On October 29th, American Ballet Theatre (ABT) hosted its 2026 Fall GALA at the David H. Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center. #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos has the recap.
The evening honored Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo for her remarkable contributions to the performing arts and her extraordinary capacity to inspire through multidisciplinary storytelling. Famed actress, dancer and choreographer Debbie Allen presented Erivo with the award.
Embracing the spirit of the Halloween season, this year’s theme, Angels and Demons, brought a whimsical sense of fantasy and mystery to the occasion. Curated by Jaffe, the exclusive one-night-only program featured ballet excerpts from Coppélia, Swan Lake, La Sylphide, Sylvia, The Dream, and Whipped Cream alongside performances of Frederick Ashton’s Dance of the Blessed Spirits, Michel Fokine’s Le Spectre de la Rose, and Agnes de Mille’s Three Virgins and a Devil.
Featured ABT dancers included: Joo Won Ahn, Aran Bell, Skylar Brandt, Daniel Camargo, Herman Cornejo, Thomas Forster, Isaac Hernández, Catherine Hurlin, Chloe Misseldine, SunMi Park, Jake Roxander, Calvin Royal III, Hee Seo, Christine Shevchenko, Devon Teuscher, James Whiteside, Roman Zhurbin, Sierra Armstrong, Léa Fleytoux, and Tyler Maloney.
GALA guests who enjoyed the beautiful performance, black-tie dinner, and dancing included Katie Holmes & Jason Bard Yarmosky, Anne Imhof, Anh Duong, Athena Calderone, Ben Platt & Noah Galvin, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Charlotte Groeneveld, Coco Kopelman, Colin Cowie, Elizabeth Segerstrom, Elizabeth Sulcer, Eric Goldie & Jeremy Batoff, Famke Janssen, Gucci Westman, Greta Titelman, Isabella Boylston, Jason Bard Yarmosky, Jill & Sadie Kargman, Julia Loomis, Lake Bell, Lilah Ramzi, Lizzie Asher, Marc Platt, Matt Rogers, Michael Kors & Lance LePere, Misty Copeland, Muffie Potter Aston, Natalie De’Banco, Nate Berkus & Jeremiah Brent, Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Phillip Lim, Rashid Johnson, Rebecca & Jason Yarros, Sai De Silva & London Scout, Sanford Biggers, Sarah Hoover, Stephanie Goto, Tiler Peck, Tina Leung, ABT Artistic Director Susan Jaffe, andExecutive Director Barry Hughson, among others.
As ABT’s flagship annual benefit, the Fall GALA convenes prominent figures across arts, culture, fashion, entertainment, philanthropy, and business to support one of the world’s leading ballet companies. Proceeds support ABT’s productions, the creation of new works, dancer training, education initiatives, and community engagement programs that bring the joy of dance to audiences of all ages.
The 2026 Fall GALA was led by GALA Grand Chairs Sloan Lindemann Barnett; Emily Blavatnik and Laila Blavatnik; and Julia Koch and Mary Julia Koch.
