2017 Diamond Ball photo by Larry F. Levenson

On Saturday, October 7, the much anticipated Diamond Ball, presented by the Kansas City Ballet Guild, kicked off Kansas City Ballet’s 60^th anniversary season at the beautiful InterContinental Kansas City At The Plaza. Guests enjoyed a lively cocktail party with delicious cuisine, breathtaking decor by Larry Wheeler Design and Craig Sole Design, crowd-pleasing entertainment by Kokomo, and two Kansas City Ballet mini-performances.

THE CHAIRmen

Honorary Ball Chairmen Tom & Loren Whittaker with Ball Chairmen Michael & Melanie Fenske. Photography by Larry F. Levenson

Melanie and Mike Fenske, senior vice president of the Global Facilities Group at Burns & McDonnell, chaired the event, which drew 450 formally-attired guests and grossed more than $476,000 for Kansas City Ballet. Loren Whittaker, a lecturer at The Kansas City Art Institute, and Tom Whittaker, chief legal officer at J.E. Dunn Construction and past president of Kansas City Ballet’s Board, served as the Honorary Chairmen.

2017 PIROUETTE award WINNER

2017 Pirouette Award is Elizabeth Hard Simms with her husband Michael Simms and KCB Dancer Molly Wagner. Photography by Larry F. Levenson. — 2017 Pirouette Award winner, Elizabeth Hard Simms, with her husband Michael Simms and KCB Dancer Molly Wagner. Photography by Larry F. Levenson.

Before guests danced the night away, Guild President Gigi Rose honored Elizabeth Hard Simms (the first Ballet Ball Co-Chairman in 1968) with the 2017 Pirouette Award for her commitment to the performing arts.