Review: THE CHITA RIVERA AWARDS Glittering, Glamorous, and Glorious at Skirball Center

There was a magnificent dance concert on May 18th at the Skirball Center.  Mind you, the dance concert was structured within the confines of the Chita Rivera Awards, but a dance concert, it was, and this writer took advantage of the opportunity to nip in and see what the annual awards for dancers is like, from the seats out front, and found a sweet show full of support for the members of the tersichorean persuasion of performers in the business of show.   And, boy howdy, do these artists deserve all of the love and accolades being doled out on this occasion, and every other day of the year. 

Created in 1982 under the name The Fred Astaire Awards, the award created to honor achievement in dance on stage and screen was renamed for Broadway legend Chita Rivera in 2017.  This year, the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation (which presents the awards every year) offered two very special moments in the already noteworthy proceedings: a new award called BROADWAY’S NEXT TRIPLE THREAT (including a cash prize in the form of a training grant), and a Lifetime Achievement to the legendary Ann-Margret, who was on hand to accept the honor in person.  The energy at the Skirball Center was alight as the glittery evening kicked off, and when I say glittery, I am, naturally, referring to the nature of the fashion sense of dancers.  Everyone looked absolutely smashing in their luscious fashion choices for the evening - BroadwayWorld photographer Genevieve Rafter Keddy worked her magic at the red carpet and her photos can be seen HERE.

For the two hour program the hosts on duty were Charlotte d’Amboise and Robyn Hurder, both clad in shades of green (a gleeful topic of conversation, out of the gate), and both effervescent with excitement over their Mistress of Ceremony duties.  Hosting this kind of thing can be very nerve wracking but the ladies (and, clearly, good friends) kept it light, kept it moving, kept it real, and kept it silly, which made it all the more fun.  They also kept it reverent.  Hurder and d’Amboise were generous with genuine praise for the performers, for the nominees, for the winners, for their friends, and for Chita.  Observe, below, the photo of Bebe Neuwirth vaulting herself into Charlotte’s arms.  No mere show of friendly awards show respect was this, this was a dear friend happy to see a chum - and that was the tone set for the entire night.  The dance community has such authentic respect for each others’ artistry and such sincere love for one another that the entire event was like a professional and personal love fest.  Again, in the photos below, see how excited Tilly Evans-Krueger and Kevin Csolak are when presenting Isabelle McCalla with her award for Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway Show, and note how Robyn Hurder crouches in the wings so she can hear Max Clayton’s acceptance speech for the same award, and even though the photos chosen to showcase Robert “Silk” Mason’s win don’t show it, there was a rousing standing ovation for the dancer from CATS: THE JELLICLE BALL.  This is a community centered on dedication to artistry and to each other, even with the newcomers, like the five young people eligible for the brand new Broadway’s Next Triple Threat Award.  The five finalists could be observed in video footage and in the show, offering their friendship and support, and the entire audience (offstage and on) gave the newcomers to the industry their backing by way of an extended standing ovation after their performance of “Too Darn Hot” (the Warren Carlyle version).  It was a special moment to see gracious Bebe Neuwirth offer a deep cursty to winner Helena Padial.  And when the night was coming to a close, hosts Hurder and d’Amboise ran onto the stage to give hugs to the Patti Eisenhauser Dance Center, who performed the grand finale.  Simply put, it was a night of pure love.

As for the dance concert, this was a night of entertainment beyond compare.  Not one single number let down the audience, every performance rose to the occasion, starting with “Beale St. Blues,” a number created by Jack Cole for the Sid Caeser Show in 1956 and performed by Chita Rivera.  For the awards show, the number was revisited by Cam Loeser and the NEW Jack Cole Dancers, featuring Michelle Aravena in the Chita Rivera track.  It was an electrifying start to the evening.  The follow-up number was a stunning presentation in which MAC Award winner Nicolas King sang “Birth of the Blues” while Tony D’Alelio soared around the stage and above King’s head - it was a truly magnificent performance from both men, honoring the Sammy Davis Jr. centenary.   For “Endgame Part 1” (from CHESS), Lorin Latarro’s choreography was executed to breathtaking precision by Sarah Meahl, Fredric Rodriguez Odgaard, and Michael Olaribigbe, leaving the audience sighing and crying.  The remaining musical performances were all part of the Ann-Margret tribute that led to a hilarious and heartfelt speech by the multiple award-winning actress (and triple threat, herself).  For the lead in to the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Jessie Mueller sang “It Might As Well Be Spring” from State Fair, a company of dancers led by Evy Vaughan, Thomas Ruhala, and Roberto Facchin performed “C’mon Everybody” from Viva Las Vegas, and Samantha Polino sang “Bye Bye Birdie,” as Leslie Uggams waited in the wings to introduce Ann-Margret.  In her remarks, Ms. Uggams recounted the story of how Las Vegas powerhouse A-M phoned her to congratulate her on the success of the groundbreaking miniseries Roots… and to tell her that nobody was coming to her show because they were all staying home to watch their television sets.  So Ann-Margret changed the start time of her show.  Gales of laughter wafted up to the stage.  When Ms. Uggams welcomed her friend to come get her award, Executive Producer/Director and Founder of the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation, Joe Lanteri, escorted the honoree from her seat to the podium.   As the entire theater rose to their feet to ovate the legend, Miss Ann-Margret threw back her head and laughed, taking it all in, before giving her acceptance speech, one filled with laughter and surprises.  It was a joy to see the Lady acknowledged in this way, and, in her speech, she praised Chita Rivera for her skill and legacy, and discussed the importance of dance in her life, declaring that when she was a child from Sweden, newly arrived in America, able to speak no English, she could still communicate through dance.  It was an eloquent statement that surely resonated with all of the people in the room, for dance is the love language that they all understand, from the dancers (like Schmigadoon cast members who took home the Ensemble trophy) to the producers (like Riki Kane Larimer, who was awarded the Douglas and Ethel Watt Critic’s Choice Award for producing Gotta Dance!), to the choreographers (like Christopher Gattelli, who was named Outstanding Choreographer of a Broadway Show).    The 2026 Chita Rivera Awards was a night to remember for everyone, especially when considering the young talent that the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation seeks to support, which was a strong theme throughout the night.  Funding for the arts is at risk - having organizations like this one to help bring artists into the light is essential.  Having nights like this to remind us why it is essential is a blessing.  When the awards come around again next year, buy a ticket and go - it is one heck of a great dance concert and an uplifting night of artistry and joy.

The website for the Chita Rivera Awards is HERE and for the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation is HERE.

The website for the Skirball Center is HERE.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best New Musical - Top 3

1. The Lost Boys

31.7% of votes

2. Schmigadoon!

24.7% of votes

3. Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

22.1% of votes

Vote Now! View Live Stats