![\"Joe](\"http:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/22728830_10154909714566472_1800788574655787527_n.jpg\")
<\/a>Joe Tremaine Legacy Award recipient Anita Mann. Photo by Sthanlee B. Mirador.<\/p><\/div>\n
First of all, shout-out to me<\/em>, for heavily suggesting that they change their name to World Choreography<\/em> Awards from World\u00a0Dance<\/em>\u00a0Awards!\u00a0 The first time I attended the show, three years ago, I knew right away that it was mis-named, and not only wrote about it, but also bugged the publicity guy so much that he said they would change it, which I sooo appreciate!\u00a0 So ever since then, I swell with pride when I see the marquee. \u00a0(If you\u2019re curious, here\u2019s my review of that 2014 show, where I said they need to change the name, and so much more about the dance world : itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/danceawards-show-world-dance-awards-2014<\/a>.) [Note: Here\u2019s some breaking news\u2014next year, the name will be simply \u201cChoreo Awards,\u201d which I\u2019m thrilled about because it\u2019s less to type!!!]<\/p>\n Kinjaz. Photo by Susy Miller, as is the big one at the top of the page, of one of the other amazing dance numbers.<\/p><\/div>\n Okay, enough about me; let\u2019s get to this marvelous show!\u00a0 I love that Allen Walls created an awards show for my favorite art form, which I always feel is under-appreciated.\u00a0 As I always say (and write,) to me, dancers have the hardest road of all performers, because it takes not just talent, but the most arduous and dedicated work, to get anywhere in the biz.\u00a0 And then they rarely become stars, as singers and actors do, (often with not much talent at all, actually.)\u00a0 And choreographers<\/em> have the most demanding and challenging task of any<\/em> artists because creating original, beautiful, clever, and\/or heartwarming dances, especially ones that dancers are actually capable of doing, is so difficult.\u00a0 As someone who used to choreograph in high school and college, (not very well, I must admit,) I feel\u00a0for them. And I admire all<\/em> of their creations, especially those of the nominated choreographers that we saw at this show.<\/p>\n The lobby pre-show mingle. Photo by Susy Miller.<\/p><\/div>\n But before we even get to the actual awards presentations, I have to tell you about the whole night.\u00a0 This year, the show took place in the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills, which has the perfect lobby for mingling; it\u2019s so spacious.\u00a0 And I love that dancers really dress-up for special events such as this.\u00a0 Just about everyone looked fabulous!\u00a0 If I had just wandered into the theatre, not knowing the occasion, I would have pegged this group for the dance world right away!<\/p>\n The cast of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Photo by Susy Miller.<\/p><\/div>\n The pre-show packed-house mingling went on for over an hour and a half, which, in this case, was a good thing!\u00a0 We were all having such a good time, no one wanted to sit down yet. As a major dance fan, I was thrilled to spy so many in this world of whom I\u2019m a fan.\u00a0 I especially loved seeing Vincent Rodriguez III and Pete Gardner from the hit TV show\u00a0Crazy Ex-Girlfriend<\/em>, made-for-each-other\u00a0So You Think You Can Dance<\/em>\u00a0couple, Twitch and Allison Holker, Oscar-winning choreographer Mandy Moore, and especially my pal, George Chakiris, who won an Oscar for\u00a0West Side Story<\/em>, and with whom I hung-out for most of the intermission.\u00a0(And then they mentioned him in a bit in the second half! It was a nice little surprise.)<\/p>\n Power dance couple Allison Holker and Twitch. Photo by Susy Miller.<\/p><\/div>\n The World Choreography Awards is the smoothest-run awards show I\u2019ve ever been to. (And I\u2019ve been to them all<\/em>, except for the Oscars.) It moves along, with not too many superfluous bits, and has the perfect mix of awards-giving, very short acceptance speeches (because they\u2019re all movers<\/em>, not talkers<\/em>\u2014duh!,) dance numbers, videos, humor, and pathos. And the most appreciative audience I\u2019ve ever seen!!! This community loves and supports each other possibly more than any other. It\u2019s a real pleasure to witness.<\/p>\n And the host, Kenny Wormald, was the best one yet! I wasn\u2019t familiar with him, (except for the knowledge that he played the Kevin Bacon role in the Footloose<\/em> re-make a few years ago,) but I was very impressed with his witty, charming, perfectly-paced turn at the helm of this<\/em> show.<\/p>\n Jody Sperling. Photo by Susy Miller.<\/p><\/div>\n It was all<\/em> wonderful, but there were several highlights for me: a performance by the group Kinjaz, with whom I got familiar on World of Dance<\/em>; Jody Sperling\u2019s absolutely stunning, jaw-dropping, brilliant solo, which I can’t even describe to you!; and a group number choreographed by Tessandra Chavez which received a standing ovation.<\/p>\n Host, and dancer, Kenny Wormald. Photo by Susy Miller.<\/p><\/div>\n But perhaps the biggest highlight, (and most fun part of the show,) was the presentation of the Joe Tremaine Legacy Award to longtime dancer and choreographer, the beautiful Anita Mann. That segment included an upbeat dance number, which was choreographed, and narrated, by Oscar-winning choreographer, Mandy Moore. And then a bunch of Anita’s former dancers were featured on-stage, including Darcel Wynne, who was an original Solid Gold<\/em> dancer, a fact that the assemblage seemed to go nuts over.<\/p>\n The number in tribute to Anita Mann. Photo by Susy Miller.<\/p><\/div>\n And all that was just the first half<\/em> of the show!!! OMG!<\/p>\n The second act began with the most beautiful Missing You Tribute I\u2019ve ever seen. It was low-key, and accompanied by a performance by Le Petit Cirque, the young person branch of Cirque du Soleil, of whom I became a fan a few weeks ago. (You can read about that event here: itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/televisionmusicdancesportscharity-jump-jive-and-thrive<\/a>.)<\/p>\n Karen Salkin (who is NOT wearing a tiara–that’s just a big dress in the background,) and George Chakiris. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n The entire show wrapped-up on a very high note\u2014a major hip-hop dance number by a whole passel of amazing dancers from Cantinas Arts and The Groovaloos, most notable of which was Steven “Boogieman” Stanton from the latter group, which was founded by Bradley Rapier many years ago. Steven was shot in the back over a decade ago, and had a long recovery, but I couldn\u2019t even tell if he still needs the cane he was using this time or if it\u2019s just a prop now! That\u2019s<\/em> how good he is!<\/p>\n Part of the spectacular number that closed the evening. Photo by Susy Miller.<\/p><\/div>\n I missed them having a dance after-party that some of the other World Choreography Awards evenings featured, but everyone was so dressed-up that it might have been hard for them to bust a move without busting a seam! But people stayed in the lobby for quite awhile, congratulating each other and taking selfies. I had to rush home, though\u2014to start getting ready for next year\u2019s event!!!<\/p>\n For a list of the nominees and winners, and to get all the info for next year, so you don\u2019t miss-out again, (because this show is open to the public-yay!,) just click here: www.worldchoreographyawards.com<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" WORLD CHOREOGRAPHY AWARDS 2017 This was the best World Choreography Awards I\u2019ve ever been to!\u00a0 (It was their seventh one, but the third for me, since 2014; I, sadly, missed last year\u2019s show because I was in New York. I was supposed to be there now, too, but I\u2019m glad I wasn\u2019t so I could<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>