PHOTOS: Inside the 2026 New York City Ballet Spring Gala

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PHOTOS: Inside the 2026 New York City Ballet Spring Gala

Fran Drescher and Hari Nef. WWD via Getty Images

Last week, the New York City Ballet celebrated its annual gala with a wattage of star power. There’s nothing like seeing an 83-year-old Rolling Stones singer, Mick Jaggerwalk the red carpet with his wife, a ballerina Melanie Hamrick (who was the Chairman of the gala event). Jagger, the honorary chairman of the event, took off his sunglasses and smiled at the photographers, who couldn’t contain their excitement.

Jagger aside Jimmy Fallon presented “Diamonds,” a ballet that marked the beginning of NYCB’s 60th anniversary celebration, which will arrive in 2027. But it wasn’t just Jagger and Fallon who brought star power; Hamrick enlisted big stars and notable figures in his gala hosting committee, including the star of The babysitter1990s sitcom, Fran Drescherwho said there is not enough support for the arts.

“I’m a supporter of the arts, and I think ballet, first and foremost, is the best example of humanity,” Drescher said on the pre-gala carpet. “I don’t think there’s enough support for the arts. If we live in a society where we really respect art and the arts, and we look at the wisdom that points us to it, there will be enough. But until then, and it’s about money and whatever, it’s not enough. It’s not enough.”

Another member of the series committee was a model and actress Hari Nefwho wore a flowing gown by Miss Claire Sullivan. “You are my friend,” said Nef. “She does everything in a regular and laid-back studio in Bushwick. She’s sweet, kind, hard-working, and fun and feminine, and she doesn’t take what she’s doing too seriously. I’m so glad she lent me this.”

Nef’s view of NYCB is that “It’s a public spectacle. It’s an art spectacle,” he said. “It’s a testament to what the human body can do. And it’s beautiful. It’s pure beauty. And I feel like a live show right now, people in rooms together, making a lot of sense and feeling comfortable, and heroic, especially in this moment.”

New York City Ballet 2026 Spring Gala — Ashley Graham. WWD via Getty Images

Ashley Graham He was also on the committee to host this year’s event, as was the German actor Diane Kruger. Other committee members include Fallon, Michael Bloomberg, Emmy Rossum again Olivia Palermo close to her husband, Johannes Huebl.

A ballet dancer Chun Wai Chan walked the red carpet in a stunning black and white suit by Bad Binch TONGTONG. Chan made history as the first Chinese principal ballet dancer at NYCB in its 74-year history in 2022, and was very excited to enter the stage performing “Diamonds”. “Whenever I dance, I feel that this is the purpose of life,” he said. “Moving, sharing some community and friends, and just enjoying the process of rehearsing, getting ready, getting ready for a show, and doing it again. What makes New York City Ballet stand out is the pace, the music, the people, and the city itself. New York City.”

Meanwhile, to the NYCB dancer Roman Mejiaballet is as important as ever. But for the uneducated, he says, “Ballet is an amazing art that can make you feel things; you don’t have to be doing them.”

Laetitia Hollardactress known for her role as nurse Emma Nolan on the HBO health drama Max Pitthe came out to support his Juilliard colleagues. “It’s crazy that I can come here to celebrate the artists I went to school with and celebrate the arts,” said Hollard. “It’s very important that people not only go to the cinema, but to the Philharmonic, to the opera, to the ballet, to really try to give back to the communities that are everywhere in New York City, to build a bigger culture.”

Although ballet can be seen as a niche, and especially after Timothée Chalamet sparked controversy by calling ballet and opera “dying” art forms “nobody cares about” during a CNN town hall with Matthew McConaughey, he sees it differently. “I love Timothy; we come from the same town in France. It’s very funny, there’s no hate. But I think it’s a good thing that happened because it made a lot of people talk about how much they love old art. And I think a lot of people came back. I think some people can thank Timothy for his words because they show how powerful these art forms really are.”

Not only dancers do ballet, but musicians, too. It depends Lucia HwongA classical musician, he pays attention to sounds, like dancers. “You must come here to be inspired by beauty,” he said. “People who take their bodies, their minds, their spirit, their art to reach everything. That’s when you see on stage the perfection, the heart. You don’t see the grit, but you know that’s what they put into it, and their soul. It’s moving, and that’s why I come every year.”

Jean Shafiroffphilanthropist and notable supporter of the arts, stood out on the red carpet in a pale blue and purple dress by Eze Azenbour. “The New York City Ballet represents New York City; the dancers are the best from all over the world. They’re so beautiful. It’s fun. They’re the best of the best. So I’m here to support them. And I’ve been coming for years. I love it. It’s a fashion event. Beautiful people come here. But the dancers are more than beautiful. I’m so happy, like Diamond.”