Nominations Announced for 2009 Astaire Awards; Cumming to Host, Rush & Minnelli to Present

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

Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski