Joffrey Ballet's Spring Gala

The Joffrey Ballet never does anything small, least of all their annual fundraiser. The Joffrey’s spectacular Spring Gala, held on April 29, began with a performance at the Auditorium Theatre in downtown Chicago, followed by dinner and dancing at the Palmer House Hilton.

Once again, it was wonderful to support the Joffrey, which is such an acclaimed fine arts institution and one of the many outstanding dance companies in Chicago.

One of the highlights of this year’s event was meeting Mayor Rahm Emanuel for the first time. Mayor Emanuel is such a passionate supporter of the arts in Chicago that it was a true privilege to talk to him in person.

I shared with Mayor Emanuel about Russia Day, an event I am helping to plan with the Moscow Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International to celebrate Russia’s national day of independence in Chicago, and I expressed my hope to increase Chicago’s collaboration with Russia in the future.

I also had the pleasure of seeing Sam Scott, chairman of Chicago Sister Cities International, as well as one of my former classmates from Harvard at the event, which made this year’s event even more memorable for me.