Since 1954, the Dance Magazine Awards have celebrated the living legends of our field—from Martha Graham to Misty Copeland to Alvin Ailey to Gene Kelly.
This year is no different. But for the first time ever, the Dance Magazine Awards will be presented virtually—which is good news for aspiring dancers (and their teachers!) everywhere. (Plus, there’s a special student rate of $25.)
The Dance Magazine Awards aren’t just a celebration of the people who shape the dance field—they’re a unique educational opportunity and a chance for dancers to see their idols up close.
Here’s why your dancers (and you!) should tune in:
They’ll see dance history in the making.
Carlos Acosta. Debbie Allen. Camille A. Brown. Laurieann Gibson. Alonzo King.
If you haven’t already taught your students about these esteemed awardees, odds are you’ll be adding them to your curriculum before long.
Not only will your students get to hear from each of them at a pivotal moment in their careers (and Dance Magazine Awards acceptance speeches are famously chock-full of inspiration), they’ll also hear from presenters like William Forsythe and Theresa Ruth Howard.
This year, all the Dance Magazine Awards are going to Black artists, as a step towards repairing the history of honoring primarily white artists.
And meet tomorrow’s dance legends.
Dance Magazine’s Harkness Promise Awards, this year going to Kyle Marshall and Marjani Forté-Saunders, offer funding, rehearsal space and mentorship to innovative young choreographers in their first decade of presenting work—a powerful reminder to your students that major success in the dance world doesn’t happen overnight.
They’ll get a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes.
Solely teaching your students how to be a great dancer doesn’t give them the full picture. A complete dance education produces artists who are savvy about what happens behind the scenes, too.
In 2018, Dance Media launched the Chairman’s Award to honor those behind-the-scenes leaders who keep our field moving. Each year’s recipient is chosen by our CEO, Frederic M. Seegal. This year’s award goes to Ford Foundation president Darren Walker, who is using philanthropy to make the performing arts—and the world at large—more just.
And, of course, see dozens of great dance works.
Where else could your students see selections from Alonzo King’s contemporary ballet classics next to Camille A. Brown’s boundary-pushing dance theater works? Or see both Carlos Acosta and Laurieann Gibson in action in the same evening? Excerpts from the awardees’ works will show your students what it is exactly that makes these artists so special.
So gather your class (virtually!) and join us next Monday, December 7, at 6 pm. To receive the special student rate, please email [email protected].
See you there!
