Winners Announced in the 2013 San Francisco Dance Community Awards

Bay Area Dance Watch and SAFEhouse, (Saving Art From Extinction) produced the second annual LiveBlessay benefit celebrating artistic and technical excellence in the San Francisco dance community at the ODC Theater last night. Thirty-five artists, leaders, supporters and services for the local dance community were given awards, and the event raised $12,000 for the development of new dance works by emerging and established artists throughout the Bay Area.

"We are pleased to be able to shine a spotlight on these artists and our community," said Jim Tobin, founder of Bay Area Dance Watch, a site that shares essay portraits of local dancers, leaders, providers and supporters in addition to helping with fundraising.

Here are the award winners:

Best Contemporary Dancer Jetta Martin
Best Contemporary Dancer Heba Fayed
Best Dancer (Female Duet) Ronja Ver
Best Dancer (Female Duet) Bianca Cabrera
Best Dance/Theater Director Erika Tsimbrovsky
Best Dancer/Actress Angela Mazziotta
The Spirit of Dance Award Megan Meyer
Best Contemporary Ballerina Annabelle Henry (Annie)
Best Dance Soundtrack (SARA) Nicole Bridgens Tallman
Best Community Outreach (Dance) Kathy Mata Ballet
Choreographer of the Year Anna Sullivan
Best Female Artistic Director (Contemporary Ballet) Amy Seiwert
Most Innovative Dance Company Blair Bodie
Most Innovative Dance Company Julia Graham
Best Dance Leader Jenni Bregman
Best Dance Photographer Lynne Fried
Inspirational Dance Award Pearl Marill
Outstanding Dance Supporter Catherine Kirsch
Outstanding Dance Company Manager Mica Pirie
Best Dance Mom Catherine Macklin
Best Film Noir Dancer Anna Greenburg
Lifetime Achievement Award (Dance) Jo Krieter
Most Innovative Dancer Ildiko Polony
Best Male Solo Jesse Bie
Best Dancer/Actor Colin Epstein
Best Customer Service Performing Arts Brown Paper Tickets
Best Dance Soundtrack (SARA) - Jordan Isadore
Best Original Soundtrack (Dance) Dan Wool
Best Male Artistic Director (Contemporary Ballet) Robert Dekkers
Lifetime Achievement Award (Dance) Gary Masters
Lifetime Achievement Award (Dance) Fred Mathews
Outstanding US Veteran In Dance David Reis Fish
Best Patron (Performing Arts) Russell Nelson
Outstanding Theater Performance Piece Aaron Jessup
Best Video Photographer - John Parencia

For more information, including photos of the event and biographical information about each of the winners, go to http://www.BayAreaDanceWatch.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you'd like to interview any of the winners, contact Jim Tobin at jimtobin(at)yahoo(dot)com, or at 650-387-0535.