The Gabriella Axelrad Education Foundation held it’s 8^th Annual Gala on May 31, 2008 at UCLA.  Proceeds from the event benefited both of the Foundation’s programs, everybody dance! and the Gabriella Charter School.

  

Event attendees enjoyed a cocktail reception and dinner, followed by an awards presentation and dance performances by everybody dance! students. Featured performances included a tap piece by Arthur Duncan and the students of everybody dance! 

  

Honored were Yvonne Mounsey, founder and director of “Westside Ballet,” one of the West Coast’s premier ballet schools and training companies, and veteran tap dancer Arthur Duncan.  Ms. Mounsey, 88, began her professional dance career at the age of 19, joined Balanchine’s New York City Ballet in 1948 and founded Westside Ballet in 1968.

  

Arthur Duncan, 74, was honored for his decades as the industry’s quintessential song and dance man --  “the King of Tap” Lawrence Welk called him -- and for breaking racial barriers as the first African—American regular on a variety television program, "The Lawrence Welk Show," where he was a featured performer from 1964 to 1982.

  

Mounsey received the Advancement of the Arts Award and Duncan received the Gregory Hines Humanitarian Award.

  

Also honored were actress/dancer Jenna Dewan ("Step Up" and "Take the Lead") with the Limelight Award, and the Lynn Soodik—Stephan Wasserman Family with the Founders Award.