A total of 380 guests attended the event organised by The Hong Kong Ballet Guild, a committee founded in 2008 to promote the dance company and preserve its heritage
Who? Lillian Lee Fong, Emily Lam-Ho and Emelda Wong Trainor, Elaine Kwok, Deirdre Fu-Tcheng, Heidi Lee, Septime Webre
Where? Xiqu Centre’s Grand Theatre in the West Kowloon Cultural District
When? December 4, 2022
Here's what you missed:
The Hong Kong Ballet held its annual fundraiser, The Nutcracker Christmas Benefit, on December 4 at Xiqu Centre’s Grand Theatre in the West Kowloon Cultural District. A total of 380 guests attended the event organised by The Hong Kong Ballet Guild, a committee founded in 2008 to promote the dance company and preserve its heritage.
The Hong Kong Ballet Guild has worked tirelessly over the past decade to provide children with meaningful ballet experiences which they hope will eventually nurture a life-long love for the performing arts.
Hosted by the Ballet’s co-chairs Lillian Lee Fong, Emily Lam-Ho and Emelda Wong Trainor, the evening saw guests including Linda Fung, Maya Lin and Ava Kwong attend artistic director Septime Webre’s original take on The Nutcracker. The Tchaikovsky-soundtracked classic was re-imagined for a second year as an ode to Hong Kong, and featured 50 children—including some of the organising committee members. They performed alongside professional dancers whose costumes sparkled with each pirouette and pas de bourrée, against dazzling sets depicting old Hong Kong.
An engaging live auction was hosted by Hauser & Wirth’s managing partner and auctioneer Elaine Kwok, who raised money for the organisation’s community outreach projects, including a new education programme, Dancing to Hong Kong’s Heartbeat, which will bring ballet to underprivileged communities, including low-income families and the elderly. Guests dug deep into their pockets to support the cause, sprinkling extra cheer ahead of the festive period.
Trainor thanked those who had attended the benefit and contributed to the charity: “We would like to express our deepest gratitude for everyone’s support and donations today, making it possible for Hong Kong Ballet to promote the inspiring art form of ballet to the Hong Kong community.”
