ON BROADWAY! Raises $1,085,00 for Career Transition for Dancers

Rolex presented “ON BROADWAY! A Glittering Salute To The American Musical”- Career Transition For Dancers’ 23rd Anniversary Jubilee on Monday, October 27 at 7:00 pm at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (bet. 7 & 6 Aves).  Multi award-winning actress Angela Lansbury hosted the Gala, which was followed by an Anniversary Supper with the Stars at Hilton New York’s Grand Ballroom.  It was a capacity filled performance at New York City Center and there were 713 guests for Anniversary Supper with the Stars at the Hilton New York’s Grand Ballroom. The total amount including live auction, performance only tickets at City Center and all pledges and monies in is:  $1,085,000.

The Gala was the entertainment-dance event of the new season with appearances by Mikhail Baryshnikov, Kelly Bishop, Cheyenne Jackson, Jane Krakowski, Bebe Neuwirth, Noah Racey, Brooke Shields, Karen Ziemba, American Ballet Theatre stars Xiomara Reyes & Herman Cornejo, and the amazing Nanjing Duo (US debut) and artists from New York Theatre Ballet plus other dancers,that were accompanied by the Jubilee Orchestra.

The honorees were Sono Osato and Brian Heidtke (Career Transition For Dancers' 2008 Award for Outstanding Contributions to the World of Dance).  Tommy Tune was the recipient of the Rolex Dance Award. “ON BROADWAY! A Glittering Salute to the American Musical”, was a glorious historical journey inside the Broadway musical seen through the eyes of legendary choreographers. Their choreography transformed Broadway shows into the greatest musicals of all time. It was produced & directed by Ann Marie DeAngelo; written by Deborah Grace Winer, musical direction by Jim Morgan; lighting by Brad Field.

There were musical numbers with the original Broadway choreography as well as film clips from some of the classics of Broadway.  They included: Randy Skinner (Tony Award nominee) staged a show-stopping large chorus number from "42nd Street"; Josh Bergassee staged "Cool" (“West Side Story”); Mary MacLeod staged Bob Fosse’s "Steam Heat" (“The Pajama Game”) as well as “Two Lost Souls” (“Damn Yankees”) that starred Jane Krakowski & Cheyenne Jackson; New York Theater Ballet in the ‘Dream Ballet’ segment from “Oklahoma”; Karen Ziemba and Noah Racey in a Susan Stroman duet from “Crazy for You”;  Bebe Neuwirth, David Gibson and Pam Sousa in the  "Manson Trio" from Bob Fosse’s Tony award winning hit “Pippin;” Mercedes Ellington staged “On Broadway”; Tommy Tune and the Finale "It’s Not Where You Start" (from “Seesaw”).

Career Transition For Dancers, with offices in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago, has helped thousands of professional dancers identify their unique talents in preparation for establishing new careers when dance is no longer an option. Since 1985, they have provided more than 41,000 hours (equivalent to $4 million) of one-on-one career counseling & program services (at no cost) and has awarded millions of dollars in educational and entrepreneurial grants. CTFD also provides dancers with specialized services that include seminars and workshops; peer support groups; resource centers; a toll-free national hotline; and National Career Network. The Caroline & Theodore Newhouse Center for Dancers is at 165 West 46th Street Suite 701 (at Broadway: the Actors’ Equity Building) NYC.  The phone number is 212 764 0172 and the fax is 212 764 0343; our offices in Los Angeles 323 549 6660; and in Chicago 312 666 0234.    www.careertransition.org

Patron tickets were $600, $750 & $1,200, which included the performance and a post-performance ‘Anniversary Supper with the Stars’, live auction and dancing.  The 23rd Anniversary Chairs: Anka K. Palitz and Allen Brill. The Honorary Chairs:  Cynthia Gregory, Donna McKechnie, Kevin McKenzie, Jane Powell, Ann Reinking, & Chita Rivera. Gala Chairs: Victor Elmaleh, Victoria Herbert, Michele Riggi, Yolanda Santos, Susan Fawcett Sosin & Laura Zeckendorf.  The Dinner Chair: Janice Becker; Auction Chairs: Denise L. Cobb, Ann Van Ness; West Coast Chair: Roberta Silbert and Journal Chairs: David Goldring & Michael Weiskopf. Vice Chairs: Alexander Dubé, Mercedes Ellington, Niko Elmaleh, Irene Shen & Heléne Alexopoulos Warrick. Artistic Chair is Ann Marie DeAngelo.  Condé Nast Publications & The Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation were the underwriters.

Photo by Peter James Zielinski