These are the notes from the remote shooter (see November 3rd) for the Art Ball:
All the debs went to the Prestonwood Country Club to serve as greeters at the Arts Ball, an annual affair at the club. I drove Cassidy and Spencer. The other girls seem to arrive en masse. With it still being daylight as they arrived at the club, it almost seemed like Oscar night and the red carpet moment outside the theatre. But once inside they were greeted by the ladies of the club, who gave them sashes saying "Cary Debutante 2007" and assignments as greeters. Most, like Cassidy, were given the job of standing next to an easel with a picture of a public work of art in town and a little card describing it. They were aligned down a corridor between the front door and where photographers were staging formal pictures, so everybody got to see them, say, "hello" and perhaps inquire about the artwork they were assigned.
Observation: The girls were excited about the club, apparently one of the leading ones in town. Some of them talked about dreaming of a wedding reception there. The girls, as the guests, were all formally attired, but the girls somewhat mystified about what they were supposed to do. Things started slowly, but the place began to fill up and they began to see some folks they or their parents knew. It really struck me how they were there to know how to dress, how to greet perfect strangers, how to respond to an uncertain social situations and be seen as the new generation of up and coming social leaders. It was a very elegant setting with a piano player and the maitre'd telling his troops what to do.
The glitterati arriving seemed tickled to see the debs. There were times when everything looked very Jane Austin, though thoroughly modern as the girls would fuss with their dresses or shoes, or have moments of bewilderment. It was basic training for formal hosting and role fulfillment, and a chance to see and be seen, an Interesting event from that point of view. In the car afterwards, the girls discussed how other girls looked, dressed and acted, but did not talk about the event as such. They seemed to be getting interested in how the group was aligning in terms of new friendships, so to speak.
The country club is the ultimate of American social achievement and in Raleigh the apparent pinnacle of the social ladder. I don't think there are too many venues left for balls like the Art Ball, save political dinners and other charity affairs. Every girl dreams of dressing in lovely gowns and going to balls, but few get the chance past the high school prom.
This was maybe the first time the girls had been to a ball with grown-ups in attendance that was not a prom...
