Balancing Act

3:00 PM. Photo: JH.

March 12, 2013. Fair, mild and grey yesterday in New York with rain expected this morning.

I went down to Michael’s to meet Carol Joynt and Rachel Pearson who had come up from our nation’s capital on the Acela for some business and our lunch.


Carol's book, now in paperback. Click to order.

Carol, you may remember, was our ace correspondent in Washington for a few years until the Washingtonian magazine made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. She’s an industrious and prolific journalist, as she demonstrates as the Washingtonian’s editor-at-large.

She brought along one of the first copies of her memoir “Innocent Spouse,” which has just come out in paperback (first published by Broadway Books in 2011). In a way it’s a woman’s story, but in another way it’s the story of a lot of us, including those of us who grew up in households where there was an “innocent spouse” where one knew much less about the other than he or she realized.

Carol’s a romantic – this I know about her because I was her editor for a good length of time, and both of us are by nature curious about those we have in our life. So I can see that she was “swept away” when she met the man who became her husband. And she was very happy until ... he died.

Then she was left to sweep up. This is her story and it’s not a pretty one – in parts – but Carol is one of those women who can take care of things (like children and a mortgage and food on the table). My own mother was like that. They’re the strongest of our lot, in my opinion. And often the most dramatical in their approach to life. I know: it’s not a word, but it should be.

Carol introduced me to Rachel, another Washingtonian, a friend of hers, a smart woman with a lot of curiosity and enthusiasm. She has her own marketing and communications firm – Pearson and Associates – down there.

DPC expounding to a new found listener, Rachel Pearson from Washington. Inset: Michael's dentally impressive GM and maitre d' Steve Millington and DPC.

DPC, Carol, and Rachel Pearson

The Michael's Iceberg Lettuce Salad. Excellent.

The chicken dish. Haven't had it but it looks good.

The Chicken Paillard.

Carol's side order of fries, no kidding around.

If you’re going to have lunch with someone from Washington who is in the thick of it, you’re going to talk politics, so that’s what we did. And discovered that we are basically on the same page. And read a lot of the same books (history).

This was the first time both girls had the new menu at Michael’s. Everyone was happy.

Last night at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, The School of American Ballet held its annual “Winter Ball” with a dinner followed by a performance by the students.

The School was founded seventy-nine years ago by Lincoln Kirstein and George Balanchine. Kirstein was an intellectual, an impresario ex-officio of the arts of his age, and Balanchine was the recently emigrated choreographer, a man from Soviet Russia (in 1924) who joined Ballet Russes as a choreographer. Diaghilev had made him ballet master and encouraged his choreography.

He was a contemporary of many of the giants of arts of the first half of the 20th century such as Ravel, Debussy, Erik Satie, Roualt, Matisse, Picasso, Stravinsky.

Lincoln Kirstein, son of a wealthy Boston retailer, well-educated and already an arts patron, persuaded Balanchine to come to New York. This was in 1933. A year later the SAB was born with the assistance and financial backing of Kirstein and another contemporary – they were all in their late 20s -- Eddie (Edward M.M.) Warburg, a member of a distinguished New York family of international investment bankers. Eddie Warburg was also a force in the establishment of several cultural ventures and institutions including MoMA.

George Balanchine.

Lincoln Kirstein.

It was Balanchine who insisted that before they could have a Ballet company – the New York City Ballet, as it would turn out to be, they needed to have a school to develop ballet dancers for it. And so it was, the SAB.

Both men were glamorous, cutting edge, with-it figures in that turbulent time. Balanchine was made even more glamorous by the fact that he had five wives, all great dancers including, Tamara Geva, Alexandra Danilova, Vera Zorina, Maria Tallchief, and Tanaquil LeClercq. He was a guy who loved ‘em and left ‘em – for another. Kirstein, who was gay, had a rich intellectual life, was a great art connoisseur and writer, and very much a part of the cultural movements of New York (and the world). It was a great collaboration as witnessed by last night’s gala.

Eddie (Edward M.M.) Warburg.

It’s a beautiful evening when you go to Lincoln Center, no matter what theater you enter. The campus of these houses separates you from the quotidian part of your life and transports you. Last night’s gala was black tie. The décor was inspired (I read this) by Van Cleef & Arpels (which sponsored the evening) and Alexis de Rede’s 1969 Le Bal Oriental which was held in the ballroom of his apartment in the Hotel Lambert on the Ile Saint-Louis in Paris. Ron Wendt of Ron Wendt Designs was the source of this glamorously exotic decor.

It so happens that George Balanchine and Claude Arpels, the founder of the famous jeweler were friends, having met through the great violinist Nathan Milstein. Balanchine later created a ballet called Jewels. The two men became lifelong friends.

The cocktail hour before the dinner for the School of American Ballet last night in the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.

The SAB is of course the premiere ballet school in the United States. As I’ve written here before, as a non-balletomane (who nevertheless enjoys the performance), I was deeply impressed with the work of the school. Not all of its students go on to careers in the ballet. And even those who do, experience the brevity of a dancer’s career. The school's academic curriculum, however, bolsters the students’ experience in learning the dance. They acquire the habits of a hardworking, focused, dedicated, and disciplined individual, not to mention the eternal satisfaction of the dance and the performnace. Those four qualities are more than half the battle in and on any stage in life. And the performance articulates the joy of it all. The SAB does that for all of its students.

Julia Koch before the photographers.

Julia and David Koch on the Promenade just before dinner.

Just a few of the great dancers of classical ballet who are SAB alumns including Jacques d’Amboise, Suzanne Farrell, Darci Kistler, Sara Mearns, Benjamin Millipied, Jock Soto and Wendy Whelan.

Marge Van Dercook, the executive director told the guests that they raised $1 million. The funds are used for scholarships and state-of-the-art studios and a residence halls, and offer vital student programs beyond the studio. Last night’s program, a performance by the students was choreographed by a recent graduate, Silas Farley.

Mr. Farley pointed out that these funds will make it possible for many people to attend this school and experience the opportunity and the power of its excellent education. Would that all of our educational systems could be so all-encompassing.

Alexandra Lebenthal and Chiu-Ti Jansen. Yesterday was Alexandra's birthday and she was feeling another day older ... every minute of it. Nevertheless, she is still a baby.

Sylvester and Gillian Miniter. Gillian is wearing a diamond necklace from Van Cleef and Arpels.

Dana Hammond Stubgen and Margery Van Dercook, Executive Director of the School of American Ballet.

Janna Bullock, entrepreneur, supporter of the SAB and a balletomane.

Jean Shafiroff's cascade of indigo and blue silk chiffon ruffles.

Nicolas Luchsinger of Van Cleef; Kelly Rutherford fascinated by what she is hearing.

Brad Comisar and Dana Stubgen.

Bronson van Wyck in black tie.

Carolina Herrera describing something to Peter Martins.

Peter Lyden, the Sultan of Philanthropy.

Another aspect of these Lincoln Center galas, is that they are black tie and women dress for them. It’s another pleasant departure albeit brief, from the day-to-day. Last night’s Honorary Chairs were Coco Kopelman (who attended the SAB as a child here in New York), Elizabeth R. Miller, Liz Peek and Betsy Pitts. Chairs were Diana DiMenna, Julia Koch, Jenny Paulson and Laura Zeckendorf. The corporate chair was Nicolas Luchsinger, Chairman of Van Cleef. Young Patron Chairs were Amanda Brotman, Brie Bythewood, Ann-Marie MacFarlane and William Yang. The Encore Chairmen (I don’t know what that means) were Cassel Lessinger, Ann Channing Redpath, Emma Riccardi, and Morgan Richardson.

Peter Martins addressing the guests at dinner. From left, Laura Zeckendorf, Nicolas Luchsinger, Julia Koch, Martins, Diana DiMenna, and Jenny Paulson.

Mr. Luchsinger addressing the guests.

Silas Farley, SAB graduate and choreographer of last night's performance, thanking the school, the supporters, and his parents for their assistance in educating him.

The evening began with cocktails at 7, dinner at 8 – (really 8:30), the performance at 9:30, followed by dessert and dancing. A great evening in New York and a great way to start the week. It should all be this good. We should all be so lucky.

The performance. Unfortunately the pleasure is lost without the motion and the music, but what was so impressive was the seamless professionalism of the dancer's individual performance. The energy, the vitality and the fresh enthusiasm of youth defined the evening. They were a big hit.