Mick Jagger, Katie Couric, and More Attend the American Ballet Theatre’s Fall 2023

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 24: Mick Jagger and Katie Couric attend the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on October 24, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for American Ballet Theatre)Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

“You don t need to be a journalist to understand that we are all living through some very dark times at home, and especially now abroad,” Katie Couric remarked to a packed house at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater. She was speaking to a room filled with gala-goers and balletomanes at the American Ballet Theatre’s Fall Gala. “It is against this backdrop that, now more than ever, we need to appreciate the importance of the arts and their capacity to lift us up, transport us to a different time and space, and, yes, even unite us. Tonight, we ll experience the beauty, the artistry, and the commitment to excellence that is ABT.”

Couric, a longtime fan of the ballet, was on stage to accept an award as one of the evening’s honorees—alongside the Shubert Foundation—and her appearance preceded a dazzling, one-night-only program in which the ballerinas, and the company, could flex their muscles.

In lieu of a full-length ballet, the gala performance cherry-picked highlights from ABT’s repertoire, combining classic and contemporary excerpts that showcased its brilliant range. The selection, which spanned genres and eras of ballet history, culminated with the world premiere of Danzón No. 2, choreographed by ABT principal dancer James B. Whiteside.

The whirlwind ballet showcase went as follows: Devon Teuscher and Thomas Forster in the Sleeping Beauty pas de deux. Cassandra Trenary and Calvin Royal III in the Romeo and Juliet balcony pas de deux. A pas de deux from Kevin McKenzie’s production of Swan Lake, with Christine Shevchenko and James Whiteside. Skylar Brandt and Joo Won Ahn in a pas de deux from The Leaves Are Fading. Isabella Boylston and Aran Bell in Danzón No. 2. Hee Seo and Cory Stearns in a pas de deux from Concerto. The Don Quixote pas de deux with Catherine Hurlin and Daniel Camargo. And Gillian Murphy, Joo Won Ahn, and Herman Cornejo in an excerpt from Études.

Artistic Director of the American Ballet Theatre Susan Jaffe set the stage for the evening, saying, "We are thrilled to be back here at the Koch Theater for another exciting season. ABT s mighty legacy ensures that we train students who can dance anywhere in the world."

Proceedings began at 6:30pm with a prompt curtain call and a black-tie dress code. In the audience were Mick Jagger and Melanie Hamrick, Annette Bening, Ivy Getty, Jordan Roth, Molly Ringwald, Amy Astley, Malcolm Carfrae, Anh Duong, and more. Unsurprisingly, there was also a heavy fashion contingent, with designer Zac Posen (who was presented with a special dessert to mark his birthday), Brandon Maxwell, Jonathan Cohen, and Markarian’s Alexandra O’Neill all in attendance as well.

Party-goers migrated to the theater’s promenade for a meal of poached salmon and pumpkin bisques. Then, it was time for another round of dancing—only now, everyone joined in. Though he had dazzled in his performance in Romeo and Juliet, Calvin Royal III wasn’t done moving. He could be seen on the dance floor spinning Couric around in her floral Marchesa ball gown, the absolutely perfect way to end a night at the ballet.