CORPUS: A Fashion Show

For those of you who missed it, shame on you. For those of you who made it, WHAT A SUCCESS!!! A HUGE thank you to everyone who came out, a HUGE thank you for everyone who participated, a HUGE thank you to Sputnik, and a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Dance4Liberation for pulling off a killer show and raising a bunch of paper for a great cause, the Jeff Reynolds project Corpus: The Case of Justin Wolf.

After all the glitter and glam, I sat down with Aileen Haugh, the brains behind Dance4Liberation, and chatted about the huge success. Actually, the glitter and glam was still in effect. We were dressed to the 10's at a suave Oscars party sipping champagne and mingling with fabulous people. But everything we do is fabulous, what can I say?

Of course, the first thing I asked her was, "HOW DO YOU FEEL!??"

Amazing, inspired, thankful, proud.

She kept gushing about everyone involved. How proud she was of her Dance4Liberation team and their hard work. How thankful she was for this opportunity. Modestly leaving out the fact that she started this organization from the ground up, inspiring those around her and instilling passion and the same perseverance she has into those that began work with her. Dance4Liberation began when Aileen took a feminism course on modern social problems and learned about an organization called Friendship Bridge, which is a non-profit that provides education to help women and their families create their own solutions to poverty in Guatemala. She became passionate about the organization and wanted to help. Instead of sitting on her ass and feeling sorry for the women in Guatemala, she DANCED! And so did many, many others at an event she threw to raise money for the cause and Dance4Liberation was born and quickly grew.

From raising money for causes from the Houston Moore after school program where the kiddies showcased their own art projects from a disposable camera in Bottega art gallery downtown (SO COOL), to LINK a cause that helps ex-prisoners get their life back on track, Aileen and ALL the talent, and there is a ton of talent, at Dance4Liberation has touched lives and raised money for people (and animals) in need.

BUT... back to DAnce4Liberation's CORPUS: A Fashion Show...

When I arrived at Sputnik around 6, the spot was scattered with half naked models (jealous?), bundles and bundles of clothes, hairspray and glitter and a team of stressed magic makers running around with walkie talkies. I was quickly thrown one despite my efforts to hide in the back with the beautiful people. Although it was mad house in the room throwing outfits back and fourth, throwing spray cans back and forth, throwing models back and forth (kidding, just making sure you were paying attention) the atmosphere was surprisingly calm. We were ready to rock. We did our homework. We practiced. We were prepared. We were golden.

When everyone began to arrive I know I got some butterflies in my tummy. If Aileen, Annie, Laine (who not only put the thing on but walked in it, like 6 times???), Joe, Megan, and Ashley, just some of the amazing people who made the night possible, were getting nervous they didn't show it at all. When the lights turned down and the show was about to go on, Aileen calmly took a seat by the runway to watch the show. Annie was across from me behind the curtains of the show dancin' her ass off while I was trying hard to not faint. I don't know how the models do it. Then the magic happened.

Aileen said everything went beautifully and smoothly, I'll take her word on it. I was still behind the curtains finally calming down, loosening up and shakin' my rump with Annie.

Any surprises?

Aileen says the only surprise she had, since the show went so wonderfully, was how many people were there at 8pm on the dot to get in. No surprise to anyone else. The event was HYPED. Everyone was talking about it before (thanks guys) and the place was PACKED once people started filtering in.

Another surprise? Sophia Bush came, no big. Dance4Liberation has grown so much, it is just amazing that it has reached to such a far audience. Sophia Bush, from One Tree Hill, not only came to the event, but she came after she had just came home from FASHION WEEK. Incredible.

Soo... any last words for the audience, Aileen?

"I have the best team in the world. This has personally been an amazing experience for me and I hope everyone else enjoyed it as much as I did. This opportunity is more than I could ask for, being able to combine a worthy cause and artists' passion just is a dream come true."

IT'S OVER. THANK YOU. YOU'RE ALL AMAZING.

Keep checking into the blog, I'll be updating with pictures, some more about the show, more on the great cause we raised money for and everything Dance4Liberation. Keep an eye out for more events, and SUPPORT LOCAL TALENT!