Professional Dancers Society to Honor Carol Channing at 2017 Gypsy Awards

Legendary performer Carol Channing has been named the honoree for the Professional Dancers Society's (PDS) annual Gypsy Awards Luncheon, it was announced by PDS President, Mitzi Gaynor and PDS Board Chairman, Joni Berry.

Miss Channing will be honored at PDS' 30th Anniversary Luncheon on Sunday, April 23, 2017 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel (9876 Wilshire Blvd.) in Beverly Hills.

Choreographers MAndy Moore & Karen Willes and Natalie Willes will receive PDS Choreography Awards, for their extraordinary contributions to dance and Producer Lee Hale, will receive the special Dance Legacy Award, which was presented to Dick Van Dyke last year.

"In celebration of PDS' 30th anniversary, we are pleased to be honoring an icon and one of America's National Treasures, Carol Channing; the choreographer MAndy Moore, who has taken the dance world by storm; two dear friends of the PDS, Karen Willes and Natalie Willes - whose Carousel Dancers have entertained the PDS audience for years; and our very own PDS Board Member and longtime Gypsy Luncheon Producer Lee Hale," said Joni Berry, Luncheon Chairman.

The Professional Dancers Society (PDS) is an affiliate of The Actors Fund of America. PDS is a non-profit corporation formed to serve the professional dancer, active and inactive and with The Actors Fund of America is achieving the long-needed goals of low income housing; plus retirement and nursing facilities for dancers on both coasts. Previous Gypsy Award winners include Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno, Ben Vereen, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury, Carl Reiner, Ann-Margret, Florence Henderson, Mary Tyler Moore, Chita Rivera, Julie Andrews, Leslie Caron, Carol Lawrence and last year's honoree, Paula Abdul.

The April 23th event will begin at 11:00am No Host Cocktails, followed by a Noon Luncheon and the Awards Show at 1:00pm. For more information about the event including tickets or ads, visit www.professionaldancerssociety.org or call (310) 278-5222.

Since her Broadway debut in Blitzsteins' For An Answer and a Time Magazine cover story, which hailed her performance as Lorelei in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Miss Channing has been a star of international acclaim. Her Broadway credits include some of the most memorable characters in theatrical history, winning three Tony Awards including one for her legendary portrayal of Dolly Levi in Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly!, as well as one for Lifetime Achievement. Carol's career has been varied and continuing. During her first film role in The First Traveling Saleslady, starring opposite Ginger Rogers, she gave newcomer, Clint Eastwood, his first on screen kiss. Among her numerous TV and Film successes is the madcap Muzzy in Thoroughly Modern Millie, which earned her a Golden Globe Award and an Oscar nomination. She has recorded ten gold albums and, as one of the most easily recognized and highly imitated voices in the world, Carol has contributed to characters and narrative for both TV series and documentaries, as well as twenty children's albums of classic stories including Winnie The Pooh and Madeline. In 2009, Carol was one of 9 legendary ladies of stage and screen to have careers inducted into the Smithsonian Institution. Carol's continued national appearances included a 2010 NY engagement that prompted The New York Times to say "Back Where She Belongs . . . The audience jumped to it's feet more than once. We were watching a master performer" and AP declared, remarked, "The audience clearly was there to worship, and Channing did not disappoint." In 2012, mutli-TONY winning director/producer, Dori Berinstein, released the critically acclaimed and award winning documentary entitled "Carol Channing: Larger Than Life," highlighting Carol's 70 plus year career.

Four-time Emmy-nominee MAndy Moore is a world-class Director, Producer, Choreographer, and Dancer best known for her ground-breaking work on the global television hit SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. Recent work includes a fashion film with David O. Russell for Prada, Disney's 60th Anniversary Celebration on ABC, and Damien Chazelle's original movie musical LA LA LAND which is the recipient of 7 Golden Globe Awards and 6 Academy Awards. Other credits include the Oscar-nominated films AMERICAN HUSTLE and SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK; FOX's hit shows GLEE and AMERICAN IDOL; DID YOU YEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS? with Hugh Grant; Nickelodeon's THE FRESH BEAT BAND, the L.A. Ballet Company's innovative New Wave L.A. Program; Celine Dion's sold-out Taking Chances concert tour; Britain's STRICTLY COME DANCING; and Cirque du Soleil's MY IMMORTAL. Other work includes Leslye Headland's film SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE; commercials for Amazon Prime, Target, and Skechers; hit television shows including MODERN FAMILY; and Shania Twain's hit show, YOU'RE STILL THE ONE, which took its final bow after a successful two-year run at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. Mandy's contemporary and jazz choreography has been performed on television, in film, and on concert and theater stages around the world. She's currently a Producer on ABC's DANCING WITH THE STARS. On stage, Mandy directed and choreographed a crowd-pleasing stage production of THE WEDDING SINGER, and brought NOBODY LOVES YOU Off-Broadway to Second Stage Theatre in New York after choreographing the show's world premiere at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre. As a leader in the entertainment industry, Mandy also takes time teaching and educating the next generation of dance talent. As of February 2017, she's on the Board of Governors at the Television Academy leading the newly established Choreographer Peer Group.

Karen Willes' parents were a song and dance team in Vaudeville and owners and operators of 2 successful Ohio dance studios, so she was literally "born in a trunk." Dance instruction as a child began in Cleveland, Ohio and continued through the teen years in Chicago, Boston and finally New York. Karen performed in musicals at the Cleveland Playhouse, in club dates in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York and was a member of The Cleveland Civic Ballet Company along with credits as a dancer in several teleVision Productions and pilots. She also worked as a Production Assistant on several television recorded concerts with the Cleveland Orchestra and worked as a Productions Assistant at WIXY Radio and WKYC TV. She began working as a class assistant at the ages of 12 and has been teaching Ballet and Tap since the age of 16. Karen, along with her mother, was co-director of 2 dance studios in the suburbs of Cleveland. She is now the Owner and Director of the very successful Carousel Dance Studio in the West San Fernando Valley since 1984 and is the Artistic Director of the equally successful and nationally recognized Carousel Dance Company, a Performance/Competition dance group. There's a saying that goes "Those who can't do, Teach." Karen prefers this one: "Those who care, Teach,"

Born in Hollywood, CA, Natalie Willes went straight from the hospital to her Mothers Dance Studio. After being awarded the Spotlight Award at the age of Sixteen she moved to New York to perform with The Rockettes. Other highlights from her career include: Broadway's Saturday Night Fever, Twayla Tharps- Movin Out, CTG Like Jazz, Opera's La Rossignol, Tanhouser. Chicago the Film, Austin Powers, Starsky and Hutch, 13 going on 30, Cedric the Entertainer, Oscar Awards, and 2009 White House Halloween Spectacular. Natalie's innovative choreography has been seen across the nation in productions for Ameriprise Financial, Honeywell, Universal Studios Hollywood and Amgen. Her Piece "LOVE" won Best of Show 2012 in both Hollywood and Hollywood Vibe competitions. Creating, educating, and entertaining for children has always been a passion of Natalie's and it was her daughter Rasha and Son Ishan that have inspired her to create her latest project "The Travels of Shaka-Muni", a new children's production.

Lee Hale was born in Tacoma, Washington in 1923, which just puts him in the Nonagenarian Club. He wrote a musical comedy in high school that was highly acclaimed by The Tacoma Times, followed by another one at Washington State University, and he spent three years in the Navy during World War II. In 1948, Lee went to New York and began singing in vocal groups, namely, The Sunnysiders, The Manhattans and The Noteworthies. That led to becoming regulars on The Bell Telephone Hour, The Pat Boone Show and The Jimmy Dean Show, and eventually becoming The Lee Hale Singers on Carol Burnett's TV series, The Entertainers, for which he was choral director. He also sang in and wrote many TV and radio commercials. Lee moved to California in 1965 to put together all the music for The Dean Martin Show. He created The Golddiggers and musically produced their five successful television series. He was also associate producer of The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts and all of Dean's specials, and wrote special musical material for specials starring Gene Kelly, Bob Newhart. Tennessee Ernie Ford and Dom DeLuise, among others. In 1976, Lee produced NBC's First 50 Years, a 4 1/2 hour TV spectacular. He's been nominated for six Emmys. More recently, Lee has been producing shows for The Society of Singers and The Professional Dancers Society, also creating their videos. He is the Chief Consultant for Time Life on their new releases of The Dean Martin Show and The Celebrity Roasts. Lee has written several Christmas songs, recorded by Bing Crosby, the Golddiggers and Dolores and Bob Hope. This year he and Van Alexander wrote a new holiday song, "It Comes Around The Same Time Each Year," which Michael Feinstein has recorded. He's written two books, Backstage At The Dean Martin Show with Richard Neely and The Lee Hale Story.

The Professional Dancers Society (PDS) holds its Gypsy Awards luncheon honoring celebrities who have made a specific contribution to the entertainment field. The luncheon serves as PDS' major fundraising event, bringing in upwards of $100,000 for the Actors Fund. This year marks PDS' 30thth year luncheon. PDS is a non-profit corporation formed to serve the professional dancer, active and inactive. There is no separation between ballet, Broadway, television, motion pictures, etc. Now PDS has joined forces with the Actors Fund of America, a national organization dedicated to the welfare of all entertainment professionals. Together, PDS hopes to achieve the goals long needed of low income housing, retirement and nursing facilities for all dancers. For more information on PDS, visit www.professionaldancerssociety.org.

Photo Credit: Michael Davis