On August 5, the John E. Profant Foundation for the Arts hosted its 19th annual Fiesta Finale, an entertaining event held in the intimate setting of El Paseo restaurant. The foundation raises funds for arts scholarships for Santa Barbara County residents of all ages.
A sold-out crowd of about 175 guests, most clad in Fiesta attire, mingled and danced during the lively reception to music by the Martinez Brothers. Then Mignonne Profant, one of the family foundation’s founders, invited everyone to be seated for the three-course meal. During and after the meal, guests were entertained by several performers, including the talented scholarship recipients the SB Piano Boys, Rhyan Shweyk, 12, and Zeyn Shweyk, 13, who performed a piano duet. They have been playing classical piano since age 5 and composing since age 8 and are already teaching others.
A show highlight was State Street Ballet’s Leila Drake and James Folsom beautifully performing part of an original composition by Drake’s husband, artist and composer Chris Fossek. Another was a “Tableau Vivant” featuring Arthur Murray Dance Studio owners Kristen & Serge Chmelnitzki along with Heidi Gielisch and Peter Jensen-Sabol. They and others filtered onto the stage to recreate the poster from the 1947 film Fiesta starring Ricardo Montalban and Esther Williams. After pausing for the audience to absorb the recreated artwork, the art came to life with the figures emerging in dance form, giving a brilliant paso doble and salsa medley performance.