Ballet school soirée
A gala to benefit high schoolers, and well dressed for Wellspring
The Canadiana Gala to benefit the National Ballet School in Toronto was the first major gala to celebrate Canada’s 150th in a big, bold way.
Fifth generation Canadian and king of the hashtag, Tommy Smythe, l ed the charge as emcee and this brouhaha of a party exceeded expectation.
Highlights of the evening included a performance by Odawa hoop dancer Nimkii Osawamick, and dancing led by Kaha: wi Dance Theatre ( an Indigenous and contemporary dance company founded by NBS alumna Santee Smith).
The decor was on point, celebrating our country’s four seasons with an autumn- inspired cocktail reception, winter wonderland dining experience and a spring/summer late- night Muskoka lounge under the Northern Lights.
The pièce de résistance was the beautifully executed ballet performance by the students of NBS’s professional ballet program (grades 1012 and post- secondary) who performed both classical and contemporary repertoire.
The Canadiana Gala was generously supported by TD Bank as lead sponsor, Frank and Debbi Sobey as dinner supporters; Gail Drummond and Bob Dorrance as performance supporters; Tanya Taylor as cocktail reception sponsor; Lindy Barrow, In Memory of Helen Gardiner, as silent auction sponsor; La Fondation Emmanuelle Gattuso as live entertainment sponsor.
More than $ 1 million was raised.
The great and the good came out to strut their stuff for the 8th annual Wellspring Well Dressed for Spring Fashion Show.
Holt Renfrew once again hosted the fashionable fête for another sold- out crowd. The show raised almost $300,000 for supportive care programming at Wellspring.
Wellspring show in gold • Ballet school gala in red •