The Washington Ballet Nutty or niceBash

December 9 • Willard InterContinental Hotel

THE PARTY
Choreographed glamour and yuletide spirit were de rigueur as The Washington Ballet patrons celebrated the opening night of Septime Webre’s The Nutcracker. Now in its second year, Webre’s interpretation comes with a Washington twist—it is set in historic Georgetown in 1882. Guests were fortunate to catch the Warner Theatre performance before a labor-management dispute forced the company to cancel the rest of the season.

THE SCENE
Judging by the couture fashion and dazzling diamonds,“nice” won out over “nu y” (by evening’s end most guests had found a way to combine the two).

THE PEOPLE
Event Chair Gahl Hodges Burt, Pamela Aparicio, Arturo Brillembourg, Mike and Julie Connors, Nini Ferguson, Nina Auchincloss Straight, Robert and Mary Ha , Jim Abdo and his wife Mai, Robert and Aimee Lehrman, Ann Walker Marchant, Mary and Mandy Ourisman, and Dutch Ambassador Boudewijn van Eenennaam and his wife Jellie.

Gahl Burt and Floris Koch

Viebke Loft, Netherlands Amb. Boudewijn J. van Eenennaam, Septime Webre and Jane Swensen	Amb. Richard Burt

Dominican Republic Amb. Flavio Espinal	Natalia Shrachko and Bill Meyer

Connie Carter and Susan Colby	Ninerva Espinal, Jellie van Eenennaam, and Nini Ferguson

Sharon and Bruce Bradley, Aimee and Connie Carter and Susan Colby Robert Lehrman, and Mai and Jim Abdo	Liz Vandel

PHOTOS BY KYLE SAMPERTON