On August 13, Variations, A Dancer’s Studio, based in Huntington, Long Island, hosted “Broadway Celebrates Variations,” a star-studded benefit performance at The Paramount in Huntington to establish a scholarship fund for talented, financially needy area dance students. Hosted by Variations’ founders and directors Erin and John Lopez, the evening drew an audience of 350, and grossed $40,000. The scholarship fund is named after Erin Lopez’s first dance teacher Deborah Hahn, who was welcomed with great applause.
The evening began with a cocktail party, followed by performances by David Gabriel Lerner, cast member of “Mary Poppins”; Brandon Rubendall, cast member of “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark”; Adé Chiké Torbert, season 7 finalist on “So You Think You Can Dance,” cast member of “Fela!”; The Doo Wop Project, comprised of present and former cast members from “Jersey Boys”; dancers from Chase Brock Experience (Brock is a contributing choreographer of “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark”); Ryan Kasprzak, assistant choreographer for Smash on NBC; Gary Jeter II, member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet; students from Tony Award-nominee Elizabeth Parkinson’s Fine Line Theatre Arts. The ballet world was represented by Daniel Ulbricht, principal dancer with New York City Ballet.