Kris Bowers, Academy Award® Winner & Los Angeles Ballet Collaborator, and Jennifer Bellah Maguire, Accomplished Attorney & Los Angeles Ballet Chair Were Honored at the 2024 LAB Gala.
Gala Raised over $1.246 Million
Kris Bowers, Jennifer Bellah Maguire, Melissa Barak; Photo by Shutterstock
Koni Rich, Sharon Davis, Melissa Barak, Donna Mills, Erica Min; Photo by Shutterstock
Over the last decade, LAB’s Gala has grown into a beloved event to celebrate ballet as part of the cultural landscape of Los Angeles while raising critical funds for LAB’s artistic programming and mission-driven community offerings. This year, the Gala raised $1.246 Million supporting artistic initiatives that include pioneering bold new works and staging beloved classical story ballets, as well as bringing free dance classes to individuals of all ages and skill levels and the joy of live, professional ballet to under-resourced communities across Los Angeles County, including foster youth, veterans, seniors in assisted living and cancer survivors.
Sharon Davis, Erica Min, and Koni Rich were the Gala co-chairs, and the evening was hosted by Emmy® Award-winning actress Donna Mills, with Andrew Firestone, of The Bachelor fame, overseeing the Live Appeal.
Jeri Gaile, actress and the current Fred Roberts Director of The Music Center Spotlight, presented the Angel Award to Kris Bowers, and Jon Sokoloff, managing partner of Leonard Green & Partners, presented the Angel Award to Jennifer Bellah Maguire. Michael Milken gave a touching tribute to longtime LAB supporter Robert A. Day.
The evening was sponsored by Gov. Gray (Ret.) & Sharon Davis, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Dr Ray & Ghana Irani, Debbie & James Lustig, Dr. Richard Merkin, Michael & Lori Milken Foundation, Erica & Sung Min, Julie Opperman, and Koni & Geoff Rich.
Lori & Michael Milken: Photo by Shutterstock
Governor Gray Davis (Ret.), Monica Duggal & Aaron Duggal; Photo by Shutterstock
Guests included Stephanie Blackmore, Glorya Kaufman, Jerry & Terri Kohl, Michael & Lori Milken, Bari Milken Bernstein & Fred Bernstein, Dr. Ray & Ghada Irani, Debbie & Jimmy Lustig, Joan Van Ark, Alia Tutor and Anita Mann Kohl, and arts leaders including Robert van Leer (The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts) and Rachel Moore (The Music Center).
Past honorees include Paula Abdul, Lawrence Bender, Sofia Carson, Governor Gray Davis & Sharon Davis, Robert Day, Jenna Dewan, Linda Duttenhaver, Derek Hough, Ghada Irani, Bari Milken, Lori Milken, Jeff Polak, Gelila Assefa Puck, Kenny Ortega, Jane Seymour, Adam Shankman, Anastasia Soare, Johnese Spisso, Alia Tutor and Ben Vereen.
LAB Dancers Bryce Broedell, Marco Biella, Paige Wilkey, Hannah Keene; Photo by Shutterstock
LAB is the largest professional dance company in Los Angeles and is on an exciting trajectory toward national recognition. Melissa Barak’s world premiere of Memoryhouse this past June gained local and national acclaim. The Los Angeles Times wrote, “It is an exciting moment for ballet in Los Angeles” and Forbes wrote, “Memoryhouse signals a dazzling creative accomplishment.”
(Left to Right) LAB Dancers Jacob Soltero, Cesar Ramirez, Simon Costello in Reclamations; Photo by Shutterstock
About Los Angeles Ballet - Los Angeles Ballet (LAB) is the leading ballet company in Los Angeles known for staging classical, contemporary, romantic, and neoclassical ballets, pioneering new works, and presenting relevant works by many of today’s most innovative dance-makers. LAB’s original production of The Nutcracker is an annual holiday favorite for Los Angeles residents and regional, national, and international visitors. Led by Artistic Director Melissa Barak, LAB performs in multiple theater venues across LA County including The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, Royce Hall at UCLA, Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, Pasadena Civic Auditorium, and Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
As part of its mission to expand people’s knowledge of and nurture a love for ballet, LAB gives access to performances to the widest audiences possible by providing free tickets for thousands of residents in underserved communities in Los Angeles County through its arts education program, Power of Performance (POP!). In 2012, LAB launched a hands-on outreach program called A Chance to Dance (ACTD) that provides free ballet and movement instruction for all ages.
For information on LAB’s Gala, please contact
Danielle Bearden-Mead
Director of Development