Ballet dancers leap into each other’s arms

Thursday, April 27, 2006 | 7:14 a.m.

Zeb Nole really knows how to pick up a woman.

Nole, a principal dancer with Nevada Ballet Theatre, married soloist Racheal Hummel on Sunday at Victoria's Wedding Chapel on West Sahara Avenue. The couple will honeymoon in Hawaii, but only after taking part in the NBT's upcoming 22-city tour of Mexico.

The 31-member company will spend four weeks performing "Dracula," a road trip that marks the longest tour in the troupe's 34-year history. NBT leaves on May 18 and returns June 20; a camera crew from Telemundo is planning to record the company in action.

A reception followed the nuptials. The groom is a native Las Vegan whose mother was a dancer in "Folies Bergere" at the Tropicana, where his father worked as a stagehand. In October he played Bugsy Siegel in "Neon Evolution: Las Vegas Celebration."

Hummel has taken the name Racheal Hummel Nole, but next season will officially be Racheal Nole.

NBT is now the dancing home to two married couples - Kyu Dong Kwak and Yoomi Lee are married and have a son, Samuel, 4. The couple were married in South Korea in 1995, before arriving in the United States.

NoteMart

Barbara Greenspun honored: On Tuesday night Las Vegas Sun Publisher Barbara Greenspun was inducted into the UNLV chapter of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. The organization is the nation's oldest, largest and most selective all-discipline academic honor society.

Greenspun, inducted into the society as an honorary member, was recognized as a media pioneer and community leader who has made numerous contributions to education and the Las Vegas community. She helped launch the Barbara Greenspun Lecture Series and the Barbara Greenspun Journalism Scholarship, and is a member of the UNLV Foundation Board of Trustees.

In a statement, UNLV professor and Phi Kappa Phi Chapter 100 President Sashi Nambisan said, "Barbara Greenspun has been a wonderful community leader and great supporter of programs and activities at UNLV. Our chapter and the entire national Phi Kappa Phi organization are honored by her association with us." ...

Feeling Green: On Wednesday a spokeswoman for Tavern on the Green confirmed reports out of New York that the famed Central Park restaurant will expand to Las Vegas - and not necessarily on the Strip.

In Wednesday's New York Post, Tavern on the Green Manager Jenny LeRoy is quoted as saying, "Las Vegas is an incredible place. We're definitely interested in doing another Tavern there, with a big Crystal Room and possibly a (wedding) chapel."

The 27-year-old LeRoy inherited operation of LeRoy Adventures (which operates Tavern on the Green) from her late father, Warner LeRoy, when she was just 22 ...

Big laughs: Hefty comic Louie Anderson, subbing for George Wallace at Tuesday's launch event for the Las Vegas Perspective reference book at the Orleans Arena, got off a good line with, "George is a good friend of mine. We both have the same goal, to get money from white people on the Strip." Another: "It was so beautiful today, I almost took a walk." ...

Good reading: The latest issue of Forbes magazine writes of master illusionist David Copperfield's collection of magic memorabilia, which "lies hidden in a nondescript Las Vegas warehouse" ... press a button hidden in mannequin's brassiere and secret door flings open to reveal Copperfield's vast collection of sports cars, vintage automatons, gargoyle heads, gadgets and an electric chair. Copperfield also owns the world's largest collection of Houdini memorabilia, which is stored at the two-floor warehouse ...

Peppermill confab: On Tuesday, the day after KLAS Channel 8 announced the shakeup in its news lineup - moving longtime sports anchor Dave McCann to the morning newscast slot opposite Denise Valdez - outgoing news anchor Casey Smith was spotted lunching at the Peppermill with KTNV Channel 13 weatherman Mark Pfister. Smith was said to be leaving Channel 8 to further pursue his professional career, and Channel 13 could well be his next stop ...

Winging it: The question that stumped UNLV student Nick Hurd, a senior majoring in hotel administration who won $25,000 Monday during college week on "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire," was: "Who occupies offices in the East Wing of the White House?"

Hurd guessed the secretary of state. The answer is the first lady ...

From Herbalife to the high life: Laurence Hallier, the 38-year-old real estate magnate who is developing the Panorama Towers high-rise project on Dean Martin Drive, just west of the Strip, has quite a story.

At age 17 Hallier started a career in sales for Herbalife Chief Executive Mark Hughes - tracking Hughes down on an airplane after being turned back at a distributors' conference. Hallier worked his way to wealth in sales and marketing for Herbalife, and parlayed that success into Taxi Tops, the illuminated panels that sit atop taxicabs. Hallier sold that company to Clear Channel for $120 million in 1999, and away we go ...

Hello, Yellow Brick Road: Popular Vegas classic-rock tribute band Yellow Brick Road started its Wednesday-night performances at Rocks Lounge at Red Rock Resort this week ...

From the roadways: A caller identifying himself as Ted the Taxi Guy - who might be the same Ted the Taxi Guy I handed my card to about six weeks ago - left a voicemail message with this report from Sahara Avenue:

Ted's driving about 35 mph and is passed by a guy doing quite a bit more than 35. Ted meets up with the guy at the next light and notices the plate: SYKOTIC.