'BILLY' Stars, Fernandes, Glenn and Darling Win 2009 ASTAIRE AWARDS

The 2009 Astaire Awards Ceremony, hosted by Alan Cumming, took place last night, June 1, 7:30pm at The Haft Auditorium at Fashion Institute of Technology (7th Avenue at West 27th Street). Peter Darling (Billy Elliot) took home the award for Best Broadway Choreographer and Longines Fernandes (Slumdog Millionaire) for Best Film Choreographer.

The awards for Best Female and Male Dancers went to Pia Glenn (You're Welcome America...) and David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish (Billy Elliot). In addition to the Awards Ceremony, the night included performances of some of the best Broadway and Hollywood dance numbers, alongside stars of the stage and screen. Liza Minnelli presented American film director and choreographer, hailed as "the King of the Hollywood musicals," Stanley Donen (Singin' In The Rain, On the Town) with the 2009 Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award.

Other presenters included Savion Glover, Bebe Neuwirth and Geoffrey Rush.

Performances from nominated choreographers and dancers included "Electricity" from Billy Elliot performed by Kiril Kulish and Martha Plimpton and cast performing "That Terrific Rainbow" from Pal Joey, as well as tribute performances to Clive Barnes and Stanley Donen.

Nominations for the 2009 Astaire Awards were announced by Michael Riedel of the New York Post on Monday, May 4. The selections were made by this year's Nominating Committee; Sylviane Gold (Theater Columnist for Dance Magazine), Anna Kisselgoff (former Chief Dance Critic of The New York Times), Wendy Perron (Editor in Chief of Dance Magazine), Linda Winer (Chief Theater Critic of Newsday) and Damian Woetzel (Former Principal Dancer, New York City Ballet). The producers of the 2009 Astaire Awards, which recognizes excellence in dance on stage and in film, are Patricia Watt and Ron Glucksman.

* Denotes Winner

BEST BROADWAY CHOREOGRAPHER NOMINEES:
9 to 5: Andy Blankenbuehler
Hair: Karole Armitage
*Billy Elliot: Peter Darling
Guys and Dolls: Sergio Trujillo
Pal Joey: Graciela Daniele

BEST FILM CHOREOGRAPHER NOMINEES:
Mamma Mia: Anthony Van Laast
*Slumdog Millionaire: Longines Fernandes
Center Stage Turn It Up: Aakomon "AJ" Jones
Make It Happen: Tracy Phillips
Fados: Patrick De Bana and Pedro Gomes
High School Musical 3: Kenny Ortega
Were the World Mine: Todd Underwood

BEST FEMALE DANCER NOMINEES:
West Side Story: Karen Olivo
Rock Of Ages: Angel Reed, Katherine Tokarz, Savannah Wise
Guys and Dolls: Kearran Giovanni
*You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W Bush: Pia Glenn

BEST MALE DANCER NOMINEES:
*Billy Elliot - role of Billy: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish
Billy Elliot - role of Michael: David Bologna, Frank Dolce
White Christmas: Jeffry Denman
Pal Joey: Matthew Risch

The Awards for the 2009 Astaire Awards were designed by Donna Distefano.

For more information, please visit: www.AstaireAwards.com.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.