By Sofia Youngs
The Los Alamitos Ballet Theatre celebrated “Ballet in Bloom” on May 4 at Millikan High School to honor the five hit-and-run victims involved in the PCH car accident in February.
The victims, ballet dancers at the Los Alamitos Ballet Theatre, were injured, most suffering from concussions and broken bones.
“Let’s celebrate the strength and resilience of our amazing dancers as they continue to recover and make their way back to the stage,” the Los Alamitos Ballet Theatre said for promoting their event. Performances included dances from various company members, live piano accompaniment, and a number of artistic directors. The five young women observed the dancing as audience members, cheering on fellow classmates, dancers, and friends as they eagerly viewed each ballet performed in their honor.
“It was a beautiful performance,” one audience member said. The event was 1.5 hours long and raised thousands of dollars from the silent auction that was open before the performance’s opening dance; silent auction items include skin care, clothing, jewelry, and more. Each ballet performance ranged from shows such as Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and others.
“[These girls] have worked so hard to be where they are today,” said Nesi Stewart, President of the Los Al Chamber. “It’s amazing to see what a company can put on to bring awareness to this.” All proceeds go towards the victim’s recovery efforts as well as raising money for their hopeful return to the company after physical therapy and proper recovery. The injured dancers are recovering quickly and hope to return to the stage sometime this summer.
More information about the event and how you can help can be found on the Los Alamitos Ballet Theatre website.