He is an illusionist par excellence, an icon among artists, a master puppeteer, a revered theater producer and a forecaster of trends – he is Robert Wilson. While the Hamptons is not renowned for its dynamic art scene it has over the years become a mecca of culture where artists such as Chuck Close and Jeff Koons gather to fraternize with fellow creatives; at the top of the Hampton’s pyramid is Robert Wilson. Wilson could be relaxing in St. Tropez enjoying his legendary status amongst Europe’s social set but instead chooses to tend to his labor of love-the students at the Watermill Center. The Watermill Center was founded by Wilson in 1992 as an interdisciplinary laboratory for the arts supporting young and emerging artists through its year-round Artist Residency Program and International Summer Program, as well as Education Programs, exhibitions and events open to the public. My friend an art aficionado said that “Watermill” was the Julliard of Modern Art. Wilson prepares for the Watermill Center Benefit all year as the money raised covers half of the annual budget. The cocktail tickets which were priced at $450 for early birds and $600 were sold out as well as the $1,350 dinner tickets with only $2,000 and $2,500 tickets available. The evening was sponsored by Van Cleef & Arpels and featured installations from over 200 summer program participants from 30 nations including Laurie Anderson, Oliver Beer, Bianca Casady, Dawn Kasper, Cleon Peterson and Christopher Knowles.

Artists in Summer program

The more than 1,000 guests who attended were an eclectic mix of artists, philanthropists, businessmen, and entertainers. Wilson looks more like a Hollywood actor than an artist attracting celebrities and luminaries from around the world year after year. Last year Robert Downey Jr. and Isabelle Huppert joined Wilson, and in years past Lady Gaga and Alan Cumming enjoyed the gala. The evening began at 6PM on Saturday, July 28th with the crowd anxiously anticipating the 25th Anniversary Gala’s “Time Bomb” theme which was a look into the future. Guests walked through the enchanted forest with artists in white masks, hanging from ropes, and naked in a rainbow pile, shocking and aweing the large crowds. Philanthropists Audrey and Martin Gruss, Jonathan and Somers Farkas, Maria Fishel, Toby Milstein and Inga Maren Otto came to pay homage to Wilson.  Peter Beard, Marina Abramovic, and Isabella Rossellini were also on hand lending star power to the evening.

Isabella Rossellini

Acclaimed architect, Campion Platt, whose family looked like they stepped out of the pages of “Vogue” called this “the best event in the country.” Platt was dressed by John Varvatos for the evening and had lost some weight since my last article where I referenced his expanding waistline. Platt cut watermelon out of his diet and recounted some of his other talents which include making raw cacao truffles, and gluten-free granola-a gift all of Palm Beach clamors for.

Campion and Tatiana Platt with son Fox

The cocktail hour contained some other savory treats including tuna tartare, couscous and an open bar stationed in four different areas. Getting around the forest was no easy task for those wearing spike heels-my wedges were serving me well. As I made my way to the silent auction, I bumped into Belgian actor Ronald Guttman who starred in “Mad Men,” “Sex and the City” and “Heroes.” The role Guttman is most proud of is providing the voice of the “Prophets” for the Jewish Theological Seminary’s podcast.

Cocktail hour

The cocktail hour concluded two and a half hours later, and select guests made their way into the tent for dinner which included an exciting live auction and performance art. The evening began with Wilson paying tribute to his friend of 47 years Pierre Berge who died in 2017. Berge, the co-founder of Yves Saint Laurent, was a child who was always reading and loved theater, opera, journalism, fashion, and politics, according to Wilson. Berge who made a significant contribution towards the 20,000 square foot Watermill building in 1990 was “a world minister,” and Wilson sent him “love for now and forever.”

Martin and Audrey Gruss

After dinner of couscous, fish, beet salad, and various meats had been served it was time for the business portion of the evening with renowned auctioneer Simon de Pury flying in from London to “perform” the Wilson auction-his 48th one. De Pury was sweating profusely on this humid evening; nevertheless, his enthusiasm was unabated as he exhorted members to bid on the pieces by Keith Haring, Nan Goldin, and Roy Lichtenstein.

Maria Fishel and Jane Scher

The first item auctioned was dinner at Cipriani with “goddess” and artist Marina Abramovic who informed the bidders they could not use technological equipment during the dinner and must abstain from sex, television and talking about Donald Trump for three days prior. Despite these stringent requirements, two ladies bid $35,000 for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Abramovic is a huge fan of Wilson’s and has collaborated with Wilson and Lady Gaga on numerous projects. Some other items auctioned were a huge Roy Lichtenstein painting for $95,000 with de Pury playfully remarking that “size does matter” and two “Snowy Owl” paintings by Wilson which sold for $60,000 each.

Keith Haring portrait

Moreover, the one-of-a-kind portrait by Tseng Kwong Chi, who died of AIDS at the age of 39, of Keith Haring was sold to Inga Maren Otto for $75,000 above the estimated value of $50,000. Inga Maren Otto is a major supporter of Wilson’s who started the Inga Maren Fellowship program in 2016 and gave an additional $50,000 at the event. Otto is a magnificent and “impossibly chic” woman who is a mix between Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. Her husband of 48 years, Werner Otto, was a German entrepreneur and Inga now spends much of her time distributing her money to charity.

Maren Otto and Robert Wilson

Tonight, Inga was wearing a pink Chanel sweater with an Armani skirt, and Armani shoes with her hair pulled back in a bun. If I were a designer, Otto would be my muse as very few women possess her elegance. Otto, who was seated next to Wilson, clapped vociferously when Wilson asked singer Helga Davis to inspire the crowd with her haunting voice – and she did just that. At 11:30 PM guests headed to the after party where desserts and a DJ kept the crowd going until way after most Hamptonites bedtime.

– Lieba Nesis

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The Hudson Institute held its Global Leadership Award Dinner at the Plaza Hotel on November 30, 2015 with cocktails beginning at 6PM. The Hudson Institute which was founded in 1961, is a research organization which offers practical, innovative solutions to help shape the future. I knew this was an important dinner because when I pulled up in my taxi there were armed NYPD officers outside the Plaza. When I entered the third floor ballroom there stood media titan Rupert Murdoch and his new paramour Jerry Hall. So Jerry went from a liberal stoner named Jagger to a Republican loving Australian named Murdoch – that’s a great move and one she seemed pleased with. Hall told me she was most looking forward to hearing Rupert’s speech, after confessing she was a Democrat.

Jerry Hall

Hall is still svelte and attractive with a big mane of shoulder length blonde hair and a wide smile; but gone were her rock ‘n’ roll days; tonight she looked like a Republican wannabe. It was hard to imagine this was the woman that swept Mick off his feet in the decadent 70’s, but here she was in all her glory barely recognizable to the highly intellectual crowd.

Nancy Kissinger & Joel Klein

However, someone instantly identifiable was Henry Kissinger who stood there holding court with his amazonian wife, Nancy, nearby. Kissinger, is as sharp witted as ever, belying his 92 years of age and continues to astound all those around him with his brilliance. As the cocktail hour progressed, I felt like I was at a Fox Network News convention with Bill O’Reilly, Brett Baier, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Bill Kristol, Neil Cavuto, Joe Lieberman, Scooter Libby, and Roger Ailes (Chairman and CEO of Fox News), coming to pay homage to their boss Rupert Murdoch.

News anchor Bill O’Reilly

O’Reilly is much taller than expected and he told me he insists all his clothing be American made with custom suits by Hickey Freeman and shirts by Skip Gambert. Just then real estate titan Larry Silverstein walked by and when I asked the World Trade Center owner what he thought of the Freedom Tower he said he “loved” its design. Oftentimes VIP’s are honored at dinners without bringing their friends however, this night was evidently important to Murdoch who bought Lebanese businessman and former Ford Motor Company CEO, Jacques Nasser, in from Australia for the festivities.

Leon Black and Marie Josee Kravis

After running into the Kravis’s and billionaire Leon Black, who told me he could not miss an event with the one-two punch of a Kissinger-Murdoch partnership, I sat down next to a gentleman whose name tag read Norman Podhoretz. After the head of the Hudson Institute, Ken Weinstein, announced that the dinner raised more than $1.1 million as well as receiving the largest anonymous gift by a single donor of $10 million, I spoke to my seatmate Podhoretz who was the former editor of Commentary magazine for 30 years and has written over 12 books. The genius of this man was readily apparent until he lowered himself by asking my marital status to which I answered “single with no real prospects.” Just as I began to reiterate my tale of woe to his wife of 59 years, thankfully Henry Kissinger took to the stage. Kissinger is erudite, stately and charismatic and also very hard to understand.

Henry Kissinger and Barbara Winston

What I did make out from his speech was that ISIS was a bad organization and needed to be destroyed and that the United States can’t lead from behind, even though Charlie Sheen has done that for years. He warned of the inertia of the US leading to chaos and said he found the situation in Europe extremely worrisome. He then went on to praise Murdoch for being an inspiration to the world and most importantly, said he likes “him as a human being.” Murdoch then arrived on stage to a standing ovation with the stateliness of a king and took to the podium without any notes. I was surprised at how handsome and vigorous Murdoch was at the age of 84 and when he opened his mouth an incredible accent emerged-although, one I could not place.

Elizabeth and Roger Ailes & Kimberly Guilfoyle

After barely understanding the speech of Kissinger I was equally confused by the Australian accent of Murdoch. Murdoch spoke about Ronald Reagan and China, thanking Kissinger for enhancing relations with Asia. Murdoch went on to say fracking benefited millions of people and that the EPA stands for Environmentalists Punish America. He then criticized the Obama administration for not leading in foreign policy and lamented that America was in a malaise. Rupert means business and nobody is gonna mess with him. His son James sat nearby and nodded approvingly at his father’s words. Rupert received a well deserved ovation and the crowd enthusiastically applauded his speech. Murdoch’s a star and he lent an importance to the dinner that made it an astounding success.

Bill Kristol and Scooter Libby

My partner for the night was Barbara Winston, daughter-in-law of the famous Harry Winston and her diamond necklace which contained about 100 carats had me distracted the entire evening. The NYPD should have been by her side the entire night because she made Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry look like trinkets. At 9PM on the dot, the speaker announced the dinner was over and the crowd filtered out while Rupert Murdoch graciously stayed to pose for pictures and talk with dinner attendees. As Kissinger exited with his wife Nancy, Roger Ailes and Murdoch embraced – another typical Monday night in a City that may sleep, but when awake it can’t be beat.

– Lieba Nesis

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The Apollo Circle held its annual gala at the Temple of Dendur wing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 9:00 pm to Midnight on November 5th. The evening’s theme was “Vice and Virtue” and contained dancing, cocktails, and treats with tickets costing a paltry $300.

Max Defforey and Audrey Adams in Oscar de la Renta

Geoff Rizk, Caroline Hawkins, Meg Davis, Holger Staude, Pete Hansen and Stephanie Wentworth

The black tie event contained more than 950 young art enthusiasts with DJ Chelsea Leyland spinning tunes ranging from Fleetwood Mac to Madonna. The evening was sold out weeks in advance and continues to be one of the highlights on the calendar of the twenty something social set.

Cameron Mehr, Indira Cesarine and Andrew Toner

Jennifer Farrell, Krystn Hammond, Tiffany Frasier, Katie Ho and Jun Ge

The Apollo Circle, founded in 1997, is a membership group created for young donors to the Museum and this is its most visible event of the year. The night provides an opportunity for the young adult crowd to come out wearing their best attire and jewelry and this evening did not disappoint with guests appearing in fashion forward choices including jumpsuits, sequined gowns, and sheer dresses.

Anna Pyali and Lana Smith

Claire Eckstrom and Giulia Modenese in Alberta Ferretti

There were some trends that were worth noting, including a large amount of guests appearing in various hues of red, and the ubiquitous black and white combination continuing to be a popular dress choice. Moreover, white continues to be a consistent winner long after the summer months have passed.

Holly Cornell, Claire Delap, Jenny Gallagher, and Ram Shankar

The warm temperature outside made me long for the Hamptons but thankfully resulted in a bearable coat check line and an extremely friendly crowd- a welcome divergence from the unpleasant Guggenheim party I attended last night. New York is a city that never stops partying and this evening I spotted many of the same attendees I have encountered at galas in the past month.

Sophia Staley, Gwen Tilghman and Milena Rome

Apropos to the theme of vice vs. virtue, I asked some of the guests what there greatest vices were and the overwhelming response was drinking and sex. Some other funny responses were binge watching of reality television shows and overconfidence in social situations.

Dancers Stephanie Schariatpanahi and Karl Yeh

Professional ballroom dancer Stephanie Schariatpanahi wowed the crowd with her graceful moves and said overexercising to the point of exhaustion was something she needed to change.

Ashley Harriman in Ralph Lauren and Megan Keenan

As the evening came to a close the guards ushered the crowds out to the surrounding beauty of Central Park and the grand Museum staircase – all elements of the environment that beautify the invigorating city of New York.

– Lieba Nesis

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The 32nd black-tie annual Rita Hayworth Alzheimer’s Gala was held at Cipriani 42nd Street on a balmy Tuesday evening with cocktails beginning at 6:30 pm. Last year I had the privilege of attending the event which was held at the Waldorf Astoria which was a preferable venue due to its grandeur and wide open spaces which accommodate the massive crowd; Unfortunately, at Cipriani the guests were huddled in a small area for hors d’oeuvres and forced to sit on top of each other for dinner.

Beth in Oscar de la Renta and Lenny Wilf

It seems as if every charity event is held at one Cipriani or another; thankfully, this Cipriani was not on Wall Street. Upon entering the space I bumped into my ex husband’s partners, real estate developers, Lenny and Beth Wilf. Lenny is an owner of the Vikings and the Yankees, so it says a lot about the event that Lenny attended this dinner instead of watching the baseball game. The Wilf’s are an incredibly charitable couple giving time and money to numerous organizations and their low key demeanor belies their power and influence.

John Catsimatidis Jr. Andrea Catsimatidis John and Margo Catsimatidis and Chele Farley

The dinner, underwritten by Rolex, contained a crowd full of luminaries including: Ray and Veronica Kelly, Margo and Jimmy Nederlander, Audrey Gruss, John and Margo Catsimatidis, Somers and Jonathan Farkas, Lauren Roberts, Jean and Martin Shafiroff, Barbara and Bruce Winston, Brooke Shields and Chris Henchy, Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia and so many more.

Jean Shafiroff in Carolina Herrera, Audrey Gruss in Andrew Gn and Robin Meltzer in Jenny Packham

The evening began with master of ceremonies Willie Giest, the news correspondent, introducing Yasmin Aga Khan, the chair and founder of the organization, who has worked tirelessly to eradicate the disease that killed her mom, Rita Hayworth. Yasmin Khan, was wearing a stunning Naeem Khan (no relation), and announced that this evening raised $2 million with 23 occupied tables in the room, and tickets sold out weeks in advance.

Ray and Veronica Kelly, Sharon Bush and Jimmy Nederlander

Gala chair Daryl Simon then got up to speak about the theme of the evening which was “Our Future is Crystal Clear” and recount her mother’s ultimately losing battle with Alzheimer’s and the need for courage and perseverance to fight this dreaded disease. Another early onset Alzheimer’s sufferer is the mother of actress Kimberly Williams, the star of “Father of the Bride,” who told of her formerly adventurous parent who was stricken at the age of 61 with the deteriorating condition- eventually being unable to speak or write. Kimberly felt lost and alone until she connected with the Alzheimer’s association.

Chris Henchy, Brooke Shields in Naeem Khan, and Willie Giest in Zegna

The color of the evening was purple which I was unaware of and I chose a purple ball gown matching the red carpet wallpaper perfectly. I was a tad concerned I might be overdressed until I spotted Michele Herbert in a floor length Naeem Khan with feathers on the bottom and a smashing white fur stole.

Somers Farkas in Naeem Khan and Jonathan Farkas

I haven’t seen Michele most of the year because she has been busy trying to raise awareness for the Alzheimer’s cause and she and her husband Larry were given the Rita Hayworth award for their contribution, in both money and time, to researching Alzheimer’s in women. Michele is a dynamo and when she approached the stage to accept her award she said she “was putting her husband’s money where her mouth was.”

Carolyn Gold, Irina Laksk, Barbara Winston, Ada de Maurier, Charlene Haroche and Jody Wolf

Michele also said she warned her investment bankers if they did not support the cause then she would take her son’s trust out of their hands and consequently, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, U.S.Trust and many others decided to buy tickets for the evening which were $1,500 per seat. Furthermore, Herbert collaborated with Naeem Khan to produce a one of a kind custom Purple dress auctioned off in the silent auction which included items like dinner at Le Bernardin, two seats to “Hamilton” and a Kara Ross clutch as well as live auction offerings of a trip to Morocco, a weekend at the Golf Masters, and a plane ride to Detroit with the Brooklyn Nets.

Dan Gasby and B. Smith

The next recipients of the Champion Award were B. Smith and Dan Gasby who received a standing ovation for their brave outspokenness in the fight against Alzheimer’s. B. Smith, the magazine publisher, celebrity chef and lifestyle maven has had a widely publicized battle with the disease and her husband and caregiver Dan Gasby spoke about the grim statistics: every 67 seconds someone new develops the disease; two out of three of the sufferers are women; and women in their 60’s are twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s than breast cancer.

Jessica Behm in Versace and Kasia McCormick in Monique Lhuillier

His wife B. who was on stage with him but could not speak told him privately “she didn’t want to hide” and that is why they have been so vocal in their struggle. Gasby went on to say that this disease was a 21st Century civil rights issue because the majority of the victims are women, minorities and indigents-urging the audience to press Congress for funding and research.

Mike Tadross and Georgia Witkin

After the program finished, the guests headed to the dance floor in the lavish purple-hued ballroom, which contained pink and purple flowers and crystal chandeliers. I had the opportunity to speak with Mike Tadross, a producer at Warner Bros., who was there to support the Herbert’s and excited to see Brooke Shields since he hasn’t caught up with her since he produced her 1989 movie “Brenda Starr.”

Actress Kimberly Williams

Tadross, in a custom Armani tuxedo, has produced more than 49 movies and is currently working on a movie with Sandra Bullock and a remake of “A Star is Born” with Beyonce. His wife Georgia Witkin is an expert on stress and men and women’s health issues as well as a prominent tv commentator.

Paula Peck in Pucci and Anthony Peck

As we all exited the building I bumped into Anthony and Paula Peck, a friend of the Tadross’s, and inquired if they were related to Gregory.  Anthony replied that Gregory was his father and the thing he misses most of the actor was his warmth, kindness and generosity. I was astounded to have met the legendary Gregory Peck’s son who said that both he and his father’s favorite role was that of Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird” because his father was identical to Finch.

This was another one of those nights that is hard to describe, but hanging out with Rita Hayworth’s daughter and Gregory Peck’s son in one evening is one of those happenstances they call extraordinary.

– Lieba Nesis

The post The Alzheimer’s Gala 2015 – An Unforgettable Evening appeared first on lookonline.

American Ballet Theatre (ABT) opened its fall season with a gala at the David H. Koch Theater last night, Wednesday October 21st. I thought fall started a month ago but who am I to complain, especially when their winter gala is in March. I was a bit skeptical as to the turnout and my fears were confirmed when I arrived to a less than crowded room with publicist Couri Hay commenting on the sparseness of the audience.

Hamish Bowles in Tom Ford, Anh Duong & Amy Fine Collins in Zac Posen

I wondered where David Koch and Leonard Lauder were, and why they would miss this spectacular evening which featured the New York premiere of choreographer Mark Morris, the company premiere of “Monotones I and II” by Frederick Ashton, and the revival opening of Twyla Tharp’s Brahms-Haydn Variations. However, the evening which started at 6:30 pm with a less than spectacular beginning ended up being a smash success with a varied crowd that spanned all decades, races and genders.

Choreographer Mark Morris, Jean Shafiroff in Oscar de la Renta and Isaac Mizrahi

There were socialites such as Susan Rockefeller, Fe Fendi, Jean Shafiroff, Joy Marks, Nicole DiCocco and Zani Gugelmann there as well as fashion icons Amy Fine Collins, Hamish Bowles and Anh Duong. Moreover, “femme fatales” Jennifer Tilly, Nicole Scherzinger and Laverne Cox sat obediently in the audience as publicist Peggy Siegal looked on.

Anthony Spikes, Mia Lolli, John Utendahl, Hope and Robert Smith, with Seren & Michael Shvo

The evening’s sponsors were JPMorgan Chase and Co. and the honorees were Toni and Martin Sosnoff who accepted the Melville Straus Leadership Achievement Award-they must have given a lot of money.

Joy Marks in Maggie Norris, Tivia Kramer in Chanel and Nicole DiCocco in Juan Carlos Pinera

The gala co-chairs were Sarah Arison, Melissa Smith, Sutton Stracke, Monica Wambold and Leslie Ziff all of whom are prominent philanthropists and donate time and energy into supporting the arts.

Choreographer Mark Morris with principal dancer Marcelo Gomes

American Ballet Theatre has been injected with a new excitement with the recent appointment of Misty Copeland as the first African-American woman to be named a principal in the 75-year history of ABT. As the ballet began, I rushed to my front row seat barely making it on time for the curtains to open and hear Kevin McKenzie announce the electrifying program we were about to witness in celebration of ABT’s 75 years. Act 1 which was choreographed by Mark Morris and costumed by Isaac Mizrahi was colorful and fluid.

Principal dancer Daniil Simkin in Ann Demeulemeester tuxedo

The dancers in gypsy looking outfits in orange, pink and yellow danced to music by Johann Hummel, with an enthusiastic lightness. There was some man-on-man partnering which I have noticed is becoming a trend in the dance world. Being in the front row allowed me to view every facial expression and movement of the dancers which was thrilling;

I must say the male dancers were very handsome with boyish looks and thick hair. Isaac Mizrahi did a nice job on the costumes which were simple and utilitarian-the dancers in bright colors looked like life savers jumping across the stage. After a brief intermission, Frederick Ashton’s “Monotones I and II” was presented which is a one-act ballet in two parts. This was my favorite act of the night with dancers Stella Abrera, Isabella Boylston, and Joseph Gorak performing the first section in lime green unitards with matching turbans bedecked with crystals.

Richard Keilar & Principal dancer Hee Seo in Oscar de la Renta and Ethan Lim

The next chapter was sublime and breathtaking; Veronika Part was accompanied by Thomas Foster and Cory Stearns in one of the most sensual pieces I have ever viewed at the ballet. The threesome clad in white unitards with white headpieces, both of which contained embedded crystals danced with a provocativeness that cannot be described. Every muscle of Veronika was bulging with a sinewiness that was shocking, and a flexibility that was remarkable. I wish I could have recorded this movement to relish each step for its full splendor-this was a moment worthy of reliving.

Actress Laverne Cox in Dee Hutton

It was time for another intermission where I had the opportunity to speak to Laverne Cox who urged me not to shoot her feet as she had just changed into flatter shoes after wearing 6.5 inch heels-no one asked her to become a woman. Cox was in a blue Dee Hutton dress and ready for a fun evening out.

Jewelry designer-Pamela Love in Chanel with model Crystal Renn in Armani

There were some fashion choices that were outstanding and those women deserve to be mentioned: Jean Shafiroff was in a lovely pink-and-gold Oscar de la Renta dress with floor length ruffles; Amy Fine Collins dazzled in a one of a kind Zac Posen that was fit to perfection; Crystal Renn stood out in a cutout Armani gown with a black bob hairdo; and finally, Zani Gugelmann astounded in a Valentino blue embroidered gown.

Liz Peek in Oscar de la Renta and Fe Fendi in Fendi dress

As these lovelies headed to their seats a revival of Twyla Tharp’s “Brahms-Haydn Variations” was performed with dance attire by Santo Loquasto. The costumes were nude and white leotards with matching skirts aptly described by Jennifer Tilly as similar to a Yeezy (Kanye West) fashion show. While nude and beige may be the non-color of the moment this coupled with the indistinguishable dance variation, was a disappointing conclusion to a 75th anniversary presentation. However, the music by Johannes Brahms was delightful with great dancing by Daniil Simkin and Herman Cornejo.

Sutton Stracke, Cameron Silver, Jennifer Tilly in Dolce and Gabbana, Kay Fernandez in Ted Baker and Susan Rockefeller in Morgane Le Fay

A dinner was set up on the second floor of the Theater where the well-heeled patrons and dancers could interact in a social setting.  The actress Jennifer Tilly, in a one of a kind Dolce and Gabbana dress that she picked up in Milan, expounded on the ballet describing it as highly traditional in terms of dance moves, and highly untraditional in terms of costumes. She is a highly intelligent woman despite her ditzy stage persona.

Principal dancer Misty Copeland

Misty Copeland, a slight figure compared to her larger than life media persona, entered the arena to a bevy of admirers while principal dancer Daniil Simkin took his seat with little fanfare. Simkin, in a print Ann Demeulemeester tuxedo, told me his ideal dancer is a mixture of Baryshnikov and Nureyev with his father’s work ethic (his dad was a professional ballet dancer).

Singer Nicole Scherzinger in Marc Bouwer

As the dancing began to the Madonna tune “Express Yourself” the young apprentices with ABT showed some vibrant “expressive” moves while Fe Fendi, Hamish Bowles and Amy Fine Collins boogied nearby. The balmy weather outside was a perfect complement to this pleasant, serene and otherworldly evening.

– Lieba Nesis

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