut Butter theater troupe; she also served as an instructor for the Jon D. Williams Cotillion for seven years.
Hillary Oneslager was captain of Cherry Creek High School’s speech and debate team, advanced to the national level of a student writing competition and volunteered at Warren Village. East High graduate Kaitlyn Linsmayer has made mission trips to Mexico and Uganda and plans to obtain a degree in chemistry from Middlebury College.
The ball, chaired by Lynn Hinkle and Mary Ann Henry, was held on the University of Denver campus. Enough money is raised each year to distribute significant cash grants to about 24 arts organizations in the Denver area. The 2009 recipients included Buntport Theater Company, Opera Colorado, St. Martin’s Chamber Choir, Englewood Arts and Denver Film Society.
The theme was A Grecian Garden, and the Rev. John Henry Bell Jr. served as master of ceremonies.
He also introduced debutantes Alexandra Brodsky, Meghan Colip, Kelsi Golinvaux, Natasha Gunberg, Samantha Hansen, Kiayn Lowery, Alexandra Meany, Ann Miller, Audrey Paranka, Karaline Porter, Lauryn Reiff, Jennifer Schmidt, Jennifer Simpson, Alexandra Stone, Cassie Tedesco and Caroline Wong.
The debs curtsied to a receiving line that included the 2010 Citizen of the Arts, Carolyn Dunn Kepner, and foundation president Jody Phelps. The tiaras presented to each debutante were distributed by Claire Rainey and Piper Vaughn, students at Homestead and Soaring Hawk elementary schools.
After the presentation on the Margery Reed Terrace, guests adjourned to a gigantic tent for an Occasions by Sandy dinner and dancing to Jerry Barnett’s New Society orchestra.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, and GetItWrite on Twitter
