Taking a cue from Dancing With the Stars, the Baycrest Foundation enlisted six community leaders and created its own ballroom dance competition for the organization's annual gala, held at the Sheraton Centre on Thursday. Michael Rosen, Baycrest's director of special events and corporate sponsorships, used lighting and lots of sparkle to create the feel of a television studio for the event, dubbed the Dancing With Our Stars Gala.
"We wanted it to be fresh, sparkly, and clean. There are no programs on the tables, no gifting, not a lot of flowers. Really what we've done is we've created a television show within a hotel ballroom," said Rosen who called on Gary Topp of Toppnotch Services Inc. to produce the event. The company constructed a stage and dance floor for the competition and worked with Metalworks Productions Inc. on the audiovisual and lighting for the event. "The whole idea is sparkle. When the lights go, it's going to be wild," Rosen said.
For the dance competition, the foundation recruited six community leaders—Toronto Argonaut co-owner David Cynamon, philanthropist Wendy Switzer Myles, Deloitte vice chairman Garry Foster, RSM Richter vice president Robert Harlang, artist Tootsie Halbert, and Rose Corporation C.E.O. Sam Reisman. Participants were paired with a professional dancer from Toronto Dance Inc. and spent two months training for the event.
"These people have all been involved with Baycrest for many years. They're all dedicated to the cause," said Ruth Morayniss, director of marketing and donor communications. "Mark Gryfe, the president of the Baycrest Foundation, came up with the idea because he loves Dancing With the Stars and he thought we should do our own version. The staff embraced it and we went for it."
To raise funds, the dancers posted personal video appeals on YouTube that conveyed why they felt compelled to support Baycrest, an academic health sciences centre known for its care of aging adults. The dancers also sent out regular e-blasts with links to footage from their practice sessions to increase awareness and enlist support from friends and business associates. Collectively, the six dancers raised more than $1 million in pledges.
During the event, guests had the opportunity to vote by text message for their favourite performance. MyThum Interactive Inc. tabulated the audience votes, which were then compiled with the scores from three celebrity judges—comedian Colin Mochrie, actor Deb McGrath, and choreographer Marc Kimelman. Television and radio personality Ralph Benmergui hosted the evening.
Designing Trendz handled the decor. Pink and blue linens topped tables throughout the room and round crystal candelabra, accented with pink roses, served as centerpieces. Tall glass candleholders topped cocktail tables in the reception area, where guests could bid on silent auction items like Canali and Hugo Boss suits and an evening gown from Hugo Nicholson. Models wearing bodysuits covered with lip prints and the tagline "Kiss Dementia Goodbye" sold raffle tickets for the chance to win a Rolex watch. Guests who purchased the $100 tickets received a lip-shaped gloss on a silver ribbon.
Event sponsors included RioCan, Royal de Versailles, Rolex, Deloitte, KIK Custom Products, RBC Capital Markets, RSM Richter, Scotiabank, Cineplex Entertainment, Fabricland, Great Gulf Homes, the Rose Corporation, Onex, and Harry Rosen.
Correction: This story has been updated to credit Toppnotch Services Inc. with the event production.