Ann-Margret to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award From Chita Rivera Awards

Stage and screen star Ann-Margret will receive the 2026 Chita Rivera Awards Lifetime Achievement Award for her lifelong commitment to dance on the big screen and on stages around the world.

Ann-Margret, winner of five Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award, is known for films such as Bye Bye Birdie and Viva Las Vegas opposite Elvis Presley. She was nominated for Oscars for her roles in Carnal Knowledge and Tommy.

This year’s awards, produced by Joe Lanteri, founder and executive director of the New York City Dance Alliance Foundation, Inc., in conjunction with Patricia Watt, will take place on Monday, May 18, at NYU Skirball Center.

The nominations for the Chita Rivera Awards, which celebrate dance and choreographic excellence, will be announced on Thursday, April 30 and the “Meet the Nominees” press event will take place on Monday, May 4.

Nominators will consider outstanding choreography, featured dancers and ensembles in productions on Broadway and off-Broadway and outstanding choreography in film from the 2025-26 season. The off-Broadway honors won’t have competitive categories with nominees, and as was the case last year, will be chosen by the awarding committee. This year’s cut-off for nominators to see eligible shows is April 26.

The Outstanding Dancer in a Broadway Show category will be gender-free, with twice as many nominees as the former gendered categories. There will be two winners.

The awarding committee is chaired by Sylviane Gold and includes Gary Chryst, Robert LaFosse, Donna McKechnie, Wendy Perron, Stephanie Pope, and Lee Roy Reams.

The Broadway nominating committee includes Melinda Atwood, Caitlin Carter, Gary Chryst, Don Correia, Sandy Duncan, Peter Filichia, Dr. Louis Galli, Sylviane Gold, Jonathan Herzog, Robert La Fosse, Joe Lanteri, Donna McKechnie, Michael Milton, Mary Beth O’Connor, Wendy Perron, Stephanie Pope, Lee Roy Reams, Desmond Richardson, Andy Sandberg, and Randy Skinner.

The film nominating committee is chaired by Jonathan C. Herzog and includes Steven Caras, Wilhelmina Frankfurt, Mary Beth O’Connor, and Andy Sandberg.