Ann Reinking Joins Line-up For Career Transition For Dancers' 24th Anniversary Gala 11/2

Rolex presents "AMERICA DANCES! Celebrating Our Sparkling Heritage - Broadway, TV & Film"- Career Transition For Dancers' 24th Anniversary Jubilee on Monday, November 2, 2009 at 7:00 pm at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (bet. 7 & 6 Aves) NYC. Tony Award winner and Broadway Star Ann Reinking joins the Gala, which will be the entertainment-dance event of the new season. The Rolex Dance Award will be given to Patrick Swayze. Lawrence Herbert and the Lloyd E. Rigler - Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation will receive the Career Transition For Dancers' Awards for Outstanding Contributions to the World of Dance. Artists and program subject to change without notice.

Broadway musical star and choreographer Ann Reinking originally trained as a ballet dancer. She moved to New York at age 16 to study on scholarship with The Joffrey Ballet. Later, she transitioned to theater joining the chorus of "Coco", and "Pippin" to name a few. Reinking came to critical notice in "Over Here!" (Theatre World Award), and later went on to originate roles in "Goodtime Charley" (with Tony and Drama Desk nominations) and "Bob Fosse's Dancin'" (Tony nomination). She also took over leads in "Chicago", "A Chorus Line", and "Sweet Charity". She appeared in Fosse's semi-autobiographical film All That Jazz, as well as the films Annie and Micki and Maude. Reinking next focused her career on choreography for Broadway musicals, founding the Broadway Theater Project, a Florida training program connecting students with seasoned theater professionals. She starred in the revival of "Chicago" and won for Best Choreography a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and even the Bob Fosse Award. This past November, the revival celebrated its 12th year on Broadway thus becoming the longest running (and most successful) Broadway revival in Broadway history. She choreographed the ABC TV movie version of "Bye Birdie", and continues to choreograph for regional theatre, television, film, etc. Ann is also a past recipient of the Rolex Dance Award.

"AMERICA DANCES! Celebrating Our Sparkling Heritage - Broadway, TV & Film" celebrates a variety of entertainment that defines our American culture-Past, Present and Future. This eclectic evening is an assimilation and fusion of styles that move from theater to concert dance, to television and film, in a vibrant homage to an array of dance genres. It will play tribute to the crazes and evolution of American dance. Some of the talent for the show will include: American Ballet Theatre's Ethan Stiefel, Laura Benanti, Bob Fosse's Dancin, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, "Dancing with the Stars," DJ Activephaze, Electric Boogaloo's Mr. Wiggles, Nicole Fosse, Lombard Twins, Lori Belilove & The Isadora Duncan Dance Company, Kathleen Marshall, Melanie LaPatin and Tony Meredith's Dance Times Square, Metropolitan Opera's Samuel Ramey, New York City Ballet's Ashley Bouder & Andrew Veyette, PopMaster Fabel, Ann Reinking, Rock Steady Crew, "So You Think You Can Dance," Sophisticated Ladies - a Tribute to Duke Ellington, Jock Soto, "Step UP 3", Tap City Youth Ensemble, and Sonya Tayeh Dance with other stars and surprises TBA.

Career Transition For Dancers with offices in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago has helped over 4,100 professional dancers identify their unique talents in preparation for establishing new careers when dance is no longer an option. Since its founding in 1985, the organization has provided more than 40,000 hours (equivalent to $4 million) of one-on-one career counseling and program services - at no cost - and has awarded millions of dollars in scholarships for education and entrepreneurial grants. CTFD also provides dancers with specialized services that include transition seminars and workshops, peer support groups, resource centers, a toll-free national career counseling hotline, a website, and a National Career Network. Gala tickets are $600, $750 & $1,200 each, which include the performance and a post-performance "Anniversary Supper with the Stars", live auction and dancing at The Grand Ballroom at The Hilton New York. Sponsorships and tables are also available, as well as Jubilee Journal ads.

For gala tickets, please call Marjorie Horne, McEvoy & Assocs. at 212 228-7446 x33 and for Group Sales please call 718 499-9691. Show only tickets are $130, $75, $55 and $45 at CityTix 212 581 1212.

For more information, visit www.careertransition.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride

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