"This is the real Met Gala. " I was at the New York City Ballet's 2026 Spring Gala inside the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, sharing a cocktail table with two other art lovers and fashion enthusiasts . It was a fair assessment, considering that over the decades, this event has transformed from an arts fundraiser to a fixture on the New York City social calendar. Ballet, here, is not just a performance. It's a gathering of philanthropists, celebrities, artists, and even tech founders,