An Evening with the Dancers of The Washington Ballet

Far from the Kennedy Center’s grand stage, dancers from The Washington Ballet gathered at Lost Society last Thursday to spend time with members and guests of the Jeté Society for their bi-annual “Dine with the Dancers” event. The Society’s young members — ranging from 21 to 40– support The Washington Ballet through fundraising and events based on their common penchant for the timeless craft.  The overall goal of  Jeté is to draw public attention to the Ballet’s upcoming shows and initiatives.

The coordinator of Thursday evening’s dinner, Angela Milas, stressed the value of hosting a small, relaxed dinner as opposed to a bustling event with hundreds of guests. The intimate setting of Lost Society’s posh rooftop achieved the desired effect Milas had hoped for, allowing members, guests and dancers to meet and mingle casually. The dancers in attendance made themselves accessible by sitting among guests during the three course meal that featured a choice of filet, salmon or pasta.

Ashley Murphy, one of The Washington Ballet’s newest dancers, had her table’s undivided attention as she detailed the short life cycle of ballet slippers. Murphy said that dancers can easily go through several pairs a week, depending on the amount of time they spend in the pointe position —  talk about a hefty annual shoe budget!

Proceeds from the evening went to Washington Ballet’s outreach program with THEARC in Southeast, DC which hosts dance classes for underprivileged youth.