In 1970, Dance Magazine honored Carolyn Brown at a gala at the Plaza Hotel. Rauschenberg gave an emotional and heartfelt speech before presenting the award to her: "There's no way I can deal with the situation, presenting her award. I'm too close to Carolyn. And I'm too far away because of my respect. But somehow-diffusing is maybe the magic: I have plants on my roof, and there wasn't a rose there the day before yesterday. I thought. 'A rose is traditional in the theatre.' And at that moment I noticed that one had bloomed! And there it was!" Brown recalled that at the conclusion of his speech, Rauschenberg presented her with a rose from inside his jacket.