So Ready to Sew

Last night we stepped across the street from our building to Ballet Austin's Butler Dance Education Center for a reception held 'behind the scenes' in the area behind the company's main studio. We were toasting Martha and Cliff Ernst in the space they endowed with their donation to the capital campaign for the building: the costume shop. Alexey Korygin, Wardrobe Master, welcomed us but no one was tempted to challenge the order of things. This picture of thread at the ready for the sewing of costumes was taken with an iPhone. There is lighting in this area that lit the picture perfectly. The lighting was designed to allow Alexey to see the true colors while fitting and working on costumes. Alexey is a former dancer who immigrated from Russia. When he retired from dance, he used skills learned in a theater family to become the Wardrobe Master for Ballet Austin.

Forrest and I endowed an area backstage, too. However, we never had a reception there because it is the locker room and dressing room for the ballerinas in the main company! Before this fabulous building was built, the principal dancers shared restroom and dressing space with everyone, including small kids in ballet school. We are so proud of Ballet Austin and this building has really let it blossom completely into the great organization it is for professionals and community members in the school.