John Wegorzewski News

The 29th Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, hosted by Bebe Neuwirth and Lee Roy Reams at the magnificent Skirball Center for The Performing Arts at NYU once again honored excellence in dance and choreography on Broadway and in film. Susan Stroman took top honors for Best Choreographer on Broadway in a field of nine nominees for her stunning work in 'The Scottsboro Boys'. It was a record breaking 5th Astaire Award for the 5 time Tony Award and 5 time Drama Desk winner. Two time Tony Award Winner Bebe Neuwirth presented the award to Ms. Stroman. Sutton Foster star of 'Anything Goes' took home her second Astaire for Best Female Dancer on Broadway for her rousing performance as 'Reno Sweeney'. Her first Astaire was for 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'. Desmond Richardson, Tony nominee for 'Fosse' and co-founder and co-artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet presented the award to Ms. Sutton. First timer Norbert Leo Butz star of 'Catch Me if You Can' took the prize for Best Male Dancer on Broadway presented by Tony and Drama Desk winner Karen Ziemba . Australia's Graeme Murphy and Janet Vernon won the Astaire for Excellence in Choreography in Film for their breathtaking dances in 'Mao's Last Dancer' presented by Tony Award winner Bill Irwin. Legendary dancer, choreographer, teacher and founder of the National Dance Institute Jacques d'Amboise received the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award named for the late drama critic and co-founder of the Award with Fred Astaire. Following a major tribute in dance including a brilliant performance by NYCB's Russell Janzen of a piece from the ballet 'Who Cares' created by George Balanchine and first danced by d'Amboise; an exuberant performance of 'Shall We Dance' by d'Amboise's students at the National Dance Institute and praiseful introductions by Len Cariou, Charlotte & Christopher d'Amboise, Brian Stokes Mitchell presented the award to Mr. d'Amboise.

The 29th Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards nominees were announced by choreographer & director Lee Roy Reams at a special reception hosted by Carolyn Kendall Buchter, Ronald Buchter and Patricia Watt, Producer of the Astaire Awards at Theater Row's Firebird Russian Restaurant,. The 'Astaires' are the only awards to honor excellence in dance and choreography on Broadway and in film. Check out photos from the reception below!

The New York Athletic Club with its sweeping views of Central Park was the elegant setting for the 3RD ANNUAL GIVE KIDS A SHOT!, National Meningitis Association Gala.

ROLEX Career Transition For Dancers 25th Anniversary Silver Jubilee was a complete sell out with everyone of the 2,700 seats at City Center filled. Over 800 guests went on the the Hilton for the Anniversary supper, the live luxury auction and dancing with the dancers. The evening raised a cool $ 1.2 Million which will go to CTFD's scholarship programs. Allen Brill, ROLEX USA, CEO & President committed to presenting the annual Jubilee for three more years.

On October 6, Michele and Lawrence Herbert hosted a pre-gala kickoff cocktail reception at their Park Avenue apartment for the upcoming Rolex presents Career Transition For Dancers' 25th Anniversary Silver Jubilee - A Star-Studded Retrospective to be hosted by five time Tony Award winner and legendary Broadway musical star Angela Lansbury on November 8, at New York City Center followed by an Anniversary Supper with the Stars at the Grand Ballroom at the Hilton New York.

On Our Toes in the Hamptons, the annual performance and fundraising gala featuring Ronald K. Brown's Evidence, A Dance Company one of the world's most acclaimed dance troupes, returned to the Hamptons for the seventh year to celebrate its 25th anniversary & honor longtime supporters Prince Kunle Omilana of Nigeria & his American born wife Princess Keisha Omilana at the Hamptons estate of The Honorable Bernard H. Jackson and his wife Joyce Mullins-Jackson.

Emmy award winning actor Richard Thomas currently starring in the hit play 'Race' on Broadway announced the nominees for the 28th Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards honoring excellence in dance and choreography on Stage and in Film at a by-invitation-only cocktail reception at famed celebrity watering hole Elaine's.

They came from around the corner and as far away as London, Italy and New Zealand to pay tribute to a legend of film and stage and a good friend and neighbor, Roy Scheider.

David Steiner's mammoth Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Navy Yards, the largest film studio on the East Coast was the setting for a salute to stage and screen legend Patricia Neal, Wall Street whiz Shirl Penney and The Count and Countess Alexandre de Lesseps. The 'Hooray For Hollywood' gala evening benefited The Auditory Oral School of New York, a non profit organization which specializes in teaching deaf and hard of hearing children to listen, talk, think and socialize.

Ann and Bill Van Ness hosted a cocktail party to toast the honorees, co-chairmen and committees of Career Transition for Dancers upcoming Jubilee Gala 'Dance Rocks' at City Center on October 29.

Ardent dance fans came in from The Hamptons or drove down from Connecticut for Patricia Kennedy and Rolex USA CEO Allen Brill's annual kickoff luncheon for the Career Transition for Dancers Jubilee Gala at famed restaurant Sardi's for the announcement of this year's honorees and the lineup of participating artists.

A star-studded pre-show party preceded the Drama Desk Awards, which were presented at the LaGuardia Concert Hall on May 20th!

Wynn Handman, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of The American Place Theatre was toasted by a gathering of theater and film luminaries at a reception in his honor

Continuing its world class artists in residence program, the renowned Hayground School presented the third annual Hayground School Creative Orchestra with acclaimed composer and artistic director Bruce Wolosoff at the helm

Judith Ivey, Harris Yulin, Joseph Stein, Scott Frankel and more recently turned out for a screening and celebration of Grey Gardens at the fabled estate in East Hampton

The 19th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction was held on Sunday, September 25 in Shubert Alley. The Flea Market raised a grand total of $544,037 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The 50th Annual Drama Desk Awards Ceremony took place on Sunday, May 22. The big winners of the night were Doubt and The Light in the Piazza, each of whom received 5 awards.