The McCarton Foundation hosted its second annual Genius of Autism event.

Last Monday night at the Hilton New York's Grand Ballroom, Rolex hosted Career Transition for Dancers' 27th Anniversary Jubilee, Jump for Joy, A Dance Variety Spectacular. Angela Lansbury was its host and they honored Liza Minnelli; with a performance by the incomparable Chita Rivera. The Career Transition For Dancers Outstanding Contributions to the World of Dance Awards went to Joni Berry, Michele Herbert, Gerald M. Appelstein, and Arthur Murray International (celebrating its 100th Anniversary). Career Transition For Dancers, with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, has helped over 5,400 professional dancers nationwide identify their unique talents in preparation for establishing new careers when dance is no longer an option.

Lawrence Herbert, Michele Herbert, and Loren Herbert

Roberta Silver and Leonard Lauren

Sue Samuel, Elka Samuels Smith, Jason Samuels Smith, and Jojo Smith

Janice Becker and Caitlin Carter

Joni Berry

Barbara-Taylor Bradford and Robert Bradford

Robin Van Bokhorst, Marissa Van Bokhorst, and Christina Rose

Matthew Appelstein, Judy Appelstein, Jamie Appelstein, Jerry Appelstein, and Melissa Appelstein

Peter Shaw, Stephanie Levinsky, and Angela Lansburry

Cynthia Fisher AND Pat Cody

Angela Lansburry and Ben Vereen

Hugh Hildesley

Janice Becker, Anka Palitz, Cynthia Fisher, Stuart Wicht, and friends

Charles Askegard

Fe Fendi and Barbara Tober

Michele Herbert, Patricia Shiah, Lucia Hwong Gordon, and Bonnie Pfeiffer

Michele's birthday cake

Michele's wishes

Lynne Goldberg and Jerry Appelstein

Jean Shafiroff, Fe Fendi, and Lucia Hwong Gordon

Robert Ryan and Rachel Moore

Shoshana and Yair Kagan

Eric Dunlap and Leslie Arlette Boyce

Cynthia Fisher and Vicki Kellogg

Alfred Fiandaca, Lisa Huertas, and Craig Dix

Sandy and Greg Kriser

Thomas and Patricia Shiah

On Friday, October 26, the Manhattan School of Music kicked off its year-long "Harlem Nights" Concert Series with "Harlem Hothouses," a concert tribute to The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce by MSM's Grammy®-nominated Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, led by the renowned percussionist Bobby Sanabria, and featuring the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award Honoree, the legendary Cuban-born conguero, Candido.   Immediately preceding the concert was a special reception for 300 guests of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce and Manhattan School of Music.   The Concert took place in the school's Borden Auditorium, 120 Claremont Avenue at West 122nd Street near Broadway. A special full tuition scholarship for Manhattan School of Music's jazz program in the name of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce and its Chair, Lloyd Williams was announced prior to the concert.

Bobby Sanabria and Orchestra

Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra In Concert

Manhattan School of Music and the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce have enjoyed more than a decade of collaborations on HARLEM WEEK and on the Harlem Jazz and Music Festival.  In 2001, a 'Master of Music' concert at the school featured performers Joe Cuba and Gloria Lynne and attracted legendary visitors such as Ornette Coleman, Lionel Hampton, then-State Senator David Paterson, and Isaac Hayes among other notables.  Manhattan School of Music students have performed at GHCC events such as "A Great Day in Harlem" at US Grant National Memorial Park, the "Harlem Miles" portion of the ING-New York City Marathon, and at free outdoor concerts at the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building.  For its 90th anniversary year, Manhattan School of Music was honored by the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce at the 2007 HARLEM WEEK Gracie Mansion kick-off.

Lloyd Williams and Justin Dicioccio

Congressman Charles Rangel, Ray Chew, and Assemblyman Keith Wright

This season Manhattan School of Music Jazz Arts Program showcases two exciting events – the 30th Anniversary of Jazz at MSM and "Harlem Nights," a year-long concert series celebrating Harlem. "Harlem Nights" has been designed to capture the musical spirit and heart of our Harlem community by spotlighting the music, musicians and performance venues that have called Harlem "home," and have helped define Harlem as a center of the musical and cultural universe.

Diane Isaac and Tracy Hyter-Suffern

Dr Karen Clayton

Victoria Sirota, Ed Lowentahal, Ilene Lowenthal, Vivian Scott Chew, Ray Chew, and Justin Dicioccio

Reverend Jacques Degraff and Bob Tate

Rick Patterson and Nina Ferrell

Dave Whitmore, Dr Kathy Pajak, Christian Sands, Michelle Castro, and Loren Douglass

Voza Rivers and Justin Dicioccio

Linda Wood Guy and Ronald Guy

Robert Sirota, Peter Robbins, Elsa Jean Davidson, and Winston Majatte

Lloyd Williams and Ade Williams

Tiffani Chambers and Reggie Chambers

Ray Chew, Justin Dicioccio, Lloyd Williams, Peter Robbins, and Loren Douglass

Peter Robbins and Jodi Robbins

Ed Lowentahal and Ilene Lowenthal

Lorey Hayes, Robert Sirota, and Victoria Sirota

Vivian Scott Chew and Ray Chew

Darnell Abraham

Sharon Mackey, Assemblyman Keith Wright, and Karen Witherspoon

Ade Williams and Valerie Williams

Assata Alstonm and Pamela Walker

Kats Abe, Voza Rivers, and Tsutomu Karino

Tsutomu Karino and Joyce Adewumi

Trudy Francis and Stephanie Francis

Yamira Siu-Jabbaar and Wallace Jabbaar

Kelly Sawatsky, Jeremy Fletcher, and Shelley Dicioccio

Stephanie Francis, Joyce Adewumi, Richard Franklin, and Janette Housman

Patricia Ricketts

Linda Walton and Christian Sands

Loren Schoenberg, Walter Edwards, and Darwin Davis

On Monday, October 22 the McCarton Foundation hosted its second annual Genius of Autism event. Part concert, part art exhibition, and fully inspirational, the Genius of Autism was an opportunity to celebrate the incredible ability that exists within young people on the autistic spectrum.   From singers and dancers to painters and animators, the McCarton Foundation few in 14 inspiring, autistic artists from around the globe to perform and be honored at the 2012 Genius of Autism event. Hosted by ABC News's Chief Health and Medical editor Dr. Richard Besser, the event featured live musical performances by honorees along with diverse celebrity talent such as three-time Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter Steve Earle and MAC award-winning Karen Oberlin. Additionally there was an art exhibition featuring the original works of the autistic visual artists being honored.

Matt Savage

Hunter Brown

Talina Toscano

Kyle Cousins and Amanda Lamunyon

James Hobley

Rio Wyles

You can learn more about the honorees by visiting mccarton.org/genius [1] and going to the Honoree Page, where you'll find bios, images of their artwork, and video/audio clips of their performances.   This is the McCarton Foundation's second year hosting the Genius of Autism. Last year's inaugural event took place at Carnegie Hall and featured the amazing performances of the young autistic honorees as well as celebrity participation from names like Laura Linney, Bill Cosby, Deepak Chopra, John Pizzarelli, and more.

Karen Oberlin with Genius of Autism Honorees

Artwork by Trent Altman

The McCarton Foundation's mission is to empower young people on the autistic spectrum, help them to realize their full potential, and celebrate their extraordinary talents.

Gerard McKeon, Dr Cece McCarton, Raquel Suarez, and Myron Johnson

Caroline Yoon and Nicola Fernandes

Lou Toscano, Stephen Wiltshire, and Rosa Martinez

Kris Sebastin and Dr Rich Besser

Cece McCarton and Stephen Wiltshire

Lou Toscano, Talina Toscano and Toscano Family

Andrew urbanski, Barbara Orzakiewicz, and Chris Dezinno

Chuck Friedlander and Bruce Burrows

Allison Walmark and Eliza Walmark

Marc Wong and David Sobacinski

Steve Earle, Honoree James Hobley, and Caroline Hamilton

Honoree Amanda Lamunyon and Sherry Lamunyon

Kathleen Stowell

Jin Sun and Hsiuhua Chiang

Tate Wingate and Tracy Perlongo

Jana Trantow and Neil Sarkar

Barbara Schiff and Kim Silverstein

Keri Bowers, Elyse Kroll, Dario Toledo, Sara Daum, and Ivy Feldman

The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden hosted "Into the World of Helen Evans," a benefit cocktail party and silent auction on October 4th to support its education programs. A past President General of The Colonial Dames of America, Dr. Evans is the Mary and Michael Jaharis Curator for Byzantine Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Helen Evans gave a slideshow tour of her adventurous career, which has taken her to sites throughout the Middle East and Central Asia. Guests purchased catalogues from her most recent exhibition, Byzantium and Islam: Age of Transition.

Shirley Dixon-Miller, Brantley Knowles, Beverley Sherrid, Esther "Faity" Tuttle, and Kathleen Elizabeth Springhorn

Guests included members of The Colonial Dames of America, which owns and operates the Museum, professional colleagues, and friends. Among the silent auction highlights were private excursions, behind-the-scenes tours of New York's galleries and art museums, fabulous hand-crafted jewelry and accessories and much more, all drawing enthusiastic bidding. Guests included Committee Co-Chairs Beverley Sherrid and Heather Speas, Gloria and Nelson Harper, Sandra Pearl, Charles Neuhauser, Brantley Knowles, Kathleen Springhorn, Peter Wyer, Maria Ann Conelli and Kim Hartswick, and Mary Anne Hunting. Sharon Vaino, President General of The Colonial Dames of America, accompanied by Past Presidents General Charlotte Armstrong, Audrey Svensson, and Nancy Shackelford Jones, as well as Mary Anne Caton, Director of The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum, and Allison Coliskey, Executive Director of The Colonial Dames of America, also joined the festivities. To learn more about the museum, visit www.mvhm.org [2].

Marina Case Alario, Caroline McLain, Martha Everett, Marilee Reiner, and Clark Reiner

Esther "Faity" Tuttle and Allison Coliskey

Mary Anne Caton and Lila Kerns

Audrey Svensson, Sharon Vaino, and Nancy Shackelford Jones

Mark Sherrid, Beverley Sherrid, and Martha Foley

Charlotte Armstrong and Sharon Vaino

Charles Neuhauser and Jill Spiller

Kathleen Elizabeth Springhorn, Audrey Svensson, and Deirdre Bay

Lila Kerns, and Heather and Wade Speas

Mitzi Perdue

Beverley Sherrid, Helen Evans, and Sharon Vaino

Helen Evans, Esther "Faity" Tuttle, and Arax Simsarian

Lindsey Mullholland and Charlotte Squarcy

Sophia and Timothy Hartch

Betsy Healy and Sharon Vaino

Laura Kirkman Evans, John Evans, Kim Hartswick, and Maria Ann Conelli

Polly Guerin, Carol Lynch, and Kathleen Elizabeth Springhorn

On Monday, October 22nd Ice Theatre of New York (ITNY), the nation's premier ice dancing ensemble founded by Moira North, hosted the company's annual Benefit Gala honoring Richard "Mr. Debonair" Dwyer of Ice Follies and Ice Capades fame. Festivities included a performance featuring Mr. Debonair and his "Dwyer Girls" – Tai Babilonia, Dorothy Hamill, Linda Fratianne, Jojo Starbuck all dressed in Nicole Miller. Richard Dwyer and Amanda Mochan The Company performed pieces from its repertory, including works from NYC dance choreographers and Artistic Director Douglas Webster. Ryan Bradley, the 2011 US Men's Champion, was the guest performer and some of the performers included World Team Members Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre, and 7-Time British Champions and Olympians Sinead and John Kerr. Dick Button was Honorary Chairman and Co-Chairs included Natalie Carey, Aja Zanova and Tom Collins; attendees included Missy Van Buren, Joan Erdheim, the new Chairman of the Board, Sarah Hughes and family, John MacColl, Debbie Gordon (recipient of the Ice Angel award), Charles Pavarini III, Randall Tarasuk, Michel Mercure, Brigitte Altenhaus, Nadine Ahmed. Ice Theatre of New York, the nation's premier ice dance ensemble, challenges conventional definitions of figure skating by creating works that integrate the sensibilities of contemporary dance, music and art. In addition to building and performing works of the highest artistic merit, ITNY reaches out to the next generation of skaters and audiences through its exemplary education, community outreach and training programs. ITNY was the first ice dance company to receive dance program funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Emily Hughes, Sarah Hughes, and Rebecca Hughes

Debbie Gordon, Richard Dwyer, and Dorothy Hamill

Dorothy Hamill and Charles Pavarini III

John and Sinead Kerr

John Kerr and Nadine Ahmed

Nicole Miller and Michel Mercure

Photographs by AnnieWatt.com [3] (McCarton, Manhattan School); PatrickMcMullan.com [4] (Career Transition); Kenny Jacobson (Ice Theatre).