A BEAUTIFUL NOISE, DANCIN', NEW YORK, NEW YORK and More Win 2023 Chita Rivera Awards

Winners for the 2023 Chita Rivera Awards were announced this evening. In keeping with the mission of the Chita Rivera Awards, nominators considered outstanding choreography, featured dancers, and ensembles in shows on Broadway and Off Broadway, as well as outstanding choreography in film that opened during the 2022-2023 season.

Presented at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 LaGuardia Place off Washington Square Park), the Chita Rivera Awards are produced by Joe Lanteri, Founder and Executive Director of the New York City Dance Alliance Foundation Inc., in conjunction with Patricia Watt. The Awards were hosted by Funny Girl's Jared Grimes.

The mission of the Chita Rivera Awards is to celebrate dance and choreographic excellence, preserve notable dance history, recognize past, present, and future talents, while promoting high standards in dance education and investing in the next generation.

At this year's Chita Rivera Awards, John Kander received the Lifetime Achievement Award, BroadwayHD, founded by Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane, received the Ambassadors For The Arts Award, and Jeffrey L. Page received the Douglas and Ethel Watt Critics' Choice Award.

For the first time, the Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway Show category is gender-free. This category has twice as many nominees as the former gendered categories.

The NYC Dance Alliance Foundation College Scholarship Program was the beneficiary of the event. Since the inception of the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation, 4 million dollars have been awarded to over 400 dancers represented in 42 of the most prestigious college dance programs in the country.

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2023 Chita Rivera AWARD WINNERS

***Winners are highlighted and starred

BROADWAY

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY IN A BROADWAY SHOW

***Steven Hoggett, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It Hot

Susan Stroman, New York, New York

Jennifer Weber, & Juliet

OUTSTANDING DANCER IN A BROADWAY SHOW

Clyde Alves, New York, New York

Peter John Chursin, Bob Fosse's Dancin'

Dylis Croman, Bob Fosse's Dancin'

J. Harrison Ghee, Some Like It Hot

Jacob Guzman, Bob Fosse's Dancin'

***Robyn Hurder, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

Kolton Krouse, Bob Fosse's Dancin'

***Jess LeProtto, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

***Mattie Love, Bob Fosse's Dancin'

Khori Michelle Petinaud, Bob Fosse's Dancin'

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A BROADWAY SHOW

& Juliet

A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

***Bob Fosse's Dancin'

***New York, New York

Some Like It Hot                      

OFF BROADWAY

OFF BROADWAY SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS

The Awarding Committee of the 2023 Chita Rivera Awards will celebrate excellence in Off-Broadway musical theater by presenting these special awards.  

Outstanding Dancers in an Off-Broadway Show

***Gaby Diaz, Only Gold

***Ryan Steele, Only Gold

Outstanding Choreography in an Off-Broadway Show

***Andy Blankenbuehler, Only Gold

CHOREOGRAPHY IN FILM

Babylon, Choreographer: Mandy Moore

Magic Mike: Last Dance, Choreographers: Alison Faulk, Luke Broadlick;

Contributing Choreographer: Leo Moctezuma

Roald Dahl's Matilda, the Musical, Choreographer: Ellen Kane

Spirited, Choreographer: Chloe Arnold

***13: The Musical, Choreographer: Jamal Sims

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A DOCUMENTARY RELEASE

Broadway Rising, Director: Amy Rice

***Everybody Dance, Director: Dan Watt

Moonage Daydream, Director: Brett Morgen

A theatrical icon and one of Broadway's greatest triple-threat talents, Chita Rivera is one of the most nominated performers in Tony Award history having earned 10 nominations, won twice and received the 2018 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. A versatile actress/singer/dancer, her most recent starring roles include The Visit, the final John Kander/Fred Ebb/Terrence McNally musical directed by John Doyle and choreographed by Graciela Daniele on Broadway; the Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood; the Broadway and touring productions of The Dancer's Life, a dazzling musical celebrating her spectacular career, written by Terrence McNally and directed by Graciela Daniele and the revival of the Broadway musical Nine with Antonio Banderas. She trained as a ballerina (from age nine) before receiving a scholarship to the School of American Ballet from the legendary choreographer George Balanchine. Chita's first appearance (age 19) was as a principal dancer in Call Me Madam. Her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story brought her stardom, which she repeated in London.

Her career is highlighted by starring roles in Bye, Bye Birdie, The Rink (Tony Award), Chicago, Jerry's Girls, Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award), and the original Broadway casts of Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Wonderful. On tour: Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Zorba, Can-Can with The Rockettes. Chita was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009 and received the coveted Kennedy Center Honor in 2002. In 2019, Chita performed her solo concert at London's Cadogan Hall; in 2018 she was honored as a Living Landmark by the New York Landmarks Conservancy; in 2016 she headlined at Carnegie Hall and in 2015, Great Performances aired their special Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' To Do, a retrospective of her extraordinary life and career nationally on PBS. Her current solo CD is entitled "And Now I Swing." Her long-awaited book CHITA: A MEMOIR was published by HarperOne in April, 2023.  Her most treasured production is her daughter, singer/dancer/choreographer Lisa Mordente.