Two World Premieres and a Ballet Classic—Inside the NYCB s Spring Gala

“The two ballet premieres you are about to see will show our artists, both musicians and dancers, shining brighter than ever. Balanchine s ethos is instilled in our dancers, and his philosophy is the basis of our institution. His aesthetic is our foundation and lays the groundwork for everything we do. As you will see tonight, our new work advances the vision of our founders,” said Wendy Whelan, associate artistic director of the New York City Ballet, on stage at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater. She was speaking to a room of gala-goers celebrating the opening of the New York City Ballet’s Spring Season, marked with two world premiere performances. It was quite the introduction by Whelan, and soon, the audience would understand why.

At 5:30 p.m., guests gathered for a pre-ballet cocktail hour in the theater s atrium, which was festooned with faux cherry blossom trees that added a springy touch to the decor, which was overseen by Bronson van Wyck and Van Wyck Van Wyck. (Out in Central Park, the real things were at their peak.)

After an hour and a half of cocktailing and photo-taking in their black-tie ensembles, guests, like Diane Kruger (in a beautifully “undone” Jason Wu dress), Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Tamron Hall, found their way to their red velvet seats for a trio of ballets. First came George Balanchine’s “Rubies” (selected from the “Jewels” production). Flapping around in pleated leotards that add musicality to the piece with each step, dancers Megan Fairchild and Mira Nadon shone.

Next came the premiere of "Dig The Say by NYCB’s resident choreographer and artistic advisor, Justin Peck—who is having a big month with his Tony-nominated musical. Set to a mesmerizing string quartet by Vijay Iyer, the ballet was performed with unparalleled finesse by Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia. The ballet marked Peck’s 24th creation for the company—within seconds, the pieces stood out. Out came a red ball that bounced, rolled, and dribbled in synchronicity with the dancers. Humberto Leon’s grayscale costumes added a subtle sophistication to the piece.

The program was closed out by another world premiere. Amy Hall Garner made her NYCB debut with "Underneath, There is Light," a spellbinding composition interwoven with disparate melodies from a range of musical styles (from lush baroque to country twangs) by Jonathan Dove, Michael Zev Gordon, William Grant Still, Ottorino Respighi, and Aldemaro Romero.

Speaking to Vogue following the premiere, Garner explained, “Music is a foundation for all my work. I knew what I wanted to say; I just had to find the music that expressed it. I found a piece by Jonathan Dove, the first piece of music, which set the tone of what I wanted to do…so then I just had to fill in the gaps.”

Of the choreography (which the New York Times lauded as an “accomplished debut,") Garner explained. “I wanted to match the aesthetic of the dancers here at City Ballet. They move in a certain way—a very quick technique that I love. So I wanted to respect that and pay homage to the world and the aesthetic of Balanchine, too.”

By this time, gala guests were already at dinner back in the cherry blossom-filled room. Dinner was served, and then dancing followed, and over $3 million was raised. Cheers to that!