by Marilyn Lester
This gala event celebrating outstanding dance and choreography on stage and in film was a veritable love-fest; anyone not familiar with the New York dance community would have observed a group of performers who not only displayed delight in their craft but a profound camaraderie which included genuine happiness for the “competition.” Thus, the 34th annual Fred and Adele Astaire Awards proved an uplifting and cheering evening of celebration for those who create, execute and just plain love dance. It was also heartwarming to hear many presenters and recipients give homage to their mentors, teachers and to those upon whose shoulders they stand. Yes, these dancers are a wise and generous group of artists.
The event is also one that’s smartly produced: long on entertainment and short on speechifying. The result is a perfectly paced two hours that lands on its mark without boredom or overtime. At the top of the evening, a special award was presented to Dr. Joan Fallon for special achievement in the field of autism and related disorders, reflecting the mission of The Douglas Watt Family Fund for the Performing Arts, the charitable fund of The Fred and Adele Astaire Awards. This is a public school-based program of dance and movement therapy for children with autism and other developmental disabilities. Then it was down to dance, with an acknowledgement of the 2016 season as a banner year: there were more nominees per category than in years past, plus a new category was added to the roster of awards: Off Broadway, recognizing outstanding dancing and choreography.
Special awards were presented to three legends in the field of dance. Judith Jamison, Artistic Director Emerita of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, was awarded the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award. Dancer, choreographer and producer Nigel Lythgoe received the Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Dance, and Maurice Hines, who lately appeared Off-Broadway in his show Tappin’ Through Life, was bestowed with a special recognition award for Outstanding Body of Work in Dance.
Entertainment for the awards show included the production number “Tradición” from Broadway’s On Your Feet, Fred Astaire Dance Studio dancers in “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” tapping brothers Leo and John Manzari (protégés of Maurice Hines) in “A Humble Tribute,” and an excerpt from Alvin Ailey’s “Cry,” among others.
Nominees and winners (in bold) of the 34th annual Fred and Adele Astaire Awards are:
BEST FEMALE DANCER
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
BEST MALE DANCER
Phillip Attmore, Shuffle Along
Alex Brightman, School of Rock
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Carlos Gonzalez, On Your Feet
Curtis Holland, Shuffle Along
Kendrick Jones, Shuffle Along
Luis Salgado, On Your Feet
BEST CHOREOGRAPHER
(Three-way tie)
Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
Warren Carlyle, She Loves Me
Savion Glover, Shuffle Along
Lorin Latarro, Waitress
Spencer Liff, Spring Awakening
Casey Nicholaw, Tuck Everlasting
Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet
Josh Rhodes, Bright Star
Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A BROADWAY SHOW
Bright Star
Dames at Sea
Fiddler on the Roof
Hamilton
On Your Feet
School of Rock
She Loves Me
Shuffle Along
Spring Awakening
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY IN FILM
Luke Broadlick, Teresa Espinosa, Alison Faulk & Channing Tatum, Magic Mike XXL
Christopher Gattelli, Hail, Caesar!
Aakomon Jones, Pitch Perfect 2
Joey Pizzi, Lucky Stiff
Fatima Robinson & Charm Jordan, Dance Camp
Dave Scott, High Strung
OUTSTANDING FEMALE DANCER OFF-BROADWAY
Yesenia Ayala, Trip Of Love
Leslie Kritzer, The Robber Bridegroom
Rumi Oyama, Sayonara
Jaime Lynn Verazin, Standard Time
Ellen Zolezzi, Cagney
OUTSTANDING MALE DANCER OFF-BROADWAY
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
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY OFF-BROADWAY
(Two-way tie)
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 34th annual Fred and Adele Astaire Awards, May 16th, 2016. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 LaGuardia Place, Greenwich Village), 212-992-8484, www.skirballcenter.nyu.edu, www.theastaireawards.org
Photos: Maryann Lopinto