ANNUAL GRACE IN WINTER GALA ROUNDUP

Lynn Whitfield With Dr. Neil Lowe And Susan L. Taylor

The 5th Annual Grace in Winter Gala at The Plaza Hotel recently not only celebrated the 24th Anniversary of Ronald K. Brown’s acclaimed troupe Evidence, A Dance Company and honored three extraordinary supporters author and legendary editor Susan L. Taylor, author/television producer Khephra Burns and Noel Hankin, of Moet Hennessy longtime sponsors of the company but also served of their new season at The Joyce Theatre. Former CBS Morning News anchor and best selling author Rene Syler was Mistress of Ceremonies.Hundreds of New York’s glitterati turned out to cheer the Brooklyn based company including EMMY Award winning Lynn Whitfield, Law & Order’s Anthony Anderson, Prince Kunle Omilana and his wife model/actress Keisha Bolden Omilana, Reginald Van Lee, Jocelyn Taylor, Constance White, Joyce Mullins Jackson and Bernard Jackson, Joanne Hill, Brie Bythewood, LuAnn Moore, Alicia and Daniel Bythwood, Peg Alston, Reginald Canal, Peggy Cafritz Cooper, Marc Morial, The Honorable Bernard Jackson, Andrea Hoffman, Leslie A. Mays, Lisa B. Walker, Monica F. Azare, Sandra Jackson-Dumont, Zaid Abdul-Aleem, Debra Martin Chase, Baraka Sele, Lisa Walker, Charisma Dezonie, Dwayne Ashley, B Michael and James Sullivan.Then the magical Evidence dancers led by Brown took to the stage for the first of two stunning pieces Ebony Magazine: To a Village later followed by a new to their repertory work Two-Year Old Gentlemen each accompanied by throbbing Caribbean and African drums and percussion with voice-overs by Brown. The audience was rapt in their attention and only uttered a sound when the dancers took their bows – and then it was a roaring and well deserved standing ovation. Evidence, A Dance Company will appear at The Joyce Theatre in Chelsea through February 15th.
Photo By: Anne Watt