The crowd’s movements were as graceful as the dancers at New York City Ballet’s opening-night gala. Most guests were eager to be on their feet after sitting through the performance. So instead of slumping in their dinner chairs, they sashayed across the New York State Theater’s Promenade, skimming the backs of chairs and the backs of waiters.

Anne Bass greeted her guests Alba and Francesco Clemente, Cecily Brown, and Brice Marden before crossing the dance floor to dispense hellos and happy Thanksgivings to Italian fashion designer Valentino and the Ballet Master in Chief, Peter Martins.

There was serious gridlock at Barry Friedberg’s table. The ballet’s chairman remained in handshake mode long after his tablemates – wife Charlotte Moss, City Opera’s chairman, Susan Baker, Robert and Soledad Hurst – had started nibbling their gravlax and cucumber salad.

Eventually, everyone settled down – including Coco and Arie Kopelman; Carolyne Roehm; David and Julia Koch; two of Saul Steinberg’s children, Julian and Holden; Cetie Ames, and Nina Griscom.

The waiters poured the wine and served the main course, roasted chicken and wild rice. The tables were a sight to behold, with gold-rimmed glasses, tablecloths a rich shade of pumpkin, and centerpieces bursting with red, orange, and purple flowers – roses, tulips, amaryllis.

The gala’s chairmen, Movado’s chief, Efraim Grinberg, and architect Robert Couturier looked particularly pleased. The event, attended by 650 guests, raised nearly $1.2 million.