Her entrance applause was so loud, and lasted so long, that it must have been difficult to hear the orchestra during her first few steps. After the curtain went down on the last act, she received a 23-minute ovation and enough bouquets to stock a small flower shop. They were tributes to Julie Kent, who danced her farewell performance with American Ballet Theater on Saturday night after 29 years with the company — a final “Romeo and Juliet” — and stirred strong emotions among fans and fellow dancers. Through social media, the moment reverberated far beyond the Metropolitan Opera House. Here’s a sampling of how her fans and colleagues shared the experience on Twitter.

It was not a night when the prohibition on photography was very strictly enforced: