What's New on the Rialto

Honoring outstanding dance and choreography on stage and screen, the 2016 Fred and Adele Astaire Awards were presented on Monday, May 16 at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in a ceremony notable for spectacular entertainment, and for a three-way tie for the Best Choreographer Award between Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton), Savion Glover (Shuffle Along, Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed), and Sergio Trujillo (On Your Feet).

The award for Best Female Dancer went to Jane Krakowski for her amazing moves in She Loves Me. Phillip Attmore received the Best Male Dancer award for Shuffle Along..., and that show also won for Outstanding Ensemble in a Broadway Show. This is the first year that the Astaire Awards have honored achievement Off-Broadway: Connor Gallagher (The Robber Bridegroom) and Paul McGill (The Legend of Georgia McBride) tied for the award for Outstanding Choreography, while Rumi Oyama (Sayonara) and Robert Creighton (Cagney) won Outstanding Female Dancer and Outstanding Male Dancer. The Outstanding Choreography in Film Award went to Dave Scott for High Strung.

Ably and charmingly hosted by Donna McKechnie and Lee Roy Reams, the ceremony was highlighted by the presentation of honorary awards to Judith Jamison (Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award), Nigel Lythgoe (Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Dance), Maurice Hines (Outstanding Body of Work in the Field of Dance), and Dr. Joan Fallon (Special Achievement in the Field of Autism and Related Disorders).

The proceedings were sparked by such roof-raising dance numbers as "Tradicion" from On Your Feet, a tribute to Maurice Hines by Leo and John Manzari, and "Dr. Jazz," choreographed by Warren Carlyle.

Here is a complete list of the winners and nominees (winners' names in bold).

BEST FEMALE DANCER
Mara Davi, Dames at Sea
Deanna Doyle, Tuck Everlasting
Sandra Mae Frank, Spring Awakening
Jane Krakowski, She Loves Me
Eloise Kropp, Dames at Sea
Ana Villafañe, On Your Feet
Adrienne Warren, Shuffle Along, Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed

BEST MALE DANCER
Phillip Attmore, Shuffle Along, Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Alex Brightman, School of Rock
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Carlos Gonzalez, On Your Feet
Curtis Holland, Shuffle Along, Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Kendrick Jones, Shuffle Along, Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Luis Salgado, On Your Feet

BEST CHOREOGRAPHER
Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
Warren Carlyle, She Loves Me
Savion Glover, Shuffle Along, Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed
Lorin Latarro, Waitress
Spencer Liff, Spring Awakening
Casey Nicholaw, Tuck Everlasting
Sergio Trujillo, On Your Feet
Josh Rhodes, Bright Star
Hofesh Shechter, Fiddler on the Roof
Randy Skinner, Dames at Sea

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN a BROADWAY SHOW
Bright Star
Dames at Sea
Fiddler on the Roof
Hamilton
On Your Feet
School of Rock
She Loves Me
Shuffle Along
Spring Awakening

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY IN FILM
Luke Broadlick, Teresa Espinosa, Alison Faulk & Channing Tatum, Magic Mike XXL
Christopher Gattelli, Hail, Caesar!
Aakomon Jones, Pitch Perfect 2
Joey Pizzi, Lucky Stiff
Fatima Robinson & Charm Jordan, Dance Camp
Dave Scott, High Strung

OUTSTANDING FEMALE DANCER OFF-BROADWAY
Yesenia Ayala, Trip of Love
Leslie Kritzer, The Robber Bridegroom
Rumi Oyama, Sayonara
Jaime Lynn Verazin, Standard Time
Ellen Zolezzi, Cagney

OUTSTANDING MALE DANCER OFF-BROADWAY
Jeremy Benton, Cagney
Dave Thomas Brown, The Legend of Georgia McBride
Robert Creighton, Cagney
Cory Lingner, Once Upon a Mattress
Matt McGrath, The Legend of Georgia McBride

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY OFF-BROADWAY
Joshua Bergasse, Cagney
Martha Clarke, Angel Reapers
Connor Gallagher, The Robber Bridegroom
Paul McGill, The Legend of Georgia McBride
James Ortiz, Claire Karpen & Will Gallacher, The Woodsman
Sergio Trujillo & Darrell Grand Moultrie, Invisible Thread

Judith Jamison and Nigel Lythgoe were honored with special awards at the ceremony; Jamison is artistic director emerita at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; and Lythgoe is creator and executive director of the TV series "So You Think You Can Dance." Maurice Hines was also honored for his body of work.