Boys & Girls Clubs Of Miami-Dade Celebrated Its 15th Annual “Wild About Kids” Gala

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Annabella Pardo

Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade celebrated its annual black-tie “Wild About Kids” Gala, with a Motown theme, at Loews Coral Gables Hotel on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. The event raised over $600K for Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade’s crucial programs and services at its six Clubs and sites combined including its educational after school programs, tutoring and homework assistance, STEM, social skills, dance, arts and crafts, mentoring and summer and athletic programs. These programs help children realize their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. 

Committee Members Photo via World Red Eye

The 15th Annual “Wild About Kids” Gala was co-chaired once again by long-time Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade supporters, Board Chair Andy Stuart and his wife Allison Stuart, a Board of Directors member. Olga Guilarte, member of Boys & Girls of Miami-Dade’s Executive Committee, was once again the special event chair.  

Paul & Lisa Magnes, Belkys Nerey, Demetri Mouratis, Tatsiana & Andy Ansin Photo via World Red Eye

South Florida’s top community leaders, philanthropists and influencers were among the guests who were transported back to the Motown era with dinner, dancing, live entertainment, an engaging program and more to support great futures for Miami-Dade area youth. 

Carlos Oliva y Los Sobrinos del Juez Band Photo via World Red Eye

Eight-time Emmy award-winning journalist and WSVN Channel 7 news personality Belkys Nerey and youth member Sebastian Garcia co-emceed the event and helped engage and energize the crowd. The SweetTarts, DJ Sama alongside Carlos Oliva y Los Sobrinos del Juez Band provided the soundtrack for the evening with classic hits from the Motown era including Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Jackson 5 and more. Guests also enjoyed a unique Motown-themed musical performance from Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade’s youth members.

Alex Rodriguez Roig, Alex Livinalli, Olga Guilarte, Allison & Andrew Stuart Photo via World Red Eye

During the event, Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade honored notable alumni, inducting them into the Class of 2023 Alumni Hall of Fame, including Miami-Dade Public Schools Board Member for District 1, Dr. Steve Gallon III, Mayor of Miami Gardens Rodney Harris, WNBA Player Erica Wheeler and Actor Alex Livinalli. Each alumnus shared personal stories about their experiences with the Club. 

Alex Rodriguez Roig, Rodney Harris, Olga Guilarte, Allison & Andrew Stuart Photo via World Red Eye

Supporters also participated in a special opportunity to sponsor-a-child through donations and a silent auction featuring high-end items and exceptional luxury experiences ranging from elegant jewelry, memorabilia, lifestyle experiences, unique travel opportunities and more. Through the generous support of sponsors, hundreds of area youth were granted a one-year fully-paid membership to Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade.

Alex Rodriguez-Roig, Dr Steven Gallon III, Olga Guilarte, Allison & Andrew Stuart Photo via World Red Eye

“We are incredibly humbled by the support from all those who joined us for our 15th Annual ‘Wild About Kids’ Gala at Loews Coral Gables Hotel with the Motown theme,” said Alex Rodriguez-Roig, president of Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade. “The incredible evening wouldn’t be possible without our returning co-chairs Andy and Allison Stuart, our board members, sponsors and donors who are committed to providing great futures for our area youth. The annual event helps us raise funds to serve the Clubs’ many positive programs, support the Capital Campaign to completely rebuild the Northwest Club into a state-of-the-art facility and expand the new sixth Club.”

Youth Members Photo via World Red Eye

“Allison and I were honored to return as co-chairs for Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade’s most significant fundraiser of the year. The Club and the youth members are very near and dear to our hearts,” said Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade Board Chair Andy Stuart. “Supporters enjoyed an exceptional evening of entertainment, dancing and dinner while raising crucial funds for the Clubs’ many positive programs.”

Youth Members Photo via World Red Eye

Gala committee members from Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade’s Board of Directors included Tom Bezold, Liana De Mena, Jackie Gonzalez, Maria Luisa Gonzalez, Rudy Lleonart, Yuni Navarro, Kristina Perez-Cubas, Karen Rodriguez and Richard Rodriguez. Additional committee members included Susan Abraham, Lisa Mendelson, Lily Pardo, Durée Ross, Marianne Schmidhofer, Rae Stein, Meredith Virnig and Michelle Zubizarreta. 

Erica Zohar & Elysze Held Photo via World Red Eye

Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade thank the sponsors for their generous support. The Carmen Rebozo Foundation was The Supremes sponsor. The Four Tops sponsors were the Ansin Foundation Inc./WSVN 7 and Andrew and Allison Stuart, and The Miracles sponsors were Ocean Bank, Thoma Bravo and DRRT.

Thoma Bravo Team Photo via World Red Eye

The Jackson 5 sponsors included Academica, Anthony R. Abraham Foundation, Baptist Health South Florida, Bermont Gold Wealth Advisory of Raymond James, Blue Streak LLC, & CCU, LLC, First American Bank & Rodolfo Lleonart, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, Ana and Raul Marmol, Lisa and Victor Mendelson Family, Somos Group, USI Insurance and Meredith and Kenneth Virnig. In-kind sponsors included Bacardi U.S.A., Inc., Total Wine & More, The Fudge Pie Co. and WSVN 7. Underwriters included the Bernhardt Family, Florida Physicians PSN, InterJuris, Bob Parks, Greta & Mark Walker Foundation and Tasco.

Photo via World Red Eye

 For more information, please visit www.bgcmia.org.

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Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow Gala Returned to New York City

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Last night, the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition - YOUTH AMERICA GRAND PRIX (YAGP) – returned to Lincoln Center, New York City for the first time since before the covid pandemic to present its 2023 Stars of Today Meets the Stars of Tomorrow Gala.

Photo via LK Studio and Jennifer Curry Wingrove , Christine Shevchenko and Jacopo Tissi

Supporters were welcomed back by YAGP Founder Larissa Saveliev and Board Chair Richard Osterweil as well as hosts Paul Arnhold, Elissa Brenner, Lili Buffett, Grace Fuller Marroquin, Wes Gordon, Alyson Gradone, Rebecca Hessel Cohen, Sarah Hoover, Lilli Hymowitz, Marcella Hymowitz, Eve Jobs, Lindsay Kraus, Candice Miller, Colby Mugrabi, Grace Pomeranc, Indre Rockefeller, Daniela Tisch, Virginia W. Tomenson, Lesley Vecsler, and Lina Wallach.

YAGP Board Member and Gala Host, Marcella Hymowitz, shared, "Sometimes dance can LITERALLY save lives. Since February 2021, Youth America Grand Prix has worked tirelessly to find new dance homes for Ukrainian students displaced by war. One of them – 16-year-old Nikita Malaki - performed here at Lincoln Center tonight. Nikita is one of 200 Ukrainian dancers whom YAGP placed on scholarship at leading dance schools in Europe and the United States – giving them a chance to continue living and practicing their art in safety. YAGP wishes a heartfelt 'thank you' to the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, whose generous support has made it possible for YAGP to continue doing this important work." 16-year-old Nikita now trains at The Rock School for Dance Education in Philadelphia. He performed Gounod Duet with schoolmate Jade Conner.

Guests include YAGP Board Members John Beukelman, Barbara Brandt, Sergey Gordeev, Gabriel Hoffman, Carrie and Jonathan Kaufman, Kamie Lightburn, as well as Kara Acker, Maria Cristina Anzola, Sarah Arison, Mollie Acquavella, Ashley Bouder, J Alex Brinson, Linda and Martin Fell, Amy Fine Collins, Luiza and Steve Gold, Judith Hoffman, Breanna Khoury, Molly Knauer, Allie and Will Kopelman, Beejan Land,  Dylan Lauren, Allie Meixner, Andrew Martin-Weber, Michaela Moinian, Alberto Mugrabi, Wendi Murdoch, Taylor Olson, Samantha Pariente, Karine Plantadit, Jason Pomeranc, Scott Sartiano, Mariel Sholem, Gabe Stone Shayer, Allyson Tang, Barbara Tober, Tal Waksal, Yael and Oded Weiss, Hal Witt, and Christian Zimmermann.

The Gala kicked off YAGP’s 25th Anniversary season, with a program that featured the World Premiere of Reflective Response #1, danced by Michaela Mabinty DePrince*, choreographed by My’Kal Stromile, both from Boston Ballet. Accompanying the piece was 15-year-old prodigy singer Paloma Dineli Chesky and Grammy Award-nominated pianist David Chesky, performing live.

Photo via LK Studio and Jennifer Curry Wingrove , Christine Shevchenko and Jacopo Tissi

Jacopo Tissi (La Scala Ballet) danced the U.S. Premiere of a solo excerpt from the ballet, The Ninth Wave, choreographed by Bryan Arias. Tissi also danced Le Corsaire Act II pas de deux with Christine Shevchenko* (American Ballet Theatre). Jun Masuda* (Tulsa Ballet) and Shale Wagman* (Bavarian State Ballet, New York debut), danced the U.S. Premiere of Hungarian Dances, and Wagman joined Evelina Godunova (Berlin State Ballet, New York debut) for a pas de deux from Flames of Paris. Tiler Peck (New York City Ballet) and Roman Mejia (New York City Ballet) performed a pas de deux from George Balanchine’s Tarantella, Constantine Allen* (Dutch National Ballet) performed 5 Tango’s choreographed by the legendary Hans van Manen, and Chloe Misseldine* (American Ballet Theatre) performed William Tell. Claudia Mota and Allen performed the iconic pas de deux from Le Parc by Angelin Prejlocaj.

Photo via LK Studio and Jennifer Curry Wingrove, Memoir Performance

Israeli choreographers, Ohad Naharin and Sharon Eyal, presented rarely seen works performed by YAGP International Contemporary Dance Ensemble (ICE), made up of 35 dancers, spanning 15 countries. Dancers from around the world auditioned for ICE, then flew to Israel in December 2022 to rehearse with the ballet masters. 18 dancers from the ensemble performed excerpts from OCD Love and Decadance at the Gala.

Photo via LK Studio and Jennifer Curry Wingrove , Decadance Performance

Sharing a stage with these ballet superstars were YAGP’s 2023 competition winners (stars of tomorrow), dancing contemporary and classical ballet favorites. These talented young dancers (ages 9 - 19) danced in front of top ballet school directors and company heads in hopes of scholarships and job opportunities.

Photo via LK Studio and Jennifer Curry Wingrove , Decadance Performance

This season over 15,000 talented young dancers auditioned for YAGP around the globe and in 23 U.S. cities. At the Finals, YAGP awarded over $500,000 in scholarships to 300+ dancers to attend over 40 of the best dance institutions across the globe! In addition to scholarships, more than 30 YAGP participants have already received professional contract offers, with more to come in the weeks following the competition.

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