Members of The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary have begun preparing their annual catalog, “Shopping With Your Heart.” The women met recently to begin putting everything together for the catalog, which raises funds for The Salvation Army Children’s Shelter and supports its mission to care for children who have been removed from their homes.

(Also featured in the May 26th issue of The Independent)

Photo Credit: Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary

Linda Kekina and Major Phyllis Blinks	(Seated) Joanne Kurre, Ardie Taylor, Dianne Strunk, and Kathleen Anderson (standing) Rebecca Laughlin, Barbara Neufeld, Linda Kekina, Jan Burnette, and Susan Benson

(Seated) Donna Clark, Louise Barnow and Marie Blazer (standing) Pat Conway, Jeanne Cockayne, Pat Trammell, Jonna Hunter, and Louanne Carey

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A group of women from First United Methodist Church of Blue Springs Hearts and Hands group recently helped make Newhouse’s Mother’s Day celebration very special. They brought gifts and made the women feel pampered.

Linda Roberts, Sandy Whitehead, Annette Hoel, and Sarah Barrows

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Watch local media celebrities face-off during the Un-Chef Cook-Off on May 24th at Studio 2131. Curtis Jay, 41 Action News; Keith King, 41 Action News; and Zeke Montana, Q104; will compete for the 2012 title. The event will raise funds for Newhouse and it’s mission to break the cycle of domestic violence by helping women make positive choices that lead to self-sufficient lives. For more information, visit www.newhouseshelter.org.

Photo Credit: WIN for KC

The Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation would like to recognize an exceptional volunteer in their ranks, Barbara Nelson. Barbara has been a leader on the board and helped raise funds for WIN for KC, a division of the Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation. She serves on the Mission Hills City Council and has served on the search committee to hire the new president of the Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation. Thank you Barbara for all your good work! (Also featured in the May 26th issue of The Independent)

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The 26th Annual Starlight Theatre Benefit Gala will be held on May 19th at the Theatre. Yevette and Chancellor Leo Morton are the chairmen for the black-tie event.  The annual Star Award will be presented to Richard L. Berkley, former mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. Guests will enjoy Broadway hits performed by some of Our Town’s most talented performers. For more information, visit www.kcstarlight.com.

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Lauren Conrad was the featured guest on April 10th at an event celebrating the Women’s Foundation of Greater Kansas City’s 20th Anniversary Year. Lauren greeted the excited guests and signed copies of her new book, The Fame Game.

(Also featured in the May 26th issue of The Independent)

Photo Credit: Laura Fitzgibbons

(Front row) Jessica Whitworth, Briana Arensberg, Jessica Heuback, Emily Gairns, and Elise Arensberg, (back row) Jessica Fiorini, Carrie Doctor-Hartman, and Megan Oliver, committee members

Lauren Conrad, featured guest;  signed Lizzie Fitzgibbons’  book.	Taylor Cohen, Cooper Wiedeman and Grace Tideman

Guests prepared to meet Lauren Conrad, featured guest.	Lauren Conrad spoke with a mini fashionista.

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Lauren Leigh Fournier and Spencer Curtis Diebel were married on December 10th at Perkins Chapel at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Carter Fournier, Sr., of University Park, Texas. Lauren is the granddaughter of Mrs. John Cheney of Dallas, Texas, and the late Mr. Cheney and Mr. Doug Fournier of Dallas, Texas, and the late Mrs. Fournier. Her groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Alan Diebel of Our Town. He is the grandson of the late Mr. and Mrs. Leo Reinkemeyer and Mrs. Fred Diebel of Our Town and the late Mr. Diebel.

(Also featured in the May 26th issue of The Independent)

Photo Credit: Andrea Polito Photography

Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Curtis Diebel	The bride and groom

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A special guest spoke at the Catholic Education Foundation’s Patron’s Party on May 2nd. Collins Tuohy, the sister of Michael Oher and whose family inspired The Blind Side, spoke to guests during the event at Indian Hills Country Club. Miss Sue, Michael Oher’s tutor was also there to speak.

Jeanette Reintjes, Laurie Ingram, Sarah Ingram, Collins Tuohy, featured speaker; and Wendy Melland

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Back in the Swing will kick off its 10th anniversary year with a Summer Celebration featuring Grammy Award-winning artist Sheryl Crow on July 14th at the Carlsen Center at Johnson County Community College. This summer will also feature the release of The Back in the Swing Cookbook by Barbara C. Unell and Judith Fertig, which will be published on August 7th. For more information on these events, visit www.backintheswing.org.

Sheryl Crow, featured performer

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Serenade features many of the striking symmetrical patterns common to so many of Balanchine’s works, such as Kimberly Cowen downstage center with four rows of three dancers each emanating from her upstage like beams of light. It is grounded in the Russian tradition the choreographer knew so well, yet it is amazing to see how much innovation is contained already in this piece from 1935 – such as the Tayloresque lifts from the thighs, or the “grounded” pas de deux that seems to fulfill, not defy, classical “airiness.” Kimberly was transcendent in her solos, her smartly precise movements looking as heartfelt as ever after 20 years of dancing with the company. Every time she entered the stage you could feel a special energy flow from her and out into the audience.

Afternoon of a Faun, Jerome Robbins’ brief classic to Debussy’s music, is an inward duet in which two dancers seem to want to interact but can’t seem to take their eyes off their own images in the mirror. The “fourth wall,” namely the audience, is the mirror, and the moment the dancers take their eyes off of us and look at each other is mildly startling. On opening night (May 4^th) Logan Pachciarz was the slumbering “faun” and Rachel Coats his haughty partner; they brought quiet energy to the piece. (The lighting design/recreation here, as throughout the evening, was by the gifted Kirk Bookman.)

New York City Ballet as “idea” was a sort of undercurrent throughout the program, and current NYCB director Peter Martins’ Les Gentilhommes, to music of Handel, revealed ways in which the Balanchine tradition has been upheld by subsequent generations. It is a florid, low-boil piece for nine men in good-natured struggle who break off into a variety of smaller ensembles. Martins proves himself to be highly musical in passages of imitative fugal textures; the men’s movements are forceful but never “macho.” Still, the piece seems to go on a tad too long. Yoshiya Sakurai danced remarkable solos; through all of his fluid, fanciful movements was an underlying stillness that was a joy to watch.

The finale was the witty and visually sumptuous Souvenirs by the late Todd Bolender, the former Balanchine dancer and KCB artistic director who helped bring Our Town’s company to national prominence. It is a zany comedy of opening-and-closing doors that pays homage to silent-era films. Again Kimberly drew attention as the wiggly, seductive, overdressed Vamp. Logan was the debonair Man About Town, Charles Martin played a hilarious Elevator Attendant and Michael Eaton was a heartily energetic Gigolo. Laura Wolfe and Marty Davis sported well against each other as the Bride and Groom. The frothy music by Samuel Barber was played admirably by Kansas City Symphony members in the pit, who were kept quite busy throughout the evening. The night ended with a warm standing-O for Kimberly, who was presented with flowers by KCB artistic director William Whitener; she’ll be feted at a private reception after the May 13^th performance.

Masters of American Dance runs through May 13^th at the Kauffman Center. For tickets call 816-931-2232 or go to kcballet.com.

To reach Paul Horsley, performing arts editor, send email to phorsley@sbcglobal.net.