2009 Astaire Awards Are Presented

The 2009 Astaire Awards, honoring the best in dance and choreography, were presented at the Fashion Institute of Technology on Monday, June 1. Alan Cumming hosted the ceremony.

The boys of Billy Elliot — David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, and Kiril Kulish — were named Best Male Dancer, while Pia Glenn, who played Condi Rice in You’re Welcome America: A Final Night with George W. Bush, was named Best Female Dancer. Peter Darling was named Best Broadway Choreographer for Billy Elliot, and Longines Fernandes was named Best Film Choreographer for Slumdog Millionaire.

In addition, legendary film director and choreographer Stanley Donen was on hand to receive the Douglas Watt 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award, and New York Post columnist Michael Reidel paid tribute to his late colleague, the critic Clive Barnes.

Among the many performers and presenters were Nick Adams, Ava Astaire, Marisa Berenson, Marge Champion, Stockard Channing, Erin Crouch, Jeffry Denman, Kearann Giovanni, Savion Glover, Lance Horne, Kirll Kulish, Tiger Martina, Donna McKechnie, Liza Minnelli, Bebe Neuwirth, Martha Plimpton, Lee Roy Reams, Geoffrey Rush, KT Sullivan, Tina Sugandh, and Julie Taymor.

For the full list of nominations, click here.

For more information, visit www.AstaireAwards.com.