NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2009 ASTAIRE
AWARDS
ASTAIRE AWARDS TO BE HOSTED BY ALAN CUMMING
WITH GEOFFREY RUSH
AND LIZA MINNELLI AS PRESENTERS
STANLEY DONEN TO RECEIVE LIFETIME
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
AWARDS TO BE PRESENTED
MONDAY, JUNE
1
Nominations for the 2009 Astaire Awards were announced last night at
Elaine’s Restaurant by Michael Riedel of the New York Post. These selections
were made by this year’s Nominating Committee; Sylviane Gold (Theater Columnist
for Dance Magazine), Anna Kisselgoff (former Chief Dance Critic of The New York
Times), Wendy Perron (Editor in Chief of Dance Magazine), Linda Winer (Chief
Theater Critic of Newsday) and Damian Woetzel (Former Principal Dancer, New York
City Ballet). The producers of the 2009 Astaire Awards, which recognizes
excellence in dance on stage and in film, are Patricia Watt and Ron
Glucksman.
The 2009 Astaire Awards Ceremony, hosted by Alan Cumming, is
scheduled for June 1 at The Haft Auditorium at Fashion Institute of Technology
(7th Avenue at West 27th Street). In addition to the Awards Ceremony, the night
will include performances of some of the best Broadway and Hollywood dance
numbers, alongside stars of the stage and screen. Liza Minnelli will present
American film director and choreographer, hailed as “the King of the Hollywood
musicals,” Stanley Donen (Singin’ In The Rain, On the Town) with the 2009
Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award. Other scheduled presenters include Tony
Danza, Bebe Neuwirth and Geoffrey Rush.
BEST BROADWAY CHOREOGRAPHER
NOMINEES:
9 to 5: Andy Blankenbuehler
Hair: Karole
Armitage
Billy Elliot: Peter Darling
Guys and Dolls: Sergio
Trujillo
Pal Joey: Graciela Daniele
BEST FILM CHOREOGRAPHER
NOMINEES:
Mamma Mia: Anthony Van Laast
Slumdog Millionaire:
Longines Fernandes
Center Stage Turn It Up: Aakomon “AJ”
Jones
Make It Happen: Tracy Phillips
Fados: Patrick De Bana and
Pedro Gomes
High School Musical 3: Kenny Ortega
Were the World
Mine: Todd Underwood
BEST FEMALE DANCER NOMINEES:
West Side
Story: Karen Olivo
Rock Of Ages: Angel Reed, Katherine Tokarz, Savannah
Wise
Guys and Dolls: Kearran Giovanni
You’re Welcome America. A
Final Night with George W Bush: Pia Glenn
BEST MALE DANCER
NOMINEES:
Billy Elliot – role of Billy: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and
Kiril Kulish
Billy Elliot – role of Michael: David Bologna, Frank
Dolce
White Christmas: Jeffry Denman
Pal Joey: Matthew
Risch
The Astaire Awards, established 26 years ago by the Anglo-American
Contemporary Dance Foundation, recognize outstanding achievement in dance on
Broadway each season. The awards were established with the cooperation of Fred
Astaire to honor him and his sister, Adele, who starred with her brother in 10
Broadway musicals between 1917 and 1931. In 2008 the Awards were expanded to
include dance in choreography for film as this was the métier that brought Fred
Astaire to international fame and a permanent slot on every list of the top
movie stars of the century.
During their years together, the brother
& sister duo delighted Broadway audiences in Over the Top, The Passing Show
of 1918, Apple Blossoms, Love Letter, For Goodness Sake, The Bunch & Judy,
Lady Be Good, Funny Face, Smiles and The Band Wagon. Fred Astaire starred on
Broadway without sister Adele in one more show, The Gay Divorcee.
After
Adele retired to marry in 1932, Astaire headed to the West Coast. Signed to RKO,
he was loaned to MGM to appear in Dancing Lady before starting work on RKO's
Flying Down to Rio. In the latter film, he began his highly successful
partnership with Ginger Rogers with whom he danced in 10 motion pictures. Their
17 year collaboration resulted in such classics as The Barkleys of Broadway,
Carefree, Follow the Fleet, The Gay Divorcee, Roberta, Shall We Dance, The Story
of Vern and Irene Castle, Swing Time and the quintessentially elegant Top
Hat.
During these years, he was also active in recording and radio. On
film, Astaire later appeared opposite a number of partners through various
studios. After a temporary retirement in 1945-7, during which he opened Fred
Astaire Dance Studios, Astaire returned to film to star in more musicals. He
subsequently performed a number of straight dramatic roles in film and TV. In
addition to starring in the film Funny Face in 1957, he also starred in the
original 1927 Broadway version of the George & Ira Gershwin musical Funny
Face.
Always one of the most glamorous and eagerly anticipated events on
the theatrical calendar, the Awards have paid homage to the brightest lights in
the world of dance. Previous winners of awards for dance performance include:
Debbie Allen, Hinton Battle, Charlotte D'Amboise, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines,
Natalia Makarova, Donna McKechnie, Ann Miller, Bebe Neuwirth, Ann Reinking and
Chita Rivera.
Previous winners of awards for choreography are such
legends as George Balanchine, Michael Bennett, Patricia Birch, Wayne Cilento,
Graciela Daniele, Bob Fosse, Peter Martins, Ann Reinking, Jerome Robbins, Susan
Stroman, and Tommy Tune.
Last year’s honorees included Spencer Liff -
Best Male Dancer on Broadway for his dancing in Cry-Baby; Karen Olivo - Best
Female Dancer on Broadway for her dancing in In The Heights; Rob Ashford - Best
Choreography on Broadway for his work in Cry-Baby; and Dave Scott - Best
Choreography in Film for his work in the film Step up 2: The Streets as well as
presenting nine-time Tony Award & two-time Astaire Award-winner Tommy Tune
with the first Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award.
All proceeds
from the event benefit The Auditory Oral School of New York, a non-profit
organization which specializes in teaching deaf and hard of hearing children to
listen, talk, think and socialize in a full and barrier free
environment.
The Awards for the 2009 Astaire Awards will be designed by
Donna Distefano.
For more information, or to inquire about tickets,
please visit: www.AstaireAwards.com
|
Profile
Photos
Comments
