NEW YORK, NY (SMI-ENTERTAINMENT-AWARDS MAY 20-21, 2024)-The Chita Rivera Awards celebrated its annual awards benefit gala this evening announcing the winners in the main categories of Outstanding choreography on Broadway and Film hosted by Jared Grimes(Funny Girl) and produced by Joe Lanteri in conjunction with Patricia Watt at NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts in West Village, NYC. 

 

 

The mission of the Chita Rivera Awards is to celebrate dance and choreographic excellence, preserve notable dance history, recognize past, present, and future talents, while promoting high standards in dance education and investing in the next generation.

​

All proceeds of the Chita Rivera Awards benefit the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation Scholarship Program.This year benefit will go to support  the creation of a new Chita Rivera Training Scholarship.

​

In additions to the winners, Bernadette Peters, Phil LaDuca and Mayte Natalio were honored with special awards at the performance and award ceremony.

​

Bernadette Peters received the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award

Phil LaDuca was honored with the Vanguard Award

Mayte Natalio received 2024 Douglas and Ethel Watt Critics' Choice Award

 

Presenters and performers at this year’s Awards included: Wayne Brady (The Wiz), Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked), Anthony Crivello (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Joel Grey (Cabaret), Huey Lewis (The Heart of Rock and Roll), Norm Lewis (Phantom of the Opera; Porgy and Bess), Joe Morton (Scandal, ART) Bebe Neuwirth (Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, Chicago), Kenny Ortega (High School Musical), David Hyde Pierce (Here We Are, Spamalot), Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan; The Adams Family), Ben Vereen (Pippin),

​
 

2024 CHITA RIVERA AWARD WINNERS:

 

***Winners are in bold and and starred

 

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY IN A BROADWAY SHOW

***Camille A Brown, Hell’s Kitchen (tie)

Julia Cheng, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

Rick and Jeff Kuperman, The Outsiders

Lorin Latarro, The Heart of Rock and Roll / The Who’s Tommy (joint nomination)

Justin Peck, Illinoise

***Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll, Water for Elephants (tie)

 

 

OUTSTANDING DANCER IN A BROADWAY SHOW

***Antoine Boissereau, Water for Elephants WINNER

Ben Cook, Illinoise

Chloe Davis, Hell’s Kitchen

Gaby Diaz, Illinoise

***Tilly Evans-Krueger, The Outsiders WINNER

Rachel Lockhart, Illinoise

Phillip Johnson Richardson, The Wiz

Byron Tittle, Illinoise

Ricky Ubeda, Illinoise

Avery Wilson, The Wiz

                       

 

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A BROADWAY SHOW

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

Hell’s Kitchen

***Illinoise.  WINNER

The Heart of Rock and Roll

The Outsiders

Water for Elephants

                       

FILM & DOCUMENTARY

 

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY IN A THEATRICAL RELEASE

***Barbie, Choreographer: Jennifer White WINNER

Carmen, Choreographer: Benjamin Millepied / Marina Tamayo

Color Purple, Choreographer: Fatima Robinson

Mean Girls, Choreographer: Kyle Hanagami

Wonka, Choreographer: Christopher Gattelli

 

 

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A DANCE DOCUMENTARY

Daughters, Directors: Angela Patton / Natalie Rae

Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate, Directors: Benjamin Cantu / Matt Lambert

***Lift, Director: David Petersen WINNER

Studio One Forever, Director: Marc Saltarelli  

Swan Song, Director: Chelsea McMullan