Fiona Breslin reports from New York City.Friends and fans of legendary hoofer and star of stage and screen Marge Champion rocked the boat Saturday, September 13, at the Show Boat Cruise around Manhattan to celebrate the part-time Berkshire resident's 93rd birthday. The evening was hosted by the Dance Films Association to honor Champion, who has starred in musical classics such as Show Boat, Lovely to Look At, and Three for the Show. Dancers, choreographers, film fans, and longtime friends of Champion boarded the two-story party yacht on the East River, enjoying light refreshments and cocktails before the ship set sail toward Brooklyn. Guests and crew alike gathered to admire the city skyline against a glowing pink sunset. DJ Alberto Denis cranked up the retro tunes and it didn't take much more than that to draw guests to the dance floor, which was packed by night fall as the ship sailed past the Statue of Liberty and back to shore, where the celebration continued with a screening of classic dance films.
The team behind Never Stand Still, Ron Honsa and Nan Penman, with Keep Dancing director Greg Vander Veer; Megan Venzin and Emily Athans.
Naysh Fox and Norton Owen, Jacob's Pillow’s director of preservation; Deborah Tacon, Gabrielle Lansner, and Alice Tierstein.
Bonnie Maller, Kim Dickinson, Nolini Barretto, and choreographers Gabri Christa and Arthur Aviles.
Radhika Subramaniam, Ashley Barretto, and Kay Takeda; Jacob's Pillow board of directors member Gayle Miller, Norton Owen, and Judy Dennis.
Douglas Turnbaugh, producer of Keep Dancing, with Larry Fuller and birthday girl Marge Champion; dancers Katie Wilson, Jake Wesley, Michelle Camaya, and Nathan Madden.
The scene from the deck.
Sunny Sawhney and Keetin; Leila Campoli and Stephen O'Farrell.
Eric and Amanda Kergel; Brian Cummings, artist Scooter LaForge, and Paul Alexander.
Nichole Topich, Patsy Gay, and Dance Films Association's Brighid Greene.
Harry Streep and Kim Elliott; Nathan Madden and Jamie Fry.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
