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Hot Spot: Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, NYC
Deets: The 34th Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, which recognizes outstanding achievements in dance on Broadway and in film, takes place on Monday, May 16, 2016. This year’s Award Recipients are Judith Jamison, Artistic Director Emerita at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Nigel Lythgoe, Creator & Executive Director of So You Think You Can Dance. Choreographer Maurice Hines will be receiving a special award for his body of work in the field of dance. Dr. Joan Fallon will also be receiving an award for special achievement in the field of autism and related disorders.
The gala evening, which will be held at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in New York, will commence with a Red Carpet & VIP Cocktail Reception at 6:00 p.m. The Performances & Awards will start at 7:30 p.m. after which a VIP After Party will be held at the Hebrew Union College. There will be a special appearance by actress, singer and impressionist Christina Bianco. Producing the event are Patricia Watt, NYC Dance Alliance, Fred Astaire Studios and Consulting Producers Todd Allan and Beth Bogush. Associate Producers are Jessica Zippin and Alix Michel.
All proceeds from the event will benefit non-profit 501 c(3) organization The Douglas Watt Family Fund for the Performing Arts, which provides Dance and Movement Therapy for autistic and disabled children in New York City. The goal of the organization is to bring artistic expression to the developmentally disabled children in our community.
The nominees for Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show are: Mara Davi (Dames at Sea); Deanna Doyle (Tuck Everlasting); Sandra Mae Frank (Spring Awakening); Jane Krakowski(She Loves Me); Eloise Kropp (Dames at Sea); Ana Villafañe (On Your Feet); Adrienne Warren(Shuffle Along).
The nominees for Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show are: Phillip Attmore (Shuffle Along); Alex Brightman (School of Rock); Daveed Diggs (Hamilton); Carlos E. Gonzalez (On Your Feet); Curtis Holland (Shuffle Along); Kendrick Jones (Shuffle Along); Luis Salgaldo (On Your Feet).
The nominees for Outstanding Choreographer in a Broadway Show are: Andy Blankenbuehler(Hamilton); Warren Carlyle (She Loves Me); Savion Glover (Shuffle Along); Lorin Latarro(Waitress); Spencer Liff (Spring Awakening); Casey Nicholaw (Tuck Everlasting); Josh Rhodes(Bright Star); Hofesh Shechter (Fiddler on the Roof); Randy Skinner (Dames at Sea); Sergio Trujillo(On Your Feet).
The nominees for Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show are: Bright Star, Dames at Sea, Fiddler on the Roof, Hamilton, On Your Feet, School of Rock, She Loves Me, Shuffle Along, Spring Awakening.
The nominees for Outstanding Choreography in a Feature Film are: Luke Broadlick, Teresa Espinosa, Alison Faulk & Channing Tatum (MagicMike XXL); Christopher Gattelli (Hail, Caesar!); Aakomon Jones (Pitch Perfect 2); Joey Pizzi (Lucky Stiff); Fatima Robinson & Charm Jordan (Dance Camp); Dave Scott (High Strung).
Honoree Judith Jamison will be awarded the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award and Nigel Lythgoe will receive the Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Dance.
For the first time, the Fred & Adele Astaire Awards will also be recognizing excellence in dance, movement, and choreography Off-Broadway. 20 eligible shows in the non-profit and commercial Off-Broadway arenas met the eligibility requirements and were considered. The Off-Broadway nominations for the 2015-2016 season are as follows:
The nominees for Outstanding Female Dancer Off-Broadway are: Yesenia Ayala (Trip Of Love); Leslie Kritzer (Robber Bridegroom); Rumi Oyama (Sayonara); Jaime Lynn Verazin (Standard Time); Ellen Zolezzi (Cagney).
The nominees for Outstanding Male Dancer Off-Broadway are: Jeremy Benton (Cagney); Dave Thomas Brown (The Legend Of Georgia Mcbride); Robert Creighton (Cagney); Cory Lingner (Once Upon A Mattress); Matt McGrath (The Legend Of Georgia Mcbride).
The nominees for Outstanding Choreography Off-Broadway are: Joshua Bergasse (Cagney); Martha Clarke (Angel Reapers); Connor Gallagher (The Robber Bridegroom); Paul McGill (The Legend Of Georgia Mcbride); James Ortiz, Claire Karpen & Will Gallacher (The Woodsman); Sergio Trujillo & Darrell Grand Moultrie (Invisible Thread).
The inaugural Off-Broadway Committee includes: Andy Sandberg (Chair), Jonathan Herzog, Michael Milton, Nikki Feirt Atkins, Judith Jamison, and Lee Roy Reams. The winners will be announced on May 16th at the annual Astaire Awards ceremony alongside the 2015-2016 Broadway and Film Awards.
Maurice Hines, who appeared Off-Broadway this season in his show Tappin’ Through Life, will be recognized with a special recognition award for Outstanding Body of Work in Dance.
The Nominating Committee Chair is Wendy Federman, supported by committee members: Nikki Atkins, Ted Chapin, Pat Collins, Don Correia, Sandy Duncan, Jonathan C. Herzog, Judith Jamison, Anna Kisselgoff, Pia Lindstrom, Donna McKechnie, Bruce Michael, Mary McColl, Michael Milton, Mary Beth O’Connor, Laura Penn, Wendy Perron, Lee Roy Reams, Andy Sandberg and Harry Haun.
The Honorary Committee is comprised of: Karole Armitage, Rob Ashford, Hinton Battle, Bob Balaban, Marisa Berenson, Anna Bergman, Patricia Birch, Chase Brock, Tricia Brouk, Ron Brown, Jeff Calhoun, Warren Carlyle, Marge Champion, Wayne Cilento, Louis Hirschfeld Cullman, Arlene Dahl, Jacques D’Amboise, Graciela Daniele, Peter Darling, Marguerite Derricks, Kelly Devine, Marcia Milgrom Dodge, Eve Ensler, Daniel Ezralow, Jules Fisher, Roberta Flack, Wilhelmina Frankfurt, Mario Fratti, Christopher Gattelli, Mitzi Gaynor, Kearran Giovanni, Savion Glover, Joel Grey, Peggy Hickey, Steven Hoggett, JoAnn Hunter, Anne Jackson, Susan Jaffee, Denis Jones, Paul Katz, Larry Keigwin, Daniel Knechtges, Spencer Liff, Michele Lynch, Kathleen Marshall, Rob Marshall, Julie McDonald, Donna McKechnie, Joey McKneely, Stephen Mear, Liza Minnelli, Jerry Mitchell, Bebe Neuwirth, Phyllis Newman, Casey Nicholaw, Marsha Norman, Kenny Ortega, Robert Osbourne, Jeffrey Page, Daniel Pelzig, Jane Powell, Josh Prince, Ann Reinking, Michael Rubenstein, Wendy Seyb, Lisa Schriver, Randy Skinner, Victoria Traube, Sergio Trujillo, Anthony van Laast, Chet Walker, Patti Wilcox and Matt Williams.
About The Fred & Adele Astaire Awards The Fred & Adele Astaire Awards were established in 1982 to recognize outstanding achievement in dance on Broadway and in film. The annual awards were established with the cooperation of Fred Astaire to also honor his sister Adele, who starred with her brother in ten Broadway musicals between 1917 and 1931. The Fred & Adele Awards remain the gold standard for excellence in dance and choreography on Broadway and film. Since 1982, additional awards have been added, including the award for best choreography in film, the lifetime achievement award, and a unique award determined annually for exceptional contribution to the field.
