These Young Dancers and Artists Have Entered Their 'Bridgerton' Era

Ellem, Min and Khari, all students at the Harlem School of the Arts, are shown after getting ready for the school's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024.

If you ever fancied yourself as “fancy,” the Harlem School of the Arts gets you.

The cultural arts center in upper Manhattan, New York, threw a 60th anniversary “Bridgerton” themed party that was the definition of it. But the school also gets the many students whose creativity, ingenuity and talents are nurtured and fostered there, with young people ages 2 to 18 engaging in everything from dance, theater and music to media and design. It’s HSA’s mission to ensure that “all children have access to the power of the arts,” inspiring more than 60,000 students over the years. This includes former students like rock ’n’ roll icon Lenny Kravitz, who welcomed attendees to the party in a video testimonial honoring the school that set him on his path to success.

Monday night’s event raised more than $2.5 million for the school, benefiting the students who not only performed, painted, danced and acted throughout the evening, but were also its greeters and hosts, all in full costume with British accents and precocious charm. About 75% of the students at HSA receive tuition assistance, which makes events like this both special and necessary.

In the past this annual spring gala has been a masquerade ball, but for the Harlem school’s 60th, the black-tie event was transformed into a sumptuous, lavish fete full of “lords” and “ladies” dressed in period costumes as well as elevated tuxedo and ballgown fare, like a Regency-era, mini Met Gala.

Held at a venue Queen Charlotte herself would have approved of (the opulent Ziegfeld Ballroom in midtown Manhattan), the evening honored HSA founder and world-renowned concert soprano Dorothy Maynor, alongside author Nicole Avant, a former ambassador to the Bahamas, and parents Jacqueline and Clarence Avant, who were honored posthumously for their philanthropy and influential work in entertainment and politics.

The evening also honored ABC News’ Deborah Roberts; the NBC “Today” show’s Al Roker, with son Nicholas Roker; civil rights activist Jennifer Jones Austin, the CEO of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies; and the Herb Alpert Foundation. It featured an after-party hosted by Black Thought of legendary hip-hop band The Roots, with founding member Questlove deejaying throughout the remainder of the evening — because there’s nothing more “Bridgerton” than people in period costumes dancing the night away to a modern soundtrack of the finest R&B, electronic dance music and hip-hop that Questlove could offer.

Watch how the night unfolded for the fancified guests and the dedicated students in the images below.

Students Neriah, Nana, Aimony and Issys are shown after getting ready for HSA'a 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Amechi, Olander, Nana, Ellem, Calli, Khari, Mercedes, Eva, Min, Aimony, Marina, Issys and Neriah pose for a group photo before HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Neriah has makeup applied while preparing for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students prepare for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students Renea, Uma and Codie prepare for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. A student prepares for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Amechi prepares for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Lekia is shown after getting ready for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Ellem prepares for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students Ellem, Marina, Eva, Calli and Khari are shown after getting ready for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students prepare for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Eva is shown after getting ready for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Nana prepares for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Logan is shown after getting ready for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Dana helps student Min prepare for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students Sofia, Eduardo, Roen and Levi are shown after getting ready for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students Neriah, Ellem and Issys prepare for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students Ellem and Eva are shown after getting ready for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students Ellis, Everton and Logan take a break before HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Dylan is shown after getting ready for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Marina, with the assistance of Mercedes, gets prepared for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students Nana and Aimony are shown after getting ready for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Aaliyah takes a photo of Lekia, Amechi, Min, Eva, Alimony and Ellem, all students of the Harlem School of the Arts, as they prepare for the 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students Ellem, Amechi and Ellis chat while preparing for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Amechi is shown after getting ready for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Sara helps students Nova'Jane, Raiyi and Zoe prepare for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students Min and Ellem prepare for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Min is shown after getting ready for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Eva prepares for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Neriah is shown after getting ready for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Skylah and Brittany prepare for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students Khari and Ellem prepare for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Student Issys is shown after getting ready for HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students attend HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students perform at HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students perform at HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students attend HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students perform at HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024. Students attend HSA's 60th Anniversary Gala held at Manhattan's Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York on Monday, May 20, 2024.