{"id":6434,"date":"2025-05-12T15:24:18","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T15:24:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/12\/photos-inside-new-york-city-ballets-2025-spring-gala\/"},"modified":"2025-05-12T15:24:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T15:24:25","slug":"photos-inside-new-york-city-ballets-2025-spring-gala","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/12\/photos-inside-new-york-city-ballets-2025-spring-gala\/","title":{"rendered":"PHOTOS: Inside New York City Ballet\u2019s 2025 Spring Gala"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Nina Dobrev and Ariana DeBose. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

New York City Ballet galas are always elegant affairs, and last week\u2019s, chaired by Liz and Jeff Peek<\/a><\/b>, Deborah Roberts<\/a><\/b> and Diana Taylor<\/a><\/b>, was no exception. Despite near-bursting clouds, guests in color palettes darker than usual for a spring event\u2014NYCB principal dancers Tiler Peck<\/a><\/b> and Gilbert Bolden III<\/a><\/b> looked particularly divine\u2014braved the unsure weather, strolling around Lincoln Center Plaza and posing by Revson Fountain before heading indoors to sip champagne or \u201cThe Waltz,\u201d the evening\u2019s hibiscus-topped signature cocktail, on the David H. Koch Theater\u2019s Promenade among cherry blossoms and pink lights.<\/p>\n

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The co-chair committee was a Who\u2019s Who of Hollywood, with actors Claire Danes<\/a><\/b> and Hugh Dancy<\/a><\/b>, Ariana DeBose<\/a><\/b>, Nina Dobrev<\/a><\/b> and Diane Kruger<\/a><\/b>. Spotted among the glitterati were cultural philanthropist and power donor Michael Bloomberg<\/a><\/b>, literal rockstar Debbie Harry<\/a><\/b>, choreographer and Mick Jagger<\/a><\/b> fianc\u00e9e Melanie Hamrick<\/a><\/b>, author Jill Kargman<\/a><\/b> (who once told Observer<\/a> that \u201cTo me, the term \u2018socialite\u2019 negates actual work as the social part eclipses any career\u201d), actress Bianca Lawson<\/a><\/b>, actress Nia Long<\/a><\/b>, TV personality Al Roker<\/a><\/b>, beauty and fashion influencer Jessica Wang<\/a><\/b> and many more.<\/p>\n

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Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy. Photo by Aeon\/GC Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After cocktails (and before a delightful sit-down dinner), we followed the crowd down into the theater for the evening\u2019s performance. First on the program was See the Music\u2026<\/i>, an insightful musical exploration of the score of George Balanchine<\/a>\u2019s ballet Vienna Waltzes<\/i>, led by the New York City Ballet Orchestra\u2019s music director Andrew Litton<\/a><\/b> and last performed in 2013.<\/p>\n

After the orchestra pit rose so the audience could see all sixty-two musicians\u2014what a treat!\u2014Litton explained that the Viennese Waltz, made popular in the late 1700s, has a rhythm slightly different from other waltzes. The second beat of the triple beat gets played slightly early (instead of ONE, two, three, it is more like one, TWO, three). He told the assembled dance enthusiasts that this is an example of the music adapting to the dance, instead of the dance adapting to the music.<\/p>\n

To illustrate just how the waltz has evolved over time, the orchestra played excerpts from the ballet\u2019s sections, composed by Johann Strauss II<\/a>, Franz Leh\u00e1r and Richard Strauss<\/a>, and then the pit descended to its usual position, the musicians quieting as the house lights dimmed.<\/p>\n

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Vienna Waltzes<\/em> was performed for the first time since 2013 at New York City Ballet Spring Gala. Photo: Erin Baiano<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Vienna Waltzes<\/i> first premiered in 1977 to much acclaim, and it\u2019s easy to see why. The five-part piece, which has only ever been performed by NYCB, shows off Balanchine\u2019s exemplary musicality as well as his collaborators\u2019 talents. The choreography for over fifty dancers is lovely, but Rouben Ter-Arutunian<\/a>\u2019s scenery (ranging from an Austrian forest to a dance hall to a society caf\u00e9 to a grand mirrored ballroom) and Barbara Karinska<\/a>\u2019s lavish costumes (the last she made for the Company) are absolutely extraordinary.<\/p>\n

The ballet opens with two dancers (Emilie Gerrity<\/a><\/b> and Peter Walker<\/a><\/b>) strolling through an evening forest, all verdant greens and deep blues. They are very refined in white gloves, a suit, and a petal pink gown. More couples join and begin waltzing, but the original couple stays on after everyone else leaves, still spinning. It\u2019s all very romantic.<\/p>\n

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Megan Fairchild and Joseph Gordon. Photo: Erin Baiano<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the second section, the two trees at the front of the stage lift, revealing beautiful dangling roots. A dancer (Megan Fairchild<\/a><\/b>) rushes on, and we are suddenly thrust into the world of ballet. She is wearing a tutu and pointe shoes. She is dancing. Her partner (Joseph Gordon<\/a><\/b>) soon joins, and he is dancing, too. The third section is perhaps the oddest, moving into the world of Americana polka, but then in the fourth, the rest of the trees lift and their roots become drapery dangling from the ceiling. Mira Nadon<\/a><\/b> leads a theatrical half-ballet and half-ballroom segment with magnetic grace.<\/p>\n

The fifth section, the ballet\u2019s finale, is an amazing spectacle. The backdrop lifts again to reveal mirrored walls and branchy chandeliers, and we are suddenly in a grand ballroom, watching a woman (Sara Mearns<\/a><\/b>) in a long white gown dance with herself. Many others join, but Mearns glides across the stage as if this is her very own dream, and maybe it is.<\/p>\n

Hazel Wang, Jessica Wang and Capri Wang<\/h3>\n
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Hazel Wang, Jessica Wang and Capri Wang. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Guests with Deborah Norville (center), Diana Taylor (center right) and Michael Bloomberg (right)<\/h3>\n
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Deborah Norville (center), Diana Taylor (center right) and Michael Bloomberg (right). Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Christian Zimmermann, Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia<\/h3>\n
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Christian Zimmermann, Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Debbie Harry and Harrison Ball<\/h3>\n
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Debbie Harry and Harrison Ball. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Diane Kruger<\/h3>\n
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Diane Kruger. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nina Dobrev<\/h3>\n
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Nina Dobrev. Photo by Aeon\/GC Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Deborah Norville and Karl Wellner<\/h3>\n
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Deborah Norville and Karl Wellner. Photo by Aeon\/GC Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gilbert Bolden<\/h3>\n
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Gilbert Bolden. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tony Marion and Ariana DeBose<\/h3>\n
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Tony Marion and Ariana DeBose. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Spencer Peters and Nia Long<\/h3>\n
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Spencer Peters and Nia Long. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rommie Tomasini<\/h3>\n
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Rommie Tomasini. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Deborah Roberts and Al Roker<\/h3>\n
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Deborah Roberts and Al Roker. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Claire Paull, Steven Beltrani, Ivan Pol and guests<\/h3>\n
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Claire Paull, Steven Beltrani and Ivan Pol and guests. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jean Shafiroff<\/h3>\n
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Jean Shafiroff. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Luke Preute and Alexa Maxwell<\/h3>\n
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Luke Preute and Alexa Maxwell. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Elizabeth \u201cLizzie\u201d Asher<\/h3>\n
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Elizabeth \u201cLizzie\u201d Asher. Photo by Aeon\/GC Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Olivia Bell<\/h3>\n
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Olivia Bell. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Allyson Tang and Rob Pollock<\/h3>\n
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Allyson Tang and Rob Pollock. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Diana Taylor<\/h3>\n
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Diana Taylor. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Caryn Zucker, Deborah Roberts, Crystal McGuire and guests<\/h3>\n
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Caryn Zucker, Deborah Roberts, Crystal McGuire and guests. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jeff Peek and Liz Peek<\/h3>\n
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Jeff Peek and Liz Peek. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bianca Lawson<\/h3>\n
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Bianca Lawson. Patrick McMullan via Getty Image<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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