Ballet Hispanico 2013 Spring Gala Will Honor Randy Falco, 4/8

On Monday, April 8, 2013, Ballet Hispanico will celebrate the legacy of its School of Dance, and proudly honor Randy Falco, President & CEO of Univision Communications, with its Civic Inspiration Award at the annual Spring Gala in The Plaza Hotel's Grand Ballroom. Cocktails begin at 7pm and dinner will commence at 7:45pm. Attire is black tie. To purchase tickets, a table, a journal advertisement, or for more information, please contact Emma Epstein, Events Manager, at (212) 362-6710 x43 or eepstein@ballethispanico.org. The Plaza Hotel is located at 768 Fifth Avenue, New York City.

The celebration will feature dinner, live music from the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, and performances by the Ballet Hispanico Company and students of the Ballet Hispanico School of Dance. The event is headed by Event Chairs Emilio Estefan, Kate Lear, David Pérez, and Herb Scannell.

"Both Univision and Ballet Hispanico share a commitment to serve as cultural connectors and leaders in the ever-changing demographics of our country. For Ballet Hispanico, this means continued access, scholarship support and excellence in dance education for underserved communities and schools," said Kate Lear, Chair of Ballet Hispanico's Board of Directors. "Univision stands for innovation in television and media with programming that reflects and responds to today's Latino experience, and we are thrilled to honor their achievements."

"More than 40 years ago, two pioneers emerged to provide a voice for the Latino community: Univision on television and Ballet Hispanico on stage," said Randy Falco, President & CEO of Univision Communications. "I'm honored to receive this award and celebrate the accomplishments of Latino leaders in the arts and media industries in one fabulous evening."

Under Mr. Falco's leadership, Univision has made significant strides in its ongoing evolution from what was once a niche broadcast network to the multimedia powerhouse Univision is today. He has spearheaded Univision's quick expansion, adding three new cable networks and digital offerings, while driving increased revenue and growth across its existing broadcast and cable networks, local television group and radio stations portfolio. In addition, Mr. Falco led the Company's 50th anniversary celebration by unveiling its new brand logo and tagline, identifying Univision as "the Hispanic Heartbeat of America."

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro, Ballet Hispanico's three divisions-the professional dance Company, School of Dance, and Education & Outreach program-continue to grow and enrich the lives of dancers and audiences of all ages. The School of Dance is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Dance as of September 2012. The School offers over $150,000 in annual scholarships and trains more than 600 students a year, 50% of whom are Latino. The Jody G. Arnhold Scholarship Fund was launched last year by Ballet Hispanico Honorary Chairman and 2012 Gala honoree Jody Gottfried Arnhold to further support the School. The Ballet Hispanico Company performed a sold-out show at Harlem's world famous Apollo Theater in December 2012 and was a featured performer this past January at an event in Washington D.C. honoring the presidential inauguration and Latino arts and culture. The Company will celebrate its 25th season of performances at The Joyce Theater on April 16-28, 2013.

Randy Falco is President and Chief Executive Officer of Univision Communications Inc., the leading media company serving Hispanic America. Prior to joining Univision in January 2011, Mr. Falco served as chairman and chief executive officer of AOL, Inc. from 2006 to 2009. Before joining AOL, Mr. Falco spent more than 30 years with NBC, most recently serving as president and chief operating officer of NBC Universal Television Group. Mr. Falco has also served as chief operating officer, NBC Olympics, for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City; the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney; the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta; and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He has won numerous Emmy Awards for these broadcasts. Mr. Falco holds an M.B.A. in finance and a bachelor's of science degree, also in finance, from Iona College. Mr. Falco sits on the board of Ronald McDonald House and the Museum of The Moving Image.