Sarasota County Commission honors the Sarasota Ballet

This week has been a busy one for the Sarasota Ballet. In the middle of rehearsals for Sir Frederick Ashton’s “La Fille mal Gardée” opening on Dec. 19, the Sarasota Ballet and its artistic leaders have their hands full. In addition, the Fine Arts Society of Sarasota honored director Iain Webb and assistant director Margaret Barbieri yesterday with their Luminaire Award for outstanding artistic achievement.

This morning the Sarasota Ballet received two certificates of recognition from the Sarasota County Commission for their continued contributions to the community and the greater ballet arts.

The first certificate was given to director Webb for his tireless work in reinvigorating the ballet’s repertoire. And he quickly raised the company’s profile in the ballet world with his productions of popular and rare works by British choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton.

Few could have anticipated Webb’s ambition,” says Carolyn J. Mason, Sarasota County commissioner, who presented the certificates. ““Webb has taken the Sarasota Ballet to a whole other level.”

Webb was grateful for the individual recognition but was eternally humble and was quick to give credit to the company as whole. “I really don’t deserve this because it isn’t about one person, ” says Webb. “For the city and county commission to recognize us is very special because we carry the name and flag of Sarasota wherever we go and wherever we perform.”

After Webb spoke, commissioner Mason presented the entire organization with a certificate of recognition honoring them for their tireless efforts in putting Sarasota on the ballet map. Dancers, administartors and board members past and present joined Webb, Barbieri and managing director Mary Anne Servian up in front of the hall.

“It’s indeed an honor,” says Barbieri. “It is wonderful to know and feel the community support us and behind us. It is very rewarding.”

As a dozen fellow members of the ballet’s eyes began to mist and tear up, decades worth of love, drive and passion for ballet in Sarasota was palpable in the room.

“It truly does take a village to make all this possible,” says Servian.