New York – It was VIP shopping
at its most spoiled as
Richard Mast, Senior Vice
President and General Manager of
Bloomingdale’s and Ronald K.
Brown, Artistic Director,
Evidence, A Dance Company
welcomed friends and supporters
for a very special Holiday
Shopping Event to benefit
Brown’s internationally
acclaimed company on December
15.
Guests were
greeted in the luxurious 4th
Floor Personal Shoppers Suite
where. Sauvignon Blanc and Hors
d’oeuvres were passed to fuel
the guests before hitting the
designer shops.
Nicole Cokley,
Operating Vice President of
Diversity and Community
Relations introduced the
guests to Marian H. Goodman,
Vice President Personal Shopping
who was filled with savvy advice
for the eager shoppers. Then
Reginald Van Lee, Chairman
of the Evidence Board gave the
“ready set, shop for Evidence”
and the guests dispersed often
with a personal shopper by their
side.
Bloomingdale’s
elite team of personal shoppers
was on hand to offer tips,
answer questions and direct
guests to the department of
their choice in the famed New
York designer emporium.
The festive and
beautifully planned shopping
event treated guests to personal
shopping with a capital P and
allowed some very busy New
Yorkers and Hamptonites a chance
to shop leisurely with old
friends and enjoy an evening in
the fabulous environment of
Bloomingdale’s recently
redesigned flagship store.
Most importantly,
they knew that a percentage of
their purchases would go to
Evidence, a New York Cultural
treasure.
As well, with the upcoming Grace
in Winter Silver Ball
celebrating Evidence’s 25th
Anniversary at the Plaza Hotel
on February 8 featuring and
benefitting Evidence, A Dance
Company, many of the ladies took
the opportunity to shop for a
drop dead glam dress or the
perfect accessories to go with
the black tie with a touch of
silver dress suggestion for the
gala. And did they shop! After
quaffing a glass of wine,
Monique Nelson Butts
and her mother
Dorothy Nelson
headed off to Bloomingdale’s
enormous shoe department for
that perfect pair of silver
slippers.
Peter Theil
was in search of a natty silver
bow tie and
Princess Keisha Omilana
was thinking silver lame gown.
This writer had his sights set
on the midnight blue mink lined
Lora Piana coat and didn’t have
to be coerced to model it for
the crowd.
Throughout the
evening guests returned for as
refresher of wine and to have
their receipts validated in the
At Your Service Office in the
Personal Shopping Suite. Many
guests who couldn’t attend the
evening event shopped at their
convenience during the day and
Bloomingdale’s generously added
their purchase to the tally to
be donated to Evidence.
Among the many elegant shoppers
were Evidence Vice Chair
Joyce Mullins-Jackson,
Board members
Gail Monroe Perry, Dr. Ancy
Verdier
and
Andrea Hoffman,
Marion Burnside,
Lara
and
Danielle Schiffren
with
Austin Stevenson, Stephen Wald,
Rasheed Thompson, Ken Smaltz,
Kelli Goff, Tamara Passee, Jenna
Bond, Jacqueline McAllister,
Lorrie Kin, Dan Johnson, Chris
Lee,
and
Dalila Kee.
Bloomingdale’s
has always been a strong
supporter of the Arts and has in
recent years upped their level
of funding through a number of
innovative strategies. Now they
are championing one of the
world’s premiere dance
ensembles. Founded by Ronald
K. Brown, Evidence, A Dance
Company’s mission is to promote
understanding of the human
experience in the African
Diaspora through dance and
storytelling and to provide
sensory connections to history
and tradition through music,
movement, and spoken word,
leading deeper into issues of
spirituality, community
responsibility and liberation.
For almost a quarter of a
century, Evidence under the
artistic direction of Brown has
won critical acclaim and
performed on stages around the
world.
2010 will mark
the Company’s 25th
Anniversary which will be
highlighted by major
celebrations, a special
performance at the Vancouver
Winter Olympics, a tour of
Africa and the Grace in Winter
Silver Ball at The Plaza Hotel
in New York on February 8.
Always one of the most eagerly
anticipated, glamorous social
events of the season, the gala
has been featured in New York
Social Diary and Town & Country.
This year Evidence, A Dance
Company will honor founder
Ronald K. Brown and longtime
supporter Chairman of the Board
Reginald Van Lee and
Booz Allen Hamilton. The
evening will begin with
cocktails and an online auction
of luxury items and once-in-a
lifetime experiences followed by
a performance of “Grace”,
Evidence’s signature dance
piece, dinner, a live auction
and special performances by Tony
Award winner Jennifer
Holliday and jazz great
Peven Everett.
Victoria Rowell will host
the evening. Dress is black tie
with a touch of silver.
For tickets and
Sponsorship and Underwriting
Opportunities for the Grace in
Winter Silver Ball contact
Alex Diaz, The JFM Group,
438 Fifth Avenue, Pelham, New
York 212-921-9070 Ext 16 or by
email to
evidence@thejfmgroup.com
For more
information about Evidence, A
Dance Company, its upcoming
appearances and special
appearances visit
www.evidencedance.com