For the annual Dance Magazine Awards, this was the 61st, held at The Ailey Citigroup Theater, the four "exceptional" awardees represented yet another good mix of genres, style and dance lovers at heart. The recipients are: Ronald K. Brown, (presented by Arcell Cabuag); Lourdes Lopez (presented by Darren Walker); Crystal Pite (presented by Seán Curran), and Michael Trusnovec (presented by Patrick Corbin). A new and special Leadership Award was given to Nigel Redden, and presented by Frederic Seegal (CEO Dance Media) who was introduced by Jennifer Stahl, Editor in Chief, Dance Magazine. Also new for the evening was the “Promise Award” presented to Raja Feather Kelly and Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie, who “promised” to make good on receiving the award. Joan Finkelstein, Executive Director of the Harkness Foundation for Dance presented this inaugural award.
Deeply affected by having just arrived from the full house of friends, family and dance dignitaries in tribute and celebration for the life and times of the late Arthur Mitchell held at Riverside Church, Misty Copeland opened. The always spirited, Wendy Perron, Editor at Large, Dance Magazine was the host for the evening. As always, and thank goodness, the evening was also filled with dance. Trusnovec danced beautifully in an excerpt from Paul Taylor’s Promethean Fire (202), before breathlessly receiving his award. “I never feel more alive than when I’m dancing,” he said. In an excerpt from Crystal Pite’s The Other You (2010), Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Andrew Murdock and Michael Gross brought another of Pite’s dance-drama to life. Pite, while “…in the house of Ailey,” recalled how her mother introduced her to choreography after witnessing and being moved when she saw Judith Jamison (Artistic Director Emerita –Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater) dance Mr. Ailey’s Cry. In accepting her award, Lopez thanked dance because of the “magic it imparts…it changes life,” she said. In her honor, members of Miami City Ballet, Tricia Albertson and Renan Cerdeiro, danced and excerpt from George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1962). Members of Gallim Dance offered and excerpt of Andrea Miller’s Stone Skipping (2017), and the incomparable Annique Roberts danced Brown’s She Is Here (2016). Brown also told an Ailey story. “I was a young choreographer,” he began, studying under Mary Anthony, when Mr. Ailey sat next to him at a showing of his work and asked, “…are you one of mine”? Well, this week, Brown is set to premiere his sixth work (The Call) for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
“The Dance Magazine Awards recognize outstanding men and women whose contributions have left a lasting impact on the dance world. The tradition dates back to 1954,” according to the release.
Deeply affected by having just arrived from the full house of friends, family and dance dignitaries in tribute and celebration for the life and times of the late Arthur Mitchell held at Riverside Church, Misty Copeland opened. The always spirited, Wendy Perron, Editor at Large, Dance Magazine was the host for the evening. As always, and thank goodness, the evening was also filled with dance. Trusnovec danced beautifully in an excerpt from Paul Taylor’s Promethean Fire (202), before breathlessly receiving his award. “I never feel more alive than when I’m dancing,” he said. In an excerpt from Crystal Pite’s The Other You (2010), Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Andrew Murdock and Michael Gross brought another of Pite’s dance-drama to life. Pite, while “…in the house of Ailey,” recalled how her mother introduced her to choreography after witnessing and being moved when she saw Judith Jamison (Artistic Director Emerita –Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater) dance Mr. Ailey’s Cry. In accepting her award, Lopez thanked dance because of the “magic it imparts…it changes life,” she said. In her honor, members of Miami City Ballet, Tricia Albertson and Renan Cerdeiro, danced and excerpt from George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1962). Members of Gallim Dance offered and excerpt of Andrea Miller’s Stone Skipping (2017), and the incomparable Annique Roberts danced Brown’s She Is Here (2016). Brown also told an Ailey story. “I was a young choreographer,” he began, studying under Mary Anthony, when Mr. Ailey sat next to him at a showing of his work and asked, “…are you one of mine”? Well, this week, Brown is set to premiere his sixth work (The Call) for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
“The Dance Magazine Awards recognize outstanding men and women whose contributions have left a lasting impact on the dance world. The tradition dates back to 1954,” according to the release.
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