Susan Stroman, Laura Penn, et al. Set for Astaire Awards Kickoff, 11/7

Patricia Watt, Producer, The Douglas Watt Family Fund for the Performing Arts & Julie Keyes along with 2012 Fred & Adele Astaire Awards 30th Anniversary Co-Chairs Carolyn Kendall Buchter and Alix Michel will host a kickoff cocktail reception for the committees and sponsors of this year's awards gala. The reception will also welcome the legendary Judith Jamison to the Awarding Committee. The event will be at Remi Restaurant, 145 West 53rd Street, New York 10019 on Monday, November 7 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Special guests for the evening will include Emanuel Azenberg, Laura Penn & Susan Stroman. A highlight of the evening will be an exhibition of the works of renowned photographer Josh Lehrer. Ms. Watt will speak about the very successful Dance Therapy Program in NYC Public Schools, the beneficiary of the annual awards. Now in its 30th year, The Fred & Adele Astaire Awards continue to be the only awards to recognize excellence in dance and choreography on stage and in film. The awards were founded in 1982 by the esteemed critic Douglas Watt and Mr. Astaire himself

Always one of the most glamorous and eagerly anticipated events on the theatrical calendar, the Awards have paid homage to the brightest lights in the world of dance. Previous winners of awards for dance performance include: Debbie Allen, Hinton Battle, Charlotte d'Amboise, Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, Natalia Makarova, Donna McKechnie, Ann Miller, Bebe Neuwirth, Ann Reinking, Chita Rivera and 2011 winners Sutton Foster and Norbert Leo Butz.

Previous winners of awards for choreography are such legends as George Balanchine, Michael Bennett, Patricia Birch, Wayne Cilento, Graciela Daniele, Bob Fosse, Peter Martins, Ann Reinking, Jerome Robbins, two time winner Tommy Tune and five time winner Susan Stroman.

The Fred and Adele Astaire Awards (commonly known as The Astaires) were created in 1982 by Douglas Watt with the Anglo-American Contemporary Dance Foundation. The award was established with the cooperation of Fred Astaire to honor him and his sister, Adele, who starred with her brother in 10 Broadway musicals between 1917 and 1931. Originally confined to work on Broadway, the Awards were expanded to include dance in and choreography for film as this was the métier that brought Fred Astaire to international fame and a permanent slot on every list of the top movie stars of the century. For more information please visit www.theastaireawards.org

To RSVP for this By Invitation Only Event call 212-595-0924 or email sarah@theastaireawards.org or patricia@theastaireawards.org