Recession Crashes This Year’s La Jolla Debutante Ball

Bag the black bow ties and tuxes, shelve the white gowns and matching gloves, cancel the caterer and tell the boys in the band they won’t be playing their ballroom rendition of “Thank Heaven for Little Girls.”

The La Jolla Debutante Ball, one of the oldest coming-out parties for the Barbies and Buffies of high-society San Diego, has been rudely tripped up by an uninvited guest.

The nasty old recession just crashed the party.

Planners have decided to cancel the lavish social event for the first time in its 31-year history, saying this is a bad year to trip the night fantastic--even for well-heeled La Jollans.

“We’re not having a ball because of the recession,” said Dona Whitaker, last year’s ball chairwoman who would have also spearheaded efforts to stage this year’s party.

“I just don’t think people can afford it this year. I mean, all charities are down this year, aren’t they? Well, we’re no different.”

The debutante ball is held annually in May in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel del Coronado, where a few dozen fresh-faced teens adorned in white gowns, their elbow-length white gloves carrying a nosegay of pink rosebuds, waltz the night away with their fathers and stiff-legged escorts.

The ball night is the crowning event of a six-month social season that starts with a Saturday afternoon tea in December and includes several parties--including a luncheon where former debutantes offer advice on manners and thank-you card techniques.

There are also a coffee party for proud mothers and a father-daughter preliminary party, where both learn the graceful footwork required for the ballroom waltzes.

Last fall, however, several parents sent letters to the 30-member debutante ball committee that the prerequisite $2,000 donation to charity wasn’t such a good idea in these financially trying times.

In addition, tickets to the ball cost $150 for adults and $75 for those under 21, planners say. Considering that the event usually attracts not only the teen, her escort and both sets of parents, but aunts and uncles as well, families are paying big bucks to ballroom boogie.

“We got several letters--people just think this was an off year money-wise and that it might be better to wait a year,” said Whitaker, the mother of a 16-year-old boy. “So we made the decision--the season is off.”

Whitaker said the tradition of debutante balls began when young girls graduated from finishing schools and were presented to the local society by their parents.

“The girl who attends has to have the mind-set of romanticism,” Whitaker said. “It’s a time when they see the social scene with new and fresh eyes.”

While times have changed, the La Jolla Debutante Ball has pretty much remained the same. Until this year.

Whitaker said planners aren’t exactly blaming President Bush for their social setback.

“You can’t blame George,” she said. “He’d have been all for what we’re trying to do here.”