The Colorado Ballet’s Sugarplum Ball.
Turnabout is fair play — at least as far as 8-year-old Katie Stromberg is concerned.
Katie was among the 24 second-graders presented at Colorado Ballet Auxiliary’s Sugarplum Ball, and there to cheer her on were her three older brothers.
Her mom Mary Stromberg explains the significance:
“Katie’s brothers are all involved in sports, and Katie has spent every one of her 8 years on the sidelines watching their games, driving to and from practices and being shuttled from one sporting event to the next. My dad always said the day would come when all three of her brothers would show up to watch her, and this weekend they did. In black tie! They were very proud of their little sister, and it was a special night for our family.”
Chaired by Melissa Koren and held on Nov. 25 at the Brown Palace Hotel, the Sugarplum Ball was the culmination of a six-month program, directed this year by auxiliary member Julie Sachs, that is designed to foster an appreciation for the art of dance while raising money for Colorado Ballet.
Since its inception 26 years ago, the Sugarplum program has netted $1 million for the Denver-based dance company. Names of the 2016 Sugarplums were announced in May, and since that time they have been treated to a Colorado Ballet matinee and enjoyed such activities as a mother-daughter tea, a fatherdaughter party and a preholiday gathering.
The evening after the ball, the Sugarplums were in the spotlight again, having been introduced on the stage of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House immediately before the start of the opening performance of “The Nutcracker.”
In addition, the Sugarplum Alums, the little girls who were Sugarplums in the previous year, could be seen dancing in the opening party scene of this holiday classic.
Anne Larsen, mother of 2016 Sugarplum Abigail Larsen, recalled how her daughter’s longstanding goal had been to become a junior Broncos cheerleader. “Then she saw her older sister, Peyton, when she came out on stage as an alum. Abby was in awe of Peyton’s costume, hair and makeup” and quickly shifted priorities.
“She was sold on the idea of becoming a Sugarplum,” Anne Larsen reports.
The 2016 Sugarplums and their parents are:
Siena Beabout, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Beabout; Bianca Bird, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Bird; Brielle Burkett, Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Burkett; Flora Dollarhide, Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Dollarhide; Sophia Freyer, Mr. and Mrs. John Freyer Jr.; Lucca Heller, Peter Heller and Jaime Travis; Violet Judson-Arthur, Jeremy Arthur and Natalie Judson; Katelyn Kelin, Mr. and Mrs. Shebon Kelin; Oriana Kline, Mr. and Mrs. Brent Kline; Abigail Larsen, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Larsen. Clara Linville, Mr. and Mrs. Blair Linville; Keaton Miller, Greg Miller and Jennifer Havercroft-Miller; Alexis Morgan, Mr. and Mrs. Brian Morgan Bianca Morris, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Morris; Payton Pawlak, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Pawlak Jr.; Elena Perrotto, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Perrotto III; Jane Prall, Dr. and Mrs. John Prall; Reese Rotolo, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Rotolo; Alexa Schulte, Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Schulte; Charlisse Schumacher, Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Schumacher; Charlotte Stophel, Mr. and Mrs. Steven Stophel; Katherine Stromberg, Mr. and Mrs. Craig Stromberg; Elizabeth Vahey, Patrick Vahey and Kacy Vahey; and Julia VanSickle, Dr. and Mrs. David VanSickle.
Denise Sanderson, a past president of the auxiliary and former chair of the Colorado Ballet board of trustees, was mistress of ceremonies for the Sugarplum Ball. She is also chairing the Firebird Gala that takes place Feb. 23 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House and is also a fundraiser for Colorado Ballet.