The National Ballet of Canada’s Mad Hot II Gala committee had a big challenge in planning the second annual fund-raiser: creating an event that would be different from the year before while still living up to the benefit's sizzle-friendly name. So, for its sophomore performance, the planning committee decided to keep the same name, but changed the meaning behind it. “This year, we went with a different kind of Mad Hot,” said Jennifer Zimmerman, event manager at the National Ballet of Canada.
Zimmerman explained that the inaugural event adopted a fiery red theme, whereas this year's benefit played on the madness of a raucous atmosphere at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. A hot pink carpet let guests into the venue where they watched four short ballets including Etudes, created by Danish choreographer Harald Lander and performed by the National Ballet’s current artistic director, Karen Kain, in 1980. Dancers also performed a world premiere entitled Veer, the infamous Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, and Rubies, the centerpiece of George Balanchine’s Jewels.After the show, the 1,500 guests flowed into the four lobby levels for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Among the crowd were opera singers disguised as guests, who broke out into song as dancers started to spin and piccolo and accordion players spontaneously entertained the crowd. “The performers doing random acts of dance and song created a different type of mad atmosphere to entice all senses,” Zimmerman said, adding that organizers chose to host a late dinner set in a sexy nightclub atmosphere as another nod to the heat in the name.
Around 9 p.m. about 560 guests returned to the main auditorium, where they sat onstage for a three-course dinner created by chef Mark McEwan, of the Food TV show The Heat and the man behind restaurants like One, North 44, and Bymark. The meal began with a tomato and mozzarella salad, continued with roasted beef tenderloin and braised short ribs, and ended with a warm rhubarb tart and sour cream ice cream.
Tables topped with hot pink linens, black PVC overlays, and mirrored place mats took up the front- and backstage space. Oversize antique lamps with the event’s fiery logo of a leaping dancer printed on the custom-made shades served as centrepieces.
Zimmerman explained that the inaugural event adopted a fiery red theme, whereas this year's benefit played on the madness of a raucous atmosphere at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. A hot pink carpet let guests into the venue where they watched four short ballets including Etudes, created by Danish choreographer Harald Lander and performed by the National Ballet’s current artistic director, Karen Kain, in 1980. Dancers also performed a world premiere entitled Veer, the infamous Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, and Rubies, the centerpiece of George Balanchine’s Jewels.After the show, the 1,500 guests flowed into the four lobby levels for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Among the crowd were opera singers disguised as guests, who broke out into song as dancers started to spin and piccolo and accordion players spontaneously entertained the crowd. “The performers doing random acts of dance and song created a different type of mad atmosphere to entice all senses,” Zimmerman said, adding that organizers chose to host a late dinner set in a sexy nightclub atmosphere as another nod to the heat in the name.
Around 9 p.m. about 560 guests returned to the main auditorium, where they sat onstage for a three-course dinner created by chef Mark McEwan, of the Food TV show The Heat and the man behind restaurants like One, North 44, and Bymark. The meal began with a tomato and mozzarella salad, continued with roasted beef tenderloin and braised short ribs, and ended with a warm rhubarb tart and sour cream ice cream.
Tables topped with hot pink linens, black PVC overlays, and mirrored place mats took up the front- and backstage space. Oversize antique lamps with the event’s fiery logo of a leaping dancer printed on the custom-made shades served as centrepieces.
Guests dined on the stage of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts following four performances by the National Ballet of Canada.
Photo: Gary Beechey
Antique lamps fitted with custom shades—each bearing the evening's fire logo—served as centrepieces.
Photo: Gary Beechey
The menu, created by Mark McEwan, included variegated tomatoes with Buffalo mozzarella, shiso cress, basil, olive oil, black olives, and balsamic.
Photo: Gary Beechey
Twelve six-foot custom lit cylinders, in black and pink, suspended over the stage created intimate lighting for the dinner.
Photo: Gary Beechey
Guests filled the lobbies on all four floors of the centre for a cocktail reception following the gala performance.
Photo: Gary Beechey
Servers passed a selection of hors d'oeuvres including rice paper rolls during the cocktail reception.
Photo: Gary Beechey
Impromptu perfomances took place throughout the cocktail reception, held on all four floors of the venue.
Photo: Gary Beechey
A large buffet table in the main lobby featured a selection of cheeses, fruits, and crudités during the cocktail reception.
Photo: Gary Beechey
Barefoot Wines, which provided wines for the cocktail reception, offered key chains to guests.
Photo: Gary Beechey
