Ben Vereen received the Lifetime Achievement Award and David Neumann (Swept Away) received the Douglas and Ethel Watt Critics’ Choice Award.
Winners for the 2025 Chita Rivera Awards have been announced! This year's winners included the choreographers and ensemble of Buena Vista Social Club on Broadway, SMASH star Robyn Hurder and more! See the full winners list below!
In keeping with the mission of the Chita Rivera Awards, nominators considered outstanding choreography, featured dancers, and ensembles in shows on Broadway as well as outstanding choreography in film that opened during the 2024-2025 season.
The mission of the Chita Rivera Awards is to celebrate dance and choreographic excellence, preserve notable dance history, recognize past, present, and future talents, while promoting high standards in dance education and investing in the next generation.
At this year’s Chita Rivera Awards, Ben Vereen received the Lifetime Achievement Award and David Neumann (Swept Away) received the Douglas and Ethel Watt Critics’ Choice Award.
As was the case last year, the Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway Show category is gender-free. This category has twice as many nominees as the former gendered categories. There are two winners.
All proceeds of the Chita Rivera Awards benefit the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation (NYCDAF), which is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) committed to broadening performing arts awareness while advocating education and high standards of excellence in dance. This year, all funding and proceeds will support the creation of a new Chita Rivera Training Scholarship, a program of NYCDAF.
Presented at NYU Skirball (566 LaGuardia Place off Washington Square Park), the Chita Rivera Awards are produced by Joe Lanteri, Founder and Executive Director of the New York City Dance Alliance Foundation Inc., in conjunction with Patricia Watt.
Joshua Bergasse, Smash
Warren Carlyle, Pirates! The Penzance Musical
**Patricia Delgado /Justin Peck, Buena Vista Social Club
Christopher Gattelli, Death Becomes Her
Shannon Lewis, Just In Time
Jerry Mitchell, Boop! The Musical
Rickey Tripp / DeWitt Fleming, Jr., A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
Angélica Beliard, Buena Vista Social Club
**Kevin Csolak, Gypsy
Carlos Falú, Buena Vista Social Club
DeWitt Fleming, Jr., A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
Jonathan Groff, Just In Time
**Robyn Hurder, Smash
Héctor Juan Maisonet, Buena Vista Social Club
Ilda Mason, Buena Vista Social Club
Marielys Molina, Buena Vista Social Club
Jasmine Amy Rogers, Boop! The Musical
A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical
Boop! The Musical
**Buena Vista Social Club
Death Becomes Her
Just In Time
Pirates! The Penzance Musical
Smash
The Awarding Committee of the 2025 Chita Rivera Awards celebrates excellence in Off-Broadway musical theater by presenting a special award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Choreography.
**Arturo Lyons and Omari Wiles, Cats: “The Jellicle Ball”
A Nice Indian Boy, Choreographers: Ziana D’Mello, Breanna English, Christian Lagasse
Emilia Perez, Choreographer: Damien Jalet
**Sh’ma: A Story of Survival, Choreographer: Suki John
Snow White, Choreographer: Mandy Moore
Wicked, Part 1, Choreographer: Christopher Scott
**A Resilient Man, Director: Stephane Carrel
Better Man, Director: Michael Gracey
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, Director: Bruce David Klein
Two Roads, Director: Susan Wittenberg
Who Cares About Pal Frenak, Director: Gloria Halasz
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