The Nutcracker Christmas Benefit 2020 Virtually Connects Guests and GivingHong Kong Ballet’s annual festive fundraiser goes online | Media | Meet HKB

The Nutcracker Christmas Benefit 2020
Virtually Connects Guests and Giving

Hong Kong Ballet’s annual festive fundraiser goes online

[Hong Kong—26 December 2020] For the first time ever due to pandemic safety considerations, The Nutcracker Christmas Benefit 2020 went virtual on Saturday, 26 December 2020 at Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel’s Grand Ballroom. Despite the unprecedented challenges, The Hong Kong Ballet Guild continued to honour its annual fundraising tradition for the 12^th year with its family-friendly holiday event to raise funds for Hong Kong Ballet (HKB), which endeavours to keep the art of ballet accessible for the local community during this difficult time. Over 360 distinguished guests participated in the live streaming event in the comfort of their homes.

Among the gracious hosts who welcomed guests online were The Nutcracker Christmas Benefit 2020 Co-Chairs: Mrs Lillian Lee Fong, Mrs Colleen Yu Fung and Mrs Emily Lam Ho. The distinguished guests who joined via live streaming included Ms Daisy Ho, Chairman of Board of Governors of Hong Kong Ballet; Ms Maya Lin and Mrs Liana Yung Yeung, Members of Board of Governors of Hong Kong Ballet; the Benefit Organising Committee members: Ms Wendy Chiu, Mrs Alicia Tan Ku, Professor Ava Kwong, Ms Wendy Law, Mrs Sandee Lam Sun, Mrs Connie Wei Yang and many more.

Hosted by The Hong Kong Ballet Guild’s Benefit Organising Committee, this charity event offered guests an opportunity to celebrate the holiday season with their loved ones in an intimate way. Festive canapé sets inspired by HKB’s The Nutcracker were prepared by Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel and delivered directly to guests’ homes. The outer red box, featuring the Benefit font, cheerful holiday greetings and whimsical Christmas symbols, lifted up to playfully reveal an evergreen Christmas tree with Nutcracker silhouette cutouts. In reference to the Nutcracker and Ballerina’s reunion at the top of the tree, the design also features a golden Nutcracker in place of the usual star on the treetop with a Nutcracker/Ballerina pas de deux silhouette in his heart. The Nutcracker special edition WonderHats, a new collaboration between HKB and Yum Me Play, were also delivered directly to guests’ homes before the afternoon event began. With these WonderHats of the Nutcracker Prince, the guests could get into character easily and enjoy some fun with the little ones through imaginative play activities that are both educational and entertaining.

Getting creative to reduce social contacts, the popular children’s performance of The Nutcracker was replaced by a 30-minute Special Nutcracker Video. 48 of the Organising Committee members’ children, ages 1.5-12, performed in custom-made Nutcracker ballet costumes, bringing big smiles to both their parents and the audience in front of their screens. In the video, they gracefully danced alongside seven HKB dancers to Tchaikovsky’s world famous music. The guests heartily applauded the performance and shared their appreciation with the young dancers online.

The Benefit’s engaging live and silent auctions and ‘Make a Pledge’ campaign raised money for HKB’s Accessibility Fund, Dancers’ Sponsorship Fund and Student Ticket Fund, as well as new online and community outreach projects planned in 2021. ‘Make a Pledge’ raised much-needed funds for ‘Silver Ballet’, which will provide ballet tutorial videos to senior citizens. Guests eagerly participated to help HKB continue its artistic development and share the joy of ballet in the community.

Organising Committee Co-Chair Mrs Emily Lam Ho welcomed the guests who were celebrating the holidays virtually and said, ‘Due to the pandemic, we have faced a lot of challenges when planning this event, like filming a pre-recorded Children’s Performance instead of a live performance. But we count our blessings that the children were still able to practise and film in person successfully. And due to the COVID surge and restrictions in early December, we had to quickly pivot to a virtual format for the entire event. Everything had to change quickly, but thanks to our thoughtful and accommodating partners and everyone here today, we are still able to celebrate with you at this Virtual Wonderland.’

Co-Chair Mrs Lillian Lee Fong sincerely acknowledged the Benefit’s generous sponsors, ‘We are more than grateful to our dedicated Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Sponsors, Premium Table Patrons as well as donors. The pandemic may physically keep us apart, but it never stops us from caring for each other. At this particular moment in time, we remain committed to supporting those in need. It’s a true blessing to be able to give back to the community and show that we are in this together.’

Additionally, Co-Chair Mrs Colleen Yu Fung acknowledged Hotel Partner Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel, Media Partners Sing Tao Daily and Tatler, and Prestique Limited for Event PR. She then addressed the impressive efforts undertaken by the creative team to make the Special Nutcracker Video possible, ‘Special thanks to Deirdre Fu Tcheng, the video’s Creative Director, who is also a Board of Governors member and one of The Hong Kong Ballet Guild’s founding members; and to Linda Fung, a Board of Governors member and one of today’s talented choreographers.’

Co-Chair Mrs Emily Lam Ho concluded, ‘We are indebted to our Artistic Director Septime Webre, Executive Director Heidi Lee and the Hong Kong Ballet dancers and administrative team, as well as to today’s emcee Esther Ma and auctioneer Elaine Kwok. Lastly, we’d like to thank all the hard-working Organising Committee members for putting so much time and effort in making this such a wonderful event.’

At the virtual Benefit, guests enjoyed a memorable, meaningful afternoon with their families and friends while also giving back to the community in various ways. After the live streamed main event concluded, guests were welcome to continue watching pre-recorded ballet workshops and arts and crafts tutorials to enjoy more festive fun at home.

The Nutcracker Christmas Benefit 2020

Co-Chairs:
Mrs Lillian Lee Fong, Mrs Colleen Yu Fung and Mrs Emily Lam Ho

Organising Committee:
Mrs Natalie Chiu, Ms Wendy Chiu, Ms Winnie Chiu JP, Ms Gigi Choi, Ms Vada C Chung, Mrs Michelle Miller Erb, Mrs Catherine Freeman, Mrs Ariel Shtarkman Ghitis, Mrs Alina Huo Knothe, Mrs Alicia Tan Ku, Ms Elaine C Kwok, Professor Ava Kwong, Mrs Alison Chan Lam, Ms May Lau, Ms Wendy Law, Ms Peggy Pei Chee Yeoh, Ms Jolene Lin, Ms Maya Lin, Ms Esther Ma, Mrs Inna Rodchenko-Highfield, Mrs Sandee Lam Sun, Mrs Deirdre Fu Tcheng, Mrs Emelda Wong Trainor, Mrs Elaine Lui Wong, Mrs Alice Tong Wong, Mrs Connie Wei Yang, Mrs Liana Yung Yeung, Ms LeighAnne Zhu

Platinum Sponsor
AMOREPACIFIC

Gold Sponsors
Perrier-Jouët Champagne
Square Solution Limited

Silver Sponsors
Lifelong Labs
Roger Lee Production Ltd.

Bronze Sponsors
FOTOMAX (F.E.) LTD.
Fresh Hong Kong Limited
GOUTAL Paris
Life In Motion
Louis Vuitton
Maggie & Rose Hong Kong
Megan’s Kitchen
Mulberry House International Kindergarten
PAKT Limited
Rosewood Hong Kong
Mr & Mrs James and Marie Suckling
Yum Me Play

Benefit Partners
ActiveKids Limited
AMMO
André Fu Living
Animation International Limited
Anonymous
BallroomBees
Barre 2 Barre
Baumhaus Hong Kong
Ms Elaine C Kwok and Mr Adrian Cheong
CURAPROX
Dorsett Hospitality International
DOUBLESHOT by Cupping Room
Eaton HK
Farrington Interiors Ltd.
Heavenly Dance Limited
HK Headshots
Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel
Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel
JIA Group
K11 ARTUS
kikki.K Retail (HK) Limited
Dr Florian Knothe and Mrs Alina Huo Knothe
Mrs Tyhoa Kobler
La Broderie
La Rambla by Catalunya
Lai Sun Dining Limited
Little Miss Luk by Vivian Luk Atelier
Little Stories—the Moment by Amy
LPM Restaurant & Bar
Nomad Caviar
Petit Bateau
Rosa & Daniel Photography
Shangri-La Group
Spring Learning
Sun Hung Kai & Co. Foundation Limited
Tata Harper Skincare
Toasst
Topfit Asia Limited
XYZ

Special Thanks
Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel (Hotel Partner)
Ms Elaine C Kwok (Auctioneer)
Ms Esther Ma (MC)
Prestique Limited (Event PR)
Sing Tao Daily (Chinese Media Partner)
Tatler (English Media Partner)

Download High Resolution Images

Photo 1: Ms Daisy Ho, Chairman of Board of Governors of Hong Kong Ballet

The Nutcracker Christmas Benefit 2020 Virtually Connects Guests and Giving

Hong Kong Ballet’s annual festive fundraiser goes online

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The Nutcracker Christmas Benefit 2020
Virtually Connects Guests and Giving