Westside Ballet alumni Adrian Blake Mitchell and Joy Womack who fled from Russia once the war broke out, are here with pre-professional dancers and Beverly Hills residents, Jenne (15) and Elle (13) Shim. (Not pictured, Chloe Meyer (9).) Womack, who was born in Beverly Hills, was the first American female to be invited to dance under contract with the Bolshoi Ballet. Having to abruptly flee their professional life in Russia, Womack and Mitchell were immediately booked by their alma mater to perform at the performance company’s May 7 “Petite Soire?e” special event at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica. Womack will perform “Spring Waters” with Mitchell (an LA native who resigned from the Mikhailovsky Ballet Company). On social media, Womack wrote, “In this tough moment my heart goes out to all of my beautiful Ukrainian and Russian friends and fellow artists. I pray for everyone who has been affected by this terrible situation.”
