Limón Dance Company Foundation Gala 2011

 

 

 

 

Livents attended The José Limón Dance Foundation Gala on Thursday, June 9, 2011. The evening commenced with the performances held at the John Jay College, following with dinner & awards at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City. The José Limón Dance Foundation honored Daisy Expósito-Ulla & her company: d expósito & Partners, for their work with the organization over the past two years. She has been a pioneer in Hispanic communications, a Latino cultural advocate, and a supporter of the Arts. According to Gabriela Poler-Buzali, Executive Director for the Jose Limon Dance Foundation, Daisy and her company has helped foundation reinvigorate its brand with a new identity.

The highlight of the performance program at the John Jay College was the revival of 1958 dance masterpiece, Missa Brevis, an epic work by José Limón, legendary dancer/choreographer, live in collaboration with the 40-member choir Voices of Ascension, conducted by Dennis Keene. Missa Brevis was last performed in New York ten years ago at Riverside Church. “We deliberately selected Missa for this year’s gala performance because of its deep significance and relevance to our times,” says Carla Maxwell, Artistic Director for the Limón Dance Company and protégé of José Limón. “This masterpiece has a message of hope and rebirth, as it is scored to Missa Brevis in Tempori Belli, composed by Hungarian composer, Zoltan Kodaly, at the time when the Russian army was besieging the Nazi-occupied Budapest. With Limón’s stirring choreography, this masterpiece powerfully depicts the indomitable human spirit rising up after near destruction, and it serves as a poignant reminder that, with hope, we can prevail during difficult times.”

To learn more about the Limón Dance Company Foundation, visit: http://www.limon.org/

Governors Island Alliance 2011 Benefit

The Governors Island Alliance held their annual benefit on Monday, June 20, 2011 in the Commanding Officers Quarters of the island. The successful gala has attracted 250 civic, business, and political leaders. This year, the organization honored Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Linda Fagan, US Coast Guard Captain of the Port of NY and NJ, and Kenneth Fisher, Founding GIA Chair.

Governors Island Alliance is a coalition of organiza­tions and individuals work­ing to celebrate the Island’s rich history, create memora­ble parks and public spaces, and ensure appropriate reuse of the Island and its historic structures. Since 1995, the mem­bers of the Governors Island Alliance have worked collaboratively to return the Island to its right­ful owners, the people of New York. Their concept of redevel­oping the Island as a great civic space was the basis for the 2003 transfer from the Federal Government to the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation (now The Trust for Governors Island) and the National Park Service (NPS). Governors Island will soon boast about 110 acres of pub­lic open space. The land­scaped grounds and 19th century homes in the Island’s spectacular 93-acre National Landmark Historic District are permanently protected under city, state, and federal law. The Alliance is commit­ted to working with The Trust for Governors Island, NPS, and their elected officials to ensure that the final plans and redevelopment proposals set public access, park pro­gramming, and historic pres­ervation as primary goals – and that there is funding to make these plans happen.

Contributions are essential to the Alliance’s free public programs. GIA welcomes thousands of New Yorkers to the Island every summer with concerts, arts & educational programs. The volunteers help stretch the capacity of government and other non-profit partners. Your support also enables them to continue their advocacy on behalf of the Island during the rest of the year.

For more information, visit: http://www.governorsislandalliance.org/

Bidawee Gala 2011

 

 

Bideawee, Inc. is a leading pet adoption and animal welfare organization serving the Long Island and New York metropolitan area communities. Livents had the honor of attending their annual benefit on Monday, June 13, 2011. Bideawee, which means “stay awhile,” in Scottish, is one of the country’s oldest and most respected animal welfare and pet adoption organizations.

Founded in 1903 by Mrs. Flora Kibbe, Bideawee provides shelter, care, and compassion to homeless animals. They have helped many of them find their homes for over 100 years. Bideawee operates three locations in New York: Manhattan, Wantagh and Westhampton. It is home to approximately 350 to 500 animals at any given time and places thousands of dogs, cats, puppies and kittens in loving homes annually. Bideawee sheltered animals receive thorough medical examinations, and are spayed/neutered and micro-chipped before approved for adoption.

Bideawee recently partnered up with Last Hope Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation, Inc. to lease a portion of The Bideawee Campus for Pets & People in Wantagh to provide animal rescue and pet adoption services to area residents. The Bideawee Campus for Pets & People will continue to offer its continuum of animal welfare and learning programs. Bideawee is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) humane organization and 100 percent of Bideawee funding is derived solely from private donations that compassionately helps these less fortunate animals.

For more information, visit: http://www.bideawee.org/