Photo Flash: PDS' Gypsy Awards Honors Ben Vereen and Michael Rooney

Each year, The Professional Dancers Society holds its Awards Luncheon honoring celebrities who have made a specific contribution to the entertainment field. The luncheon serves as PDS's major fundraising event, bringing in upwards of $100,000 for The Actor's Fund.

During his more than 40 years in the spotlight, Vereen has become a mega-star of both stage and screen. His role as Leading Player in Pippin earned him a Tony, but he is probably best remembered as Chicken George in Roots, the landmark TV mini-series. His other Broadway credits include Wicked, Fosse, Chicago, Jesus Christ Superstar and Hair, and he has guest- starred on such TV shows as Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, and Law and Order, Criminal Intent. He is currently touring in his one-man show "Steppin' Out With Ben Vereen," in which he pays homage to Broadway, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.

Michael Rooney is best known for his work choreographing many popular music videos. He has won MTV Video Music Awards for best choreography for the videos to both Björk's "It's Oh So Quiet" and Fat Boy Slim's "Praise You". His TV credits included Dancing with the Stars, Any Day Now, Mad About You and more. He has also choreographed for the films 500 Days of Summer, Clerks 2 and The Muppets.