Dancing on the New York State Theater Promenade at New York City Ballet's Spring Gala.

Last Tuesday night, the New York City Ballet celebrated the 90th anniversary of choreographer/director Jerome Robbins at its Spring Gala. Beginning at 5:30, guests attended a cocktail reception, then a performance at 7, followed by dinner (by Glorious Food) in the Promenade and on the Terrace of the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center. Chairmen for the most successful fundraising event in New York City Ballet history ($2.2 million) were: Charlotte Moss and Barry Friedberg and Veronique and Robert Pittman. Corporate chair was Richard Beckman of the Conde Nast Media Group (Conde Nast sponsored the Gala this year) and Vice Chair was Eric Nederlander. Mica Ertegun was honorary chairman.

Jeff and Liz Peek

Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan

Annette Tapert and David Monn

Jerome Robbins was one of the greatest choreographers and stage directors of the past century. Amanda Vaill who as a child grew up across the street from him (East 81st between Park and Lexington) and used to see him walking his dog, wrote a rich and fascinating biography of him (“Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins” – Broadway Books) published in 2006. The program Tuesday night included several of his pieces such as Circus Polka, which featured 48 students from the School of American Ballet; and The Four Seasons, his piece based on the music of Verdi, and West Side Story Suite, his distillation of the dance sequences from the Broadway musical which he directed.

Nanette Lepore

Susan Stroman

Candy Pratts Price

Lisamaria Falcone

Katie and Christophe von Strasser

Coco and Arie Kopelman

Richard and Kristen Beckman

Dr. Susan Krysiewicz

Alexandra and William Kimball

Ralph Rucci with Event Chairmen Charlotte Moss and Barry S. Friedberg

Fe Saracino Fendi, Patricia Shiah, and Lucia Wong Gordo

Gillian and Sylvester Miniter

Joanne and Roberto de Guardiola

Richard Lindy and Bernadette Peters

Alexandra Lebenthal and Jeremy Diamond

Arnold Scassi and Parker Lass

Event Chairmen Veronique and Robert Pittman

Amy Fine Collins and Alex Hitz

John Schumacher and Barbara Cirkva Schumacher Cirkva with Arie and Coco Kopelman

Peter Martins and Darci Kistler with their daughter Talicia Martins

NYCB dancers Giovanni Villalobos with Georgina Pazcoguii

Valentino and Darci Kistler

NYCB dancer Ashley Bouder with Event Chairmen Barry S. Friedberg, NYCB Board Chairman, and Charlotte Moss

NYCB dancers David Prottas, Sterling Hyltin, and Ralph Ippolito

Fe and Alessandro Saracino Fendi

NYCB dancer Sara Mearns

NYCB dancer Megan Fairchild

NYCB dancers Gretchen Smith and Ralph Ippolito

Giancarlo Giammetii and Valentino Garavani

Lauren Bacall and Mica Ertegün

Stephen and Christine Schwarzman

Peter Martins and John Vogelstein

Joanne de Guardiola and Carol Mack

NYCB dancer Maria Kowroski

NYCB dancer Ana Sophia Scheller and friend

Honorary Event Chairman Mica Ertegun

Nina Griscom

Barbara and John Vogelstein with Sara Ayres

Ethan Hawke and friend

Last Thursday at the Metropolitan Club, Fundacion Amistad, hosted it annual luncheon, “2008 Images of Cuba.” They honored Mr. Alfredo Jose Estrada, Editor and Author, and Mr. Peter W. Davidson, Chairman, The J.M. Kaplan Fund (award was accepted on his behalf by Richard Kaplan and Conn Nugent). Fundacion Amistad is a New York based non-profit organization founded by Mrs. Luly Duke, who is also President, dedicated to fostering mutual respect and understanding between the United States and Cuba.

Richard Kaplan, Conn Nugent, Alfredo Jose Estrada, and Luly Duke

Ines Bausili and Fritzi Kallop

Charles Mallea, Myriam Castiallo, and Ann Koll

Patricio McCormick, Carmina de Murga, and Elena McCormick

Luly Duke and Sarah Rothwell

Frances Barlow, Jarvis Slade, Pamela Slade, and Ines Bausili

Carolina Miranda, Rosa Lowinger, and Alfredo Jose Estrada

Adonis Gonzalez, Luly Duke, and Carlos Tome

Rosa Lowinger, Percy Steinhart, Richard Kaplan, Conn Nugent, Luly Duke, and A.J. Estrada

Iliana Cepero and Vicki Levi

Imani Wilson, Carmella Richards, and Rosa Lowinger

Nancy Kail, David Gottlieb, and Marcos Rodriguez

The luncheon scene

Sarah Rothwell amongst silent auction items (artwork by Cuban artist Remberto Ramirez Oramas)

Younghee Kim-Wait and friends

Elizabeth Lorenzo, Elena Lord, Fritzi Kallop, Dan Harris, Catherine Kinsey, and Jessica Gushin

Luly Duke with her son, Washington Duke

Iliana Cepero, Annie Cohen-Solal, and Vicki Levi

Charles Mallea, Myriam Castillo, and Dara Magnan

Catherine Kinsey and Mariana Angela Freyre

Douglas Cuomo, Younghee Kim-Wait, Alfredo Jose Estrada, and Luly Duke

Publicolor kicked off their second decade using color, design, collaboration and the painting process to push back at our nation’s dropout rate and catalyze change in struggling inner-city schools and community facilities, held their 8th annual high-energy fundraiser Stir, Splatter + Roll last Tuesday night at the Louis D. Brandeis High School. They honored Christo and Jeanne-Claude and NYC Councilman and Education Chair, Robert Jackson. James Dinan and Elizabeth Miller and Deana and Stephen Hanson were Event Co-Chairs. Michael Kors, Mark Ecko, Mark di Suvero, Jamie Drake, Doug Wilson and Paige Davis from Trading Spaces,Aerin Lauder, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Commissioner Kate Levin, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly were in attendance, as was Fox 5 anchor Rick Folbaum among other notable guests. To date, the event has raised over $850K.

The colorful dinner scene at the Louis D. Brandeis High School.

Publicolor’s Founder and President Ruth Lande Shuman (see NYSD Philanthropy) started the organization eleen years ago as a vision of a creative solution to halting the rising drop-out rate in our public schools. Currently, it is the only non-profit organization using design to promote social change.” The event kicked off as guests at Stir, Splatter + Roll painted collaborative artworks in teams. All guests were offered white Tyvek® suits to put over their party clothes! Some of New York City’s most illustrious designers donated their time as Team Leaders and worked with the party guests to execute large-scale collaborative painting projects. Team Leaders included: Mark Ecko, Paul Aferiat and Peter Stamberg, Pamela Bell, Yoonjai Choi and Emile Molin, Jamie Drake, Wendy Evans Joseph, Michael Kors and Lance Le Pere, Tom Krizmanic, Frank Lupo, Jonathan Marvel and Rob Rogers, Calvin Tsao and Zack McKown, Henry Myerberg, Michele Oka Doner, Giovanni Pellone, Jeannie and Tom Phifer, Charles Renfro, Behnaz Sarafpour, Leni Schwendinger, Alex and Michael Shuman, Gael Towey, Tucker Viemeister, and Douglas Wilson. During the seated dinner, the 450 guests were entertained by music from The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn. At 9 PM, the TOP COAT after party kicked off for over 100 of Publicolor’s group of young professionals to paint, party, mingle and groove to sounds by DJ Eric Oldfield. Publicolor’s Stir, Splatter + Roll Benefit was generously supported by the following sponsors: Bulldog Gin, Don Julio Tequila, Barefoot Wine, Izze Sparkling Juice, Heineken USA, B.R. Guest Restaurants, Benjamin Moore and Duane Baughman.

Ruth Lande Shuman with Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Mark Ecko signing a Publicolor student's shirt

Chrissy and Sophie Armstrong

Alex Shuman, Lance Le Pere, Ruth Lande Shuman, and Michael Kors

Deven Parekh, City Councilmember Robert Jackson, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Ruth Lande Shuman, and Ray Kelly

Laurie Hibbard and Michael Gelman

Douglas Wilson and Paige Davis

Ruth Lande Shuman, Milly Lande, Mark di Suvero, and Nathan Diana with a friend

Verone Kennedy, Ruth Lande Shuman, and Publicolor students

City Councilmember Robert Jackson and Falka Jackson

Tom Krizmanic

Jamie Drake

Charles Renfro

Richard Levy, Lorraine Gallard, Nadine Asin, and Tom Van Straaten

City Councilmember Robert Jackson

Douglas Wilson and Paige Davis

Christo, Kate Levin, and Jeanne-Claude

Beth Rudin DeWoody and friend

Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer

Last Wednesday night, leaders from the worlds of grassroots community activism, the arts, business, labor, politics, media and philanthropy gathered together and raised $316,000 to support North Star Fund’s innovative grants program for New York’s most effective grassroots community organizations.   Joe Conason and Elizabeth Wagley “It takes a special kind of donor and activist to build the grassroots leadership that brings about real change where it’s needed most,” said Hugh Hogan, Executive Director of North Star Fund. “This room is full of these individuals.” This year’s honorees were: Joe Conason, Author, Director of the Nation Institute Investigative Fund, columnist for the New York Observer and Salon.com; and his wife, Elizabeth Wagley, founder of the Progressive Book Clubl; Kanyere Eaton, Executive Director of The Sister Fund; Susan Butler Plum, Founding Director, Skadden Fellowship Foundation. The North Star Fund Frederick Douglass Award recognizes grassroots groups creating equality, economic justice and peace was presented this year to Domestic Workers United, for catalyzing a national domestic workers movement. Among the guests attending: Jonathan Alter, Wayne Barrett, Christopher Walling, Carter and Charmaine Burden, Carmen Charles, Pierre Hauser, Anne Hess and Craig Kaplan, Helen LaKelly Hunt and Harville Hendrix, Joyce and Seward Johnson, Sarah and Victor Kovner, Vincent McGee, Rev. Katharine Henderson, Chandler Bazemore and Sharon Weiss, Daniel Gross, Gonzalo Mercado, Asa Johnson, Rev. Linda Tarry-Chard, Barry Scheck and Dorothy Rick, Chris and Susan Plum, and Toby D’Oench.

Sung E Bai and her daughter Deva

Sacajawea Hall and Lionel Ouellette

North Star Fund raises funds from activist donors to further North Star’s direct support of community organizations on the front lines of the struggle to achieve equality, economic justice and peace. Over the past 30 years they have raised and granted more than $27 million to 3,700 community organizations with the courage and deep understanding it takes to build local leadership and address the root causes of injustice.

Seated: Chris Plum, Susan Plum, Dr. Fred Plum, Barbara Kelly, Steve Lioce, and Cynthia Coulson. Standing: Susan Fine, Christopher Walling, Carol Plum, Jane MacKillop, Michael Holzman, and George Nichols.

An assembling of Skadden Fellows.

North Star Fund’s goal is to create change beyond charity. They focus their grants in areas where the need is most urgent, and the potential impact the greatest. Their strategic areas of support are: • Ending Institutional Racism, Discrimination and Gender Bias • Ensuring Economic Justice • Protecting Civil Liberties and Constitutional Rights • Securing Peace and Justice

Kevin Ryan, Randall Quan, and Sam Miller

Carol Plum, Michael Holzman, and Jane MacKillop

Lilyane Glamben, Kanyere Eaton, Julia Cato, and Linda Kay Klein from the Sister Fund

Marianne Lado and Elise Boddie

Oona Chatterjee, Tom Hilbink, Susan Holmberg

From Domestic Workers United: Barbara Young, Lois Newland, Erline Browne, Joycelyn Gill-Campbell, and Ai-jen Poo

Asa Johnson, Hugh Hogan (Executive Director of North Star Fund), and William Wheelan

Arva Rice, Maddy deLone, and Susan Butler Plum

Jason Franklin and Maxim Thorne

Susan Oltmans and Michael Reynells

Toby D'Oench (North Star Fund's founder and a great-grandson of William Russell Grace, the first Irish Catholic mayor of New York, elected 1880), Marc Weiss, Vinny McGee, and Anne H. Hess

Anthony Reid and Arva Rice

Si Kahn and Lynn Lewis

Maxim Thorne, Tara Mack, and Barbara Winslow

Daniel Gross, Gonzalo Mercado, and Anthony Feliciano

Carmen Charles

Andy Anibal Collazo

Seated: Barbara Armstrong, Harryette Eaton, Jimmy Armstrong. Standing: Katharine Henderson, Harville Hendrix, Helen LaKelly Hunt, Kanyere Eaton, James Dennis, and Linda Tarry-Chard

Susannah Vila and Brett Story

Sharon Weiss and Chandler Bazemore

Photographs by ©PatrickMcMullan.com (Ballet)

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