Out & About
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
More than 3,000 people kicked up their heels Tuesday night for the opening of “Midsummer Night Swing,” the jubilant celebration of dance in the Lincoln Center plaza.
No one was more jubilant than Daisy Soros, who with her husband, Paul, provides the financial support for the series that runs Tuesday through Saturday nights through July 22.
“Paul and I love to dance,” Mrs. Soros, who first learned her graceful moves in ballet classes at the age of 4, said.
And the couple loves being surrounded by others who share their passion. The crowd included married couples who dance competitively, such as Joseph McGlynn and Heidi Rosenau (who looked outstanding in a vintage dress from the 1930s), as well as dancing partners who just met, such as Amanda Baker and Garth Burton.
But, of course, a philanthropist needs a little space of her own. On this night, that space was in the corner of the plaza, where Mr. and Mrs. Soros were the hosts of an intimate dinner party for their dance-loving friends.
Ellery and Marjorie Reed Gordon gave the tango a try, and they decided they could benefit from more lessons. Robert Garrett was nostalgic for his days in Vienna, where he learned to waltz. Peter Gregory recalled his childhood ballroom dance instructor, William Derhan. “He used to scream at me because I could never tell the difference between a mambo and a samba,” Mr. Gregory said. Jacqueline Weld Drake said she learned the Lindy, her favorite dance, “by trial and error.”
After a buffet dinner of caviar, oysters, and plenty else, Jamie Figg took Merry Sheils for a spin – a perfect way to end a perfect day for him, one in which he sold three hotel condominiums in five minutes at the Plaza, he said.
