Mexican food is helping send U ballerinas to Japan.
The U’s Utah Ballet and Character Dance Ensemble held fundraisers at three Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill restaurants to finance a trip to the Valentino Dance Center’s Gala Performance in Tokyo in May. The three Rubio’s locations donated 20 percent of their dinner sales from 5 p.m. to closing Saturday night to the ballet groups.
The Gala Performance will feature different ballet and character dance groups from around the world.
While in Japan, the dancers are hoping to learn some traditional Japanese dancing in classes, said Sarah Solomon, a sophomore in the Character Dance Ensemble.
“I’m excited to experience the Japanese culture firsthand,” she said.
It was a good business decision for Rubio’s to support the local university, said Brian Trick, a sophomore in political science.
The Rubio’s at 358 S. 700 East in downtown Salt Lake City hit its average Saturday night revenue of $1,800 long before closing.
Joey Lepore, a Rubio’s employee, printed off the current sales receipt to find it was already $2,583.65 at 7:56 p.m. Of that, approximately $500 will go toward the groups’ trip. Lepore estimated that the restaurant would make at least $3,000 before it closed.
The restaurants in Sugar House, 1160 E. 2100 South, and Murray at 5283 S. State Street, also donated 20 percent of their dinner sales to the ballet groups. The restaurant is still calculating how much the groups made from the other two locations. Rubio’s occasionally holds fundraisers such as this for various nonprofit organizations.
The trip costs $39,000 for both groups and two faculty members. The groups have already received some funding from the College of Fine Arts’ finance fee but still need more.
Both groups will have another restaurant fundraiser night March 26 at Noodles & Company on 358 E. 700 South in downtown Salt Lake City from 5 p.m. to closing. The restaurant will donate 25 percent of its dinner sales, said Sayoko Knode, a junior in the Utah Ballet.
The groups advertised Saturday’s fundraiser through Facebook, e-mails, flyers, announcements on Greek Row and to friends and through an information table at Crimson Nights, Knode said.
Group members stood outside at every location to advertise their fundraiser. The ballerinas at the Salt Lake City Rubio’s stopped anyone they could to tell them about their fundraiser and upcoming trip to Japan.
Trick and Suneil Bhambri, a junior in economics, normally only go to Rubio’s on $1 Taco Tuesday, but when Bhambri heard that Rubio’s was donating part of its sales to the ballet groups, they decided to come on a Saturday to help the cause.
Every group on campus should be able to take advantage of opportunities to go someplace new and represent the U while learning about a different culture, Bhambri said.
The U’s ballet school will also be holding auditions for prospective U ballet students, said Mikhail Tchoupakov, a professor and Japanese tour coordinator for the Ballet Department.
Japan has a large ballet market that will be a good opportunity for all the dancers to experience, he said.
The groups are fundraising throughout March and into April.
For information on how to donate, go to www.ballet.utah.edu/contribute.