Entertainment

Into the outfits

New York City Ballet’s spring gala could have been the after-party for the Met’s Costume Institute gala: There were splashy new outfits Thursday for all three ballets, which will be repeated in repertory through this week. The evening’s theme was France, and for the two new works, the fashions were the best part.

Gilles Mendel, of the couture house J. Mendel, came up with sleek designs with strategic slashed cutouts for Peter Martins’ “Mes Oiseaux” (“My Birds”). As the title hints, Martins often makes ballets to showcase his new favorite dancers.

But these dancers — three women and their partners — were no mere chickadees. To an enigmatic score by Marc-André Dalbavie, the ladies each struck vampy poses before getting a solo turn: In hers, Ashly Isaacs came slicing in from the back in dangerously quick turns. “Mes Oiseaux” flew by quickly, but we’ve seen these turns, slides and poses in Martins’ emotionally ambivalent ballets for years.

Another French connection, choreographer Benjamin Millepied, teamed up with Rodarte, the costume designers for “Black Swan,” for his new “Two Hearts.” Dressed in black and white, the dancers looked like a crossword puzzle in motion. Nico Muhly contributed an ingratiating commissioned score, but the long, large ballet didn’t gel, despite some witty moments: In one, Tiler Peck seemed caught in a game of “Red Light, Green Light” as she froze midair, held by three men. But “Two Hearts” seemed to be five different possible ballets, and Millepied couldn’t decide among them.

A masterpiece closed the evening: Balanchine’s classic “Symphony in C.” The glitzy tutus owed their sparkle to Swarovski, but the ballerinas provided the wattage.

In the dreamy second movement, Sara Mearns was a tall poppy among the marigolds. She danced with tragic alertness, as if listening for an unknown danger, then threw her hands up and swooned into her partner’s arms.

Not to be outdone, Ashley Bouder came rocketing out for the next movement, circling airborne around the stage. After flashing through brilliant jumps, she bowed to the audience as if campaigning for queen.

Martins and Millepied have cunning and savoir-faire to spare, but instead of moving us, their ingenuity holds us at arm’s length. Until someone makes more great ballets, star ballerinas like Mearns and Bouder are the reason to buy tickets.