Stanley Korshak’s Crawford Brock had better watch his back. Ah, but more about that later.
With November temperatures proving warmer than usual, the Tutu Chi Fashion Show and Luncheon on Tuesday, November 28, at the Winspear was lacking furs and boots. Rather the gals like Lee Bailey, Doris Jacobs, Betsy Crousen, Katy Bock, Kameron Westcott, Simona Beal, Lisa Cooley, Tracy Lange with daughter Olivia Lange, Barbara Daseke, Mary Potter, Lynn McBee, Tricia Besing, Linda Ivy, Tucker Enthoven with her mom Julie Ford wore those in between season attire. And while the guests sipped white wine and champagne and towered in stilettos, the Texas Ballet Theater ballerinas were backstage in their ballet slippers.
But soon the chimes call the crowd to the Shannon and Ted Skokos Stage for the fashion show featuring ballerinas in Naeem Khan fashions in between performance by the TBT dancers. Alas, the designer couldn’t make it this year, but his clothes represented him to a T.
Before the program got underway, TBT Executive Director Vanessa Logan and Crawford welcomed the filled-to-the-brim crowd. It was at this point that Crawford may have tweaked some. He told how traditional models don’t eat and tend to look unhappy because they’re hungry. On the other hand, he suggested that this occasion was one of his favorites because the models looked so healthy and they do eat.
On the latter, Crawford was right on target. As the program got underway with TBT Artistic Director Ben Stevenson, Presenting Sponsor Nancy Carlson, Co-Chairs Marybeth Conlon and Heather LeClair, Robyn Conlon with daughter-in-law Megan Conlon front rowing it, the dancers’ leaps and lifts showed muscles that any athlete would admire.
Following the presentation, Vanessa and Crawford returned to the stage where the request for funds was made. Crawford admitted that he had a personal appreciation for the art — his mother had been a dancer.
Stepping forward to address the group were two of dancers surrounded by the rest of the troupe. Michelle Taylor told how the dancers went through their slippers, boots and toe shoes thanks to rehearsals and performances. And then there were costs of costumes, wigs and other needs for their “Swan Lake,” “Nutcracker” and other ballets.
Robin Bangert explained how in recent years, physical therapy availability had been a game changer for pulled muscles.
All of these cost money. So, while guests pulled out checkbooks to fill donation envelopes, Crawford auctioned off “A Year Of Experiences (attending Naeem’s presentation at the September New York Fashion Week, a lunch for the winner with friends at Stanley Korshak along with a $1,000 gift certificate, a $500 gift certificate to Bullion, four tickets to “Swan Lake” in June at the Winspear and a one-night stage at the Hotel Crescent Court). But before Crawford could even request an opening bid of $2,500, hand was up. Then the hands started raising throughout the audience resulting in a winning big of $12,000.