Ballet Hispanico raised more than $1.1 million in support of the company’s artistic and educational work in New York City and around the country at their 2015 Gala on Monday, March 30, 2015.  During the evening, Ballet Hispanico honored Ballet Hispanico Board President and President and COO of Palladium Equity Partners David Pérez and Milena Alberti-Pérez, SVP and Head of Global Corporate Finance at Penguin Random House, with the Civic Inspiration Award.  Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas, Chair of Ballet Hispanico’s Leadership Council and program director for the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, was honored with the Nuestra Inspiración Award. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the creation of new Company works, need-based financial aid and merit scholarships in the Ballet Hispanico School of Dance, and community arts education programs.

This year’s Gala, themed “Noche Cubana” and attended by 470 guests, featured live salsa music by Grupo Irék along with performances by the Ballet Hispanico Company and students of the Ballet Hispanico School of Dance and P.S. 87M.  Attendees included Event Chairs Jody & John Arnhold, Kate Lear & Jon LaPook, Marcos A. Rodriguez, and Greidys Gil & Luis Zaldivar; Event Vice Chairs Herb Scannell and Charles Wortman & Laura Baldwin; and Milena Alberti-Pérez, Julia Arnhold, Paul Arnhold, Tony Bechara, Lorea Canales, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, Vin Cipolla, Ben Rodriguez-Cubeñas, Diana DiMenna, Anita Durst, Joan Finkelstein, Wes Gordon, Lane Harwell, Jacqueline Hernández, Cynthia López, Jim McCoy, Sharon Luckman, Scott Pelley, David Pérez, Jessica Rodriguez, Ann and Richard Sarnoff, Mikki Sheppard, Linda Celeste Sims, Marta Tellado, David Ushery, Jorge Daniel Veneziano, Eduardo Vilaro.

Guests in attendance received the exclusive announcement that Ballet Hispanico is naming its Education & Outreach branch Puentes.