Flying Philanthropy

Branford Marsalis and Booker T. kids shine at fabulous Flyinghorse fete

The students at Booker T. Washington High School for Visual and Performing Arts are some of the most talented kids in Dallas. It’s no surprise, then, that a fundraising soiree to benefit these budding stars attracts the city’s elite.

 

To show their support for Booker T., hundreds of patrons joined co-chairs Brian Bolke and Faisal Halum for the third annual Flyinghorse, which enables the school advisory board to provide opportunities and experiences for students and faculty, including scholarships, financial assistance and enrichment programs.

 

Before the show began, boldly dressed devotees — Sheryl Maas, John Runyon, Missy Rogers, Muffin Lemak, Kristie Ramirez Hoitsma, Elaine and Neils Agather, and Sunie and Steve Solomon — sipped cocktails on the Wyly Theatre rooftop while admiring the expansive views of the city. Then they moved to the high school theater for a grand performance by award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis, who seduced the crowd with his jazzy tunes.

 

Equally impressive were the Booker T. acts that followed: Latin American Ensemble; the Violin, Viola, Cello and Bass groups; and Jazz Combo 1. The evening also included whimsical pieces from the Repertory Dance Company and Movement Collaborators and Dancers.

 

After enjoying inspired performances by Marsalis and the city's rising stars — and feeling a bit envious of these students' awesome abilities to sing and dance — guests moved to the pool deck at the The Joule for an epic after-party, where cocktails flowed as freely as the tunes from DJ Lucy Wrubel.

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