Don't be fooled by the frou-frou costumes. The National Ballet of Canada is a fierce competitor when it comes to pursuing donor dollars. Recognizing that rival cultural organizations have been raising the bar for gala fund-raisers, the company decided this year to consolidate its previous roster of three annual benefits into a single blowout.
The theme for the proceedings? Black and White Ball With a Touch of Pink. The company indicated this would be no ordinary high-culture evening by selecting live music club Kool Haus as the venue. It also ensured the event would stand out by incorporating.phpects of its most recent original production, An Italian Straw Hat, including the show's black and white 3-D backdrop.
Guests left their cars with attendants from Monitored Valet Parking and proceeded into the foyer, where committee members including National Ballet event planner Jennifer Zimmerman greeted them. They schmoozed with the dancers, ate appetizers, and sipped pink cocktails as they strolled through the reception area perusing items for auction, including a set of custom-designed diamond and pearl earrings valued at $15,000 from Myles Mindham Jewellery Ltd.
To put an exotic spin on the evening, Zimmerman redecorated Kool Haus as a luxurious French village (An Italian Straw Hat is set in France). The production's backdrop occupied one side of the room, while a number of its props were positioned on the other side. At the back of the space, three-tiered florals, eight feet high, from Forget Me Not Flowers flanked the bar. The room was draped with black and white fabric panels, upon which Apex Sound and Lighting projected images including the Eiffel Tower. Each table was decorated in one of four designs-all reflecting the evening's theme-with linens from Around the Table, Chair Decor, and Chair-man Mills. Mills also provided the square-shaped dinnerware, which included clear glass chargers and dinner plates. Crystal and silver candelabra centrepieces from Forget Me Not dripped with pink rose buds and foliage. Also on each table were pink boxes containing a three-piece gift set from retail sponsor Lacoste. Guests who found a straw hat hidden beneath their seats got to take the table's gift set home.
L'Eat Catering prepared a decadent dinner menu that started with a terrine of grilled pear and goat cheese with greens and cider vinaigrette, followed by grilled beef tenderloin. For dessert: a layered trio of dark chocolate, white chocolate, and .phpberry mousse garnished with a pink chocolate drizzle and fresh .phpberries.
After dinner, host Seamus O'Reagan from CTV's Canada AM introduced the evening's auctioneer, Albert Schultz, director of the Soulpepper Theatre. Later, a swing performance by Jaymz Bee and the Royal Jelly Orchestra had guests jiving with dancers from the company late into the night.
—Robyn Small
The theme for the proceedings? Black and White Ball With a Touch of Pink. The company indicated this would be no ordinary high-culture evening by selecting live music club Kool Haus as the venue. It also ensured the event would stand out by incorporating.phpects of its most recent original production, An Italian Straw Hat, including the show's black and white 3-D backdrop.
Guests left their cars with attendants from Monitored Valet Parking and proceeded into the foyer, where committee members including National Ballet event planner Jennifer Zimmerman greeted them. They schmoozed with the dancers, ate appetizers, and sipped pink cocktails as they strolled through the reception area perusing items for auction, including a set of custom-designed diamond and pearl earrings valued at $15,000 from Myles Mindham Jewellery Ltd.
To put an exotic spin on the evening, Zimmerman redecorated Kool Haus as a luxurious French village (An Italian Straw Hat is set in France). The production's backdrop occupied one side of the room, while a number of its props were positioned on the other side. At the back of the space, three-tiered florals, eight feet high, from Forget Me Not Flowers flanked the bar. The room was draped with black and white fabric panels, upon which Apex Sound and Lighting projected images including the Eiffel Tower. Each table was decorated in one of four designs-all reflecting the evening's theme-with linens from Around the Table, Chair Decor, and Chair-man Mills. Mills also provided the square-shaped dinnerware, which included clear glass chargers and dinner plates. Crystal and silver candelabra centrepieces from Forget Me Not dripped with pink rose buds and foliage. Also on each table were pink boxes containing a three-piece gift set from retail sponsor Lacoste. Guests who found a straw hat hidden beneath their seats got to take the table's gift set home.
L'Eat Catering prepared a decadent dinner menu that started with a terrine of grilled pear and goat cheese with greens and cider vinaigrette, followed by grilled beef tenderloin. For dessert: a layered trio of dark chocolate, white chocolate, and .phpberry mousse garnished with a pink chocolate drizzle and fresh .phpberries.
After dinner, host Seamus O'Reagan from CTV's Canada AM introduced the evening's auctioneer, Albert Schultz, director of the Soulpepper Theatre. Later, a swing performance by Jaymz Bee and the Royal Jelly Orchestra had guests jiving with dancers from the company late into the night.
—Robyn Small
Props from the set of An Italian Straw Hat were used as decor at the National Ballet of Canada's gala fund-raiser, Black and White Ball With a Touch of Pink, held at Kool Haus.
Lush florals in pink dripped from crystal and silver candelabras from Forget Me Not Flowers.
Square glass charger plates from Chair-man Mills accented the variety of linens from Around the Table.
