A Perfect 10
The Joffrey Ballet’s annual gala was right on pointe.

An occasion like this only rolls around once a decade, and the Joffrey Ballet women’s board made sure to make it memorable: In honor of the board’s 10th anniversary, more than 800 guests—including former Joffrey dancer Mayor Rahm Emanuel—turned out to toast the cultural treasure. The night began with a one-hour performance that included spirited selections from Balanchine’s “Stars and Stripes” at the Auditorium Theatre. Later, guests were whisked by trolley to the nearby Palmer House Hilton Chicago for a sumptuous dinner and program emceed by co-hairs Candace Collins Jordan and Helen Hall Melchior. Like any good show, there was an encore performance when the party moved to the Empire Room for dancing with members of the company. The night raised $1.3 million for the Joffrey.