Evidence, A Dance Company Dancers
“On Our Toes’ Continues Reign As Premier African American Cultural Event in the Hamptons.
New York’s First Lady Michelle Paterson Lends Support to the Arts in the Hamptons
Southampton, NY Aug 22 - On Our Toes in The Hamptons, the 6th annual fundraiser for Ronald K. Brown’s world acclaimed Evidence, A Dance Company, proved to be once again one of the most electrifying cultural events of the summer season.
Held this year at the Watermill, NY estate of the Honorable Bernard Jackson and his wife Joyce Mullins-Jackson, vice chairman of the Evidence Board of Directors, the late afternoon fete drew over 300 luminaries from across the country including the First Lady of New York, Michelle Paterson, award winning actress, Lynn Whitfield, Christian Dior President Stephane Barraque, Uptown Magazine’s Jocelyn Taylor, National Cares Mentoring Movement Founder Susan L. Taylor, and scores more of the Hamptons and New York’s most glittering movers and shakers.
BlackGivesBack attended this event, which proved to live up to its reputation as the premier African American cultural event in the Hamptons.
Brie and Alicia Bythewood
The very social Alicia Bythewood chaired the event which began with drinks poolside under bright sunny skies. Guests munched on a dazzling array of seafood appetizers from The Seafood Shop including Spicy mini crab cakes to the quintessential Hamptons treat tiny lobster rolls washing it all down with chilled Veuve Clicquot Champagne or the specially created 10 Cane Rum Toe Tapper.
Ms. Bythewood led a dynamic committee that assisted her in this event including fashion designer b Michael, Gail Monroe Perry, Harriet Michel, Brian and Mira Mullins, Ronald K. Brown, Donna Williams, Reginald Van Lee, Neil R. Lowe, Joyce Mullins-Jackson, Reggie Canal, Leslie Mays, Zaid Abdul-Aleem, Dwayne Ashley, Monica F. Azare, Joanne E. Hill, Andrea Hoffman, Sandra D. Jackson-Dumont, James Sullivan, Jocelyn Taylor, Ancy Verdier, and Lisa B. Walker.
Despite the current economic stress, Evidence received extraordinarily generous support for the event from sponsors HSBC Premier, 10 Cane Rum/Moet Hennessey, Prudential, Continental Airlines, Essence, Abyssinian Development Corporation and Uptown Magazine. Christian Dior provided gift bags, that included a Sean John cap and Carol’s Daughter shea butter body lotion (I am now such a fan of this line). The media sponsor was Hamptons.com and the event was coordinated by The JFM Group.
Following cocktails African drummers led the way through the dense woods to the massive party tent transformed into an island paradise by interior designer Anthony Bell and Deanna Annis of The Furniture Garden. Former CBS Early Show co-host Rene Syler emceed the afternoon’s proceedings with a comedic flair. The delightful Syler introduced the company’s new executive director Bruce Michael, who announced plans for the troupe’s upcoming 25th anniversary season in 2010, including a State Department sponsored tour of Africa, performances at the Vancouver International Dance Festival, a marvelous book chronicling the troupe’s 25 year journey, and a major gala in late winter.
There were numerous luxury items auctioned off including dazzling bejeweled Christian Dior watches which Jocelyn Taylor modeled, a one of a kind pen created to commemorate Mathew Henson, the first African-American to reach the South Pole and a once-in-a lifetime chance to go behind the scenes with the famed Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.
Major sponsors Noel Hankin, Susan L. Taylor and Stephane Barraque, President of Christian Dior Watches
Confirming the trend of black consumption of fine wines is the existence of the African American Association of Vintners and the African American Wine Tasting Society, which publishes The African American Wine Journal – geared specifically towards black wine lovers. According to Uptown Magazine, African Americans are even moving into the production of wine with about ten black-owned vineyards in the U.S., many of which have received rave reviews for their wines. The following appeared in The Wine Report magazine in January 2004:
We’ve all heard the rap lyrics talking about sipping Patron “in da club” but those stereotypes are simply not accurate when taken out of the very narrow arena of rap videos.
