- Title: USA: President Obama and first lady Michelle dance at inaugural ball
- Date: 22nd January 2013
- Summary: PEOPLE DANCING
- Embargoed: 6th February 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA5A3Z3POQU8OL3HPQ6PHCNECLW
- Story Text: U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle join thousands of supporters at inaugural balls. Michelle Obama again picks designer Jason Wu for her inaugural gown.
U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle joined thousands of supporters on Monday (January 21) at the inaugural ball, where entertainers included Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson.
At 9:22 p.m., the crowd erupted in a roar. A sea of camera phones greeted the first couple as they walked on to the stage. He wore a black suit and a white tie. According to the White House, she wore "a custom Jason Wu ruby colored chiffon and velvet gown with a handmade diamond embellished ring by jewelry designer Kimberly McDonald."
"It was amazing to see them up there looking like they were having a great time, too. Just really lovely," said Emma Buschbaum, who lives in Washington, D.C.
"Beautiful. She looked stunning, elegant, just so much like the first lady. She looked gorgeous," said Sonya Baynes, who lives in Mitchellville, Maryland, a suburb of Washington.
Obama backers partied with their president, and celebrated the brief moment when the rancor of the campaign has faded and the tough work of his second term has yet to begin.
Kelly Jacobs, who lives in Hernando, Mississippi, made a special outfit for the occasion, with images of Barack Obama on the front and back of a t-shirt, embellished with white and silver sequins.
"I had it printed on fabric and then I sewed two thousand black sequins on and two thousand silver sequins, because Barack Obama's just as white as he is black," she said.
Ibrahim Adjei flew in from Ghana to celebrate the inauguration.
"I think it's just seeing the whole cornucopia of American society reveling, enjoying, celebrating the democracy. I think that's the essence. It's not essentially about a president, but the institution of the presidency. And for me, it's an eye opener, it's really nice to see it and long may it continue," he said.
Inaugural balls have been a Washington fixture since the city's earliest days, when James Madison celebrated with a dance at a downtown hotel in 1809.
Bill Clinton set a record in 1997 with 14 official balls, and Obama himself celebrated with 10 official events in 2009.
This year, organizers scaled back to two events to try to strike a respectfully austere note at a time when the economy is still struggling.
While some got tickets for as little as $60 each, organizers asked wealthy donors to kick in as much as $1 million to cover the costs. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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