Friday, 19 July 2013 10:50

RSVP: The Crown Jewel of SPAC

By Trina Lucas | Entertainment

The Saratoga Performing Arts Center glittered on Saturday evening as hundreds donned red to attend The Ruby Ball, the gala celebrating the New York City Ballet. Members of the Northeast Ballet Company posed beneath the stone archway at the entrance to the Hall of Springs portico, welcoming guests to a red carpet cocktail hour sponsored by Mionetto. Patrons like Michele and Ron Riggi enjoyed the inside ball with special guest Edward Villella. Villella premiered “Rubies” in 1967 as part of Balanchine’s “Jewels” and was honorary chair of this year’s gala as the masterpiece sparkled on stage.

While 300 stayed cool at the Action Council’s event inside, enjoying a gourmet dinner by Mazzone Hospitality, numerous others opted to partake in the Junior Committee’s party on the lawn. Taking a cue from “Rubies,” the picnic was a Royal Garden Affair complete with crown jewels. The largest crowd in years turned out in floral and fascinators, hanging the British flag and sipping from tea cups to “keep calm and carry on.” 

Sam Chabot, Chelsea Soules and Ben Nathan played game of croquet, and across the path, the Maloy Family hosted “The Royal Windsor Horse Show.” Kim Burton and Steve Snyder set up a perfectly Pink Paddock juice stand under their Lilly Pulitzer tent, offering delightful thirst quenchers like ‘royal red sangria’ to Lauren Tobin, Katherine Duncan, Gayle LaSalle and Nancy Van Winkle. At the next tent over, Stephanie Kruy, Mary Durgee, Jinx Van Steemburg and Ardelle Hirsch stopped by to visit the bejeweled Natalie Sillery, Luci Cody and Rick Partyka. 

Outside another canopy, Steve and Sue Bouchey toasted their son Ryan and his fiancée, Nikki Fellini. Nearby, Elizabeth Macy and Joe MacFawn’s tent overflowed with friends, including Frankie and Ann Marie Flores, Annette Stewart, Bruce Clements, Mary Solomons, Cara Longobardi, Lauren Granahan and Kelly Hurley. And on the other side of the lawn, Christianne Smith showed off her British flag cake to friends Brendan Flanigan and Kelly Healy Kane at their picnic site.

But it was the cast of characters at “Gansevoort Park” who stole the show and took The Philly Dake Cup for outstanding picnic. Colleen and Ryan McMahon created a true English garden, decorating their tent with flowering pots, ivy and even an outdoor arbor of greenery. At draped tables surrounded by English roses, the couple was joined by friends Stephen Carleton, Theresa Lang, Charles Wait, Kristin and David Needham, Christine and Steve Rowland, Maureen Mullaney and Kim Maxwell Vu.  

Winning this year’s costume were expectant, Kate Middleton look-alike Erika Gough, and Robert Knott in his very British vest and morning suit.

At 8 p.m., all gala attendees inside and out moved toward the lower lawn and amphitheater for Peter Martins’ new ballet “Bal de Couture,” the Saratoga Premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s “This Bitter Earth,” Jerome Robbins’ beloved “West Side Story Suite” and of course, Balanchine’s magnificent “Rubies.”

Fireworks lit the sky as the final curtain closed on the 48th season of the New York City Ballet at SPAC. Ruby Ball guests flowed back into the Hall of Springs for an afterglow reception and picnicking partiers hit the outdoor dance floor, moving to the lively tunes of Soul Session. Some of the late night dancers included Kerry and Tom Selfridge, Lisa Sondhof, Melody Loftus, Minnie DiGeso, Arielle Lapid, Erin Judge, Jim Dorsey and Nancy Ravena.

“This year’s Ballet Gala was a tremendous success and a fabulous finale to New York City Ballet’s spectacular season at SPAC. The Gala performance was a visual feast with the decadent jeweled ‘Rubies,’ and costumes by Valentino, adding to the glamour of the evening,” said Marcia J. White, SPAC’s President & Executive Director. “I would like to thank the Action Council and Junior Committee for their many efforts as we eagerly anticipate the upcoming performances by National Ballet of Canada and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.”  

Special thanks also go to the lead sponsors of The Ruby Ball: Price Chopper, the Golub Family Foundation and Turbine Services. Additional underwriting was provided by Smirnoff Sorbet, presenting sponsor of the lawn party, entertainment sponsor Nfrastructure, and fireworks sponsor Lemery Greisler.

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