Review: Dance Magazine Awards 2015, an Extraordinary Night for Extraordinary Dance Leaders

December 7, 2015

Dance Magazine Awards 2015

The Ailey Citigroup Theater-NYC

Photo Credit: Christopher Duggan for Dance Magazine

This was the Oscars of the dance world-a star-studded event to honor five recipients who have made an extraordinary mark within their own careers to the art of dance. Dance Magazine awards were presented to ballerina and artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada, Karen Kain; flamenco dancer and artistic director of Noche Flamenca, Soledad Barrio; principal dancer of American Ballet Theatre, Marcelo Gomes; dancer, writer, and dance historian, David Vaughan; as well as artistic director of Urban Bush Women-Jawole Willa Jo Zollar.

All were the starry étoiles of this night.

As the audience buzzed before the awards began, a screen displayed the past years of the recipients, a montage of who's who since 1954. Thereafter, we were welcomed by Publisher of DanceMedia, Amy Cogan; Editor-in-Chief of Dance Magazine, Jennifer Stahl; and Dance Magazine's Editor-at-Large, Wendy Perron. The event began with a dancer and film/television celebrity, and my favorite male dancer, Mr. Mikhail Baryshnikov, presenting the award to Karen Kain. He was witty, gracious, and couldn't say enough of who and what Ms. Kain meant to him. He even mentioned how jealous he was that he was not chosen to dance with her because "...I was too short." The audience chuckled with him. However, his speech changed to a more serious tone when he discussed how it was the National Ballet of Canada, and Ms. Kain's kindness that first gave him physical and artistic safety from his Soviet Union defection. Mr. Baryshikov's role in presenting the award to Ms. Kain was absolutely appropriate and heartfelt.

Before Ms. Kain came to the stage, pictures of her ballet accomplishments flashed onto the stage's screen. Ms. Kain gave a humbled speech regarding how honored she was to have danced with some of the greatest male ballet dancers, Nureyev and Erik Bruhn, as well as having worked with outstanding choreographers and the lifelong friends she's made along the way. She mentioned how the National Ballet of Canada has always been her home. And she also thanked the Dance Magazine committee for choosing her. Overall, her eloquent words were sincere and wonderfully inspiring.

As the podium was removed, three musicians--guitarist and two singers--and the recipient Soledad Barrio appeared. In a black satin gown, her feet moved with lightening speed in a graceful flamenco dance. Her upper body was so calm, while the vibration below was a rainbow of rhythms. Ms. Barrio's tapping sung a story and all that was missing was a plate of tapas and Sangria to fill my stomach, while her moving performance went into my soul. Each of the two flamenco-style singers fed into the fire of her footwork. The guitarist and she were in a rhythmic competition, yet simultaneously complemented each other so well. I had never watched flamenco danced like this!

After a warm and standing ovation from the audience, her husband, Martin Santangelo, told us about his wife. He described her beginnings of leaving a prior dictatorship under Franco and then coming to dance in New York. What I enjoyed most about his loving words was that he described a true dancer: unending pride in her work, tenacity, discipline, and never giving up her essence. As he presented her the award, Mrs. Barrio spoke in Spanish as her husband translated her words of thanks to the committee for recognizing and honoring the art of flamenco. A first-time award from Dance Magazine for this style.

The night was not over yet. The debut ballet I had seen performed by ABT at the Koch Theater on October 2015, Marcel Gomes' AfterEffect, was the pas de deux performed by Cassandra Trenary and Thomas Forster at the ceremony. The complex and modern lifts, paired with Ms. Trenary's gorgeous extension looked effortless. It was retired American Ballet Theatre ballerina, Julie Kent, who brought Mr. Gomes to tears. Her words were a type of love letter from one dancer to another. She described his ability to bring love and support to his partners on and off stage. As the ballet world can be fleeting for an aging female dancer, she mentioned how he allowed her to be ageless within her last ABT years. Mr. Gomes thanked a great many people including the awards committee, Kevin McKenzie, his manager Scott Schlexer, his ABT family, his ballerinas, and lastly, his family, his father above all.

Continuing the evening, one of the most interesting speakers of the night, Valda Setterfield, told an intricate story of how she met David Vaughan. To be brief, she discussed the English dance school they attended to then taking his advice to come to America in the 1950's, travelling by passenger ship on the Queen Elizabeth in order to find her path of a fulfilling dance career. The entire audience was mesmerized throughout her twenty-minute monologue of her dance journey with Mr. Vaughan. As was Mr. Baryshnikov the correct person to present to Ms. Kain, so was Ms. Setterfield for her colleague and friend, David Vaughan who, at the age of 91, is still fully immersed and active in the dance world. I believe his acceptance speech was brief due to Ms. Setterfield hitting many of the highlights of who he is and what he has accomplished.

To end the titanic night, a piece called Walking With 'Trane: Side B, Freed(om) was performed by a few of the Urban Bush Women company. The composer and solo pianist of this piece, George O. Caldwell, drove the cast's dynamic steps. Their bodies seemed to draw imaginable lines within the air. My eyes digested their steps, feeling their movements stir within my own being. The Urban Bush Women and all of that night's performers brought something special, elegant, and honorable to share. I especially enjoyed Ms. Zollar's words of award acceptance. It was a former student and choreographer for UBW, Millicent Johnnie, who presented the award to her mentor and teacher.

What made this final recipient's speech powerful was the encouragement to "...take a risk." Ms. Zollar explained fervently that the Urban Bush Women is still thriving after thirty years because of that. She said, "...taking a risk, shows you are alive. The willingness to continue to take risks and stand at the precipice and be brave..." resounded in me and I hope her words do for you.

Surrounded by these titans of the dance world, all showed that though they did and continue to do extraordinary things. They are also very human. As dancers, being human can be hard because we have to accept that fact that while we want to do our very best, it can't always be accomplished. We are also our toughest critic.

But, the humanity side of these awardees was very refreshing, bringing me hope that their accomplishments will be passed on to upcoming dance leaders, who will continue to pass the torch from one generation to the other.

To post a comment, you must register and login.