Sonoma dance school raises nearly $50,000 in fundraiser

For the first time in 54 years, the Sonoma Dance Conservatory held a masked ball on November 14 to benefit its scholarship fund and its program of classes and public performances.

The event at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards attracted approximately 160 guests for dinner, dancing, live entertainment and a silent auction. The evening raised nearly $50,000 for the dance school.

The gala also honored community members who have made significant contributions to the arts: Andrea Valo-Espina, Celebrating Dance; Diana and Roger Rhoten, Applauding Theater of Sonoma; and SCD alumna Viridiana “Viri” Martinez, translator/liaison to Spanish-speaking students and their families.

“What a fantastic evening to celebrate the Sonoma Conservatory of Dance, which I didn’t know existed before,” Marchelle Adams Carleton, Pets Lifeline board president, said in a press release. “This incredible organization has been around for 50 years. Great job and congratulations to the team who put it all together…the dancers were breathtaking.

A combination of raffle items, silent auctions and live auctions, along with supporter donations, raised nearly $50,000 for the SCD to fund a variety of programs ranging from aid from tuition to additional teachers, studio upgrades, costumes and props.

The dance school donation page is still open and accepting donations at givebutter.com/sonomaconservatoryofdance.

The Sonoma Conservatory of Dance was founded by Beth-Marie Deenihan in 1970 and continues to provide professional dance instruction to youth in the Sonoma Valley and beyond. Since becoming a nonprofit in 2017, the school has awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to eligible students.

For more information, visit sonomaconservatoryofdance.org