American Ballet Theatre Summer Gala Draws Mick Jagger, Katie Holmes
“It’s good to be here, right?”
A guest at American Ballet Theatre’s summer gala was greeting an acquaintance outside on the Metropolitan Opera House’s balcony early on Thursday evening. As much as the evening was a reunion, for many in attendance the event was also a send-off, as the philanthropic party scene heads east for the summer.
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As the gala crowd mingled over pre-performance cocktails, VIP guests made making their way across the plaza from David Geffen Hall — the red carpet had been moved from its usual outdoor location due to possible thunderstorms — to join the festivities.
Katie Holmes was an early arrival, with her mother on one arm and publicist Malcolm Carfrae at her other side, while Mick Jagger — in black-and-white Nike sneakers — and his choreographer girlfriend Melanie Hamrick made their entrance closer to curtain call. The pair turned down a photo request (“We’ve done enough photos,” said Hamrick) while others in the crowd were more than eager to show off their black-tie best. Florals and hot pink hues — the summer of Barbie has officially kicked off — were popular with the crowd, which included Cynthia Rowley, Prabal Gurung, Misty Copeland, Amy Fine Collins, dancer Felipe Escalante, Julianne Hough, Candace Bushnell, Wilson Cruz and JonBoy. Jean Shafiroff, in a cerulean gown designed by B Michael, carefully navigated her train over the venue’s carpeted stairs.
The evening continued with the opening of ABT’s summer season, the American debut of Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet “Like Water for Chocolate,” based on a book by Laura Esquivel. The performance, running through July 1, was headlined by ABT principal dancers Cassandra Trenary and Herman Cornejo.
Afterwards, the crowd and company dancers traipsed back over to David Geffen Hall to cap the evening with a late-night dinner and after party.
Launch Gallery: American Ballet Theatre June 2023 Gala
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