Norbert Leo Butz, Ariana DeBose, and More Earn Chita Rivera Awards Nominations

Nominations for the 2018 Chita Rivera Awards were announced today ahead of the ceremony set for May 20 at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. The mission of the Chita Rivera Awards is to celebrate dance and choreographic excellence, preserve notable dance history, and recognize past, present, and future talents while promoting high standards in dance education and investing in the next generation.

At this year's Chita Rivera Awards, actor, dancer, and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade will receive the second annual Lifetime Achievement Award, iconic composer John Kander will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theater as a Composer, and legendary theater director and producer Harold Prince will be presented with the SDC Director Award for Exemplary Collaboration with Choreographers.

The awards are produced by Nikki Feirt Atkins (founder and producing artistic director of American Dance Machine of the 21st Century) and Joe Lanteri (founder and executive director of the New York City Dance Alliance Foundation), with Patricia Watt and Iris Smith.

Read below for the complete list of nominees:

THEATER AWARDS

Outstanding Choreography in a Broadway Show
Camille A. Brown, Once on This Island
Christopher Gattelli, SpongeBob SquarePants
Casey Nicholaw, Mean Girls
Justin Peck, Carousel
Sergio Trujillo, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show
Carousel
Mean Girls
Once On This Island
SpongeBob SquarePants
Summer: The Donna Summer Musical

Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show
Norbert Leo Butz, My Fair Lady
Andrei Chagas, Carousel
Gavin Lee, SpongeBob SquarePants
Amar Ramasar, Carousel
Tony Yazbeck, Prince of Broadway

Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show
Yesenia Ayala, Carousel
Ariana DeBose, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
Hailey Kilgore, Once On This Island
Katrina Lenk, The Band's Visit
Skye Mattox, Carousel
Ashley Park, Mean Girls
Brittany Pollack, Carousel

Outstanding Choreography in an Off-Broadway Show
Nejla Yatkin, The Boy Who Danced on Air
Sonya Tayeh, Hundred Days
Zach Morris & Jennine Willet, Ghost Light
Chris Bailey, Jerry Springer: The Opera

Monica Bill Barnes, One Night Only

Outstanding Female Dancer in an Off- Broadway Show
Anna Bass, One Night Only
Monica Bill Barnes, One Night Only
Elizabeth Carena, Ghost Light
Tiffany Mann, Jerry Springer: The Opera
Kenita R. Miller, Bella

Outstanding Male Dancer in an Off- Broadway Show
Colin Campbell, Disco Pigs
Robert Fairchild, Frankenstein
Troy Iwata, The Boy Who Danced on Air
Evan Ruggiero, Bastard Jones
Nikhil Saboo, The Boy Who Danced on Air

FILM AWARDS

Theatrical Release
Basmati Blues – (Release Date February 9, 2018, stars Brie Larson, Donald Sutherland, Tyne Daly)
Choreographers: Noemie LaFrance (listed individually on main credit roll) and Rajeev, Dimple Ganguly, Vijay Ganguly, and Ryan Heffington (listed in on screen credits by shoot location)

Finding Your Feet – (Release date February 23, 2018, stars Imelda Staunton, Timothy Spall, Joanna Lumley) Choreographer: Mark Jennings

Hello Again – (Release Date November 8, 2017) Choreographer: Todd Underwood

Polina, danser sa vie – (Release date August 25, 2017 stars Juliette Binoche) Choreographer: Angelin Preljocaj

The Greatest Showman – (Release date December 20, 2017, stars Hugh Jackman) Choreographers: Shannon Holtzapffel, Ashley Wallen

Documentaries
Step – (Release date August 4, 2017) Directed by Amanda Lipitz

Bobbi Jene – (Release date September 22, 2017) Directed by Elvira Lind

Anatomy of a Male Ballet Dancer – (Release date January 3, 2018 stars Marcelo Gomes)
Directed by David Barba and James Pellerito