I just wanted to congratulate both Ana and Raphael on their nominations for the Critics Circle National Dance awards. Well deserved recognition for both artistes and I just wish I had a vote in those categories.

<small>[ 10 January 2004, 02:15 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

Thanks for kicking off this topic Karen - I'm going to move this topic over to "UK News and Issues" and hope that's OK with you.

<img src="http://www.criticscircle.org.uk/images/menu_03.gif" alt="" />

There is a new website giving a wealth of information about the National Dance Awards presented by the Critics' Circle. The website has been set up by Bruce Marriott of ballet.co.uk and a fine piece of work it is too.

The front page is an index to details of past awards, articles and most important details of the next Award Ceremony to be held on 13 January 2004 at an invitation only ceremony.

Here are the categories and this year's nominees and the winners will be decided by the members of the Critics' Circle. Click on each heading for further details:

Richard Sherrington Award for Best Female Dancer

Mara Galeazzi, Agnes Oaks, Zenaida Yanowsky.

Best Male Dancer

Carlos Acosta, Jonathan Ollivier, William Trevitt.

Best Choreography (Classical)

Michael Corder, Cathy Marston, David Nixon

Best Choreography (Modern)

Rafael Bonachela, Akram Khan, Fin Walker.

Best Choreography (Musical Theatre)

Adam Cooper, Stephen Mear, William Tuckett.

Best Foreign Dance Company

Nederlands Dans Theatre 2, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Twyla Tharp Dance.

Outstanding Female Artist (Classical)

Deirdre Chapman, Oxana Panchenko, Desire Samaii.

Outstanding Male Artist (Classical)

Martin Harvey, Robert Parker, Yosvani Ramos.

Outstanding Female Artist (Modern)

Ana Lujan Sanchez, Jenny Tattersall, Jasmin Vardimon

Outstanding Male Artist (Modern)

Matthew Dibble, Fernando Hernando Magadan, Henry Montes

Company Prize for Outstanding Repertoire (Classical)

English National Ballet, George Piper Dances, Northern Ballet Theatre

Company Prize for Outstanding Repertoire (Modern)

CandoCo, Henri Oguike, Scottish Dance Theatre

<small>[ 21 December 2003, 01:06 PM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

<img src="http://www.nationaldanceawards.co.uk/images/photo/markmorris_220_tp.gif" alt="" />
<img src="http://www.nationaldanceawards.co.uk/images/photo/markmorris_220_bm.gif" alt="" />

Although the majority of the National Dance Awards are decided by the members of the Critics' Circle, there are a number of new award categories this year in which other people can take part:

<img src="http://www.nationaldanceawards.co.uk/images/danceuk.gif" alt="" />

The Audience Award

The National Dance Awards celebrates the best in British dance through a special prize chosen solely by audience members.

This is your chance to vote for your favourite dancer. Simply tell us whose performance you most enjoyed in 2003.

To help jog your memory we have a page full of links to companies many of which have performed in the UK in the last year and whose performances you might well have enjoyed:

UK and overseas company links page

You vote using a special postcard available at selected dance venues during November, or write the name of your nominated dancer, your own name and your telephone number on a piece of paper and post it to:

National Dance Awards Audience Prize
c/o Dance UK,
Battersea Arts Centre
Lavender Hill
London SW11 5TN

All votes must be received by 31 November 2003.

The dancer who receives the most votes, wins. It's that simple.

The prize, supported by Dance UK, will be announced on 13 January 2004 at London's Sadler's Wells Theatre as part of the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards Ceremony.

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<img src="http://www.nationaldanceawards.co.uk/images/danceuk.gif" alt="" />

Dance UK Industry Award

The Dance UK Industry Award aims to highlight the many important but often unacknowledged contributions that make a real difference to how dance is created, supported and seen.

Do you know of someone who goes above and beyond the call of duty to move dance forward and enable the dance art form to thrive? If so, please let us know.

Hosted by the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards, this special award will honour an individual working in dance who has made an outstanding contribution to the art form.

The person could be a dance manager, a designer or a critic - in fact anyone who, through their knowledge, skill and generosity, has made a significant contribution to dance beyond the scope of their usual role.

To nominate someone for this award, please send an email to award@DanceUK.org, including industry award in the subject box.

Or you can send your nomination to:

Dance UK Industry Award,
c/o Dance UK,
Battersea Arts Centre
Lavender Hill
London SW11 5TN

You need to include the name of the person you are nominating along with a statement telling us in no more than 200 words - why you feel this person should win the award. You should also let us know where the person is based or where he or she can be contacted. Please note that due to the scope of this award, only nominations for individuals working within the dance industry can be accepted.

All nominations must be received by 31 November 2003.

Nominations will be considered by a panel of experts, who will decide upon the shortlist and winner.

The Dance UK Industry Award will be announced on 13 January 2004 at London's Sadler's Wells Theatre as part of the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards Ceremony.

http://www.danceuk.org

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<img src="http://www.nationaldanceawards.co.uk/images/sundayexpress_sponsor.jpg" alt="" />

The Sunday Express Children's Award

The Sunday Express is proud to support the National Dance Awards celebrating with their annual accolades the best in the cultural life of the nation.

Recognising the increasing popularity of dance in Britain, The Sunday Express is keen to to foster the spirit of determination, creativity and courage among its young readers.

The Sunday Express Children's Award, supported by the National Dance Awards, will reward by a public acknowledgement an outstanding example of high acheivement in dance in the face of exceptional difficulties of a family, social or financial nature. Children, between the ages of 6 - 16, who can prove a regular dance class attendance, can be recommended by a friend, teacher or relarive.

Recommendations for the Sunday Express Children's Award must be received by 30th December and the Award will be presented by Sunday Express Editor, Martin Townsend, at the National Dance Awards ceremony at Sadler's Wells Theatre, on 13 January, 2004.

<small>[ 12 November 2003, 09:35 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

Sadler’s Wells hosts the 4th Annual
National Dance Awards

www.nationaldanceawards.com / www.sadlerswells.com

In January, Sadler’s Wells hosts the fourth National Dance Awards, the only professional awards in the UK dedicated specifically to dance. The Awards are presented by the dance section of the Critics’ Circle, which brings together over 50 writers, the majority of whom write for national papers or specialist press.

‘In hosting the National Dance Awards, it is a great joy to pay tribute to the dancers and choreographers who enrich our lives. Sadler’s Wells is a very special place for artists. It is a place to explore the creative process; to experiment with new ideas. So we are delighted to celebrate the achievements of those who make dance so special and bring so much pleasure to the audiences.’ Jean-Luc Choplin, Chief Executive of Sadler’s Wells

Angela Rippon, Vice Chair of English National Ballet, leads a star-studded gathering from the world of dance and musical theatre to present the Awards. Mara Galeazzi, principal dancer of the Royal Ballet, Adam Cooper, star of recent hit musical On Your Toes, and brilliant young stars Tamara Rojo and Alina Cojocaru lead the tributes. The new award for Best Choreography in a Musical will be presented by Elaine Paige, star of the West End’s longest running dance musical, Cats.

The Sunday Express has joined forces with the NDA to sponsor a unique award aimed at the hundreds of thousands of children in the UK who attend Saturday morning dance classes. The Sunday Express and the National Dance Awards will honour a boy or a girl who has achieved a high standard of dancing in the face of unusual adversity. This year will also see the introduction of a dancer’s award chosen solely by audience members, the Audience Award.

Carlos Acosta, Cuban superstar of the Royal Ballet, is nominated for Best Male Dancer. He will be joined by some of the nation’s finest dance talent including: Rafael Bonachela, Kylie Minogue’s pop video choreographer; the brilliant young dancers, The Ballet Boyz (George Piper Dances); Jenny Tattersall (Fin Walker Dance); and Fernando Hernando Magadan (NDT2). From the world of classical ballet, nominees include husband and wife team Desire Samaai and Jonathan Ollivier (Northern Ballet Theatre); Agnes Oaks and Yosvani Ramos (English National Ballet); and Zenaida Yanowsky (Royal Ballet).

2003 Critics' Circle National
Dance Awards winners
London, Tuesday January 13, 2004
www.nationaldanceawards.com

More

Thanks a bunch corrival for posting the details while I was still in transit from the event. It was a lovely occasion and I'll try to get some more focussed thoughts down on paper.

Perhaps the point that impressed me the most was the balance achieved between ballet and modern dance. This is not by accident as the categories shown above are drawn up specifically to achieve that aim and enable brilliant dancers such as Ana Lujan Sanchez of Rambert Dance Company and Henry Montes of Siobhan Davies Dance Company to win awards alongside dancers from the big ballet companies who have higher profile.

In addition, two of the discretionary awards went to the modern dance sector. The Dance UK Industry Award went to Theresa Beattie, Director of Artist Development, The Place. Theresa is a much admired and delightful toiler in the cause of dance and I'm sure all who know her work will be pleased and this award will make her known on a broader stage.

The most prestigious prize, the De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance went to
Val Bourne, Dance Umbrella Artistic Director. In the Silver Anniversary Year of Dance Umbrella it is only fitting that Val should be honoured in this way; she came up with the idea for the UK's leading dance festival and has been Director for all 25 years.

Congratulations from CriticalDance to all the prizewinners and nominees.

<small>[ 17 January 2004, 07:24 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

PRESS RELEASE

The Place's Theresa Beattie wins inaugural Dance UK Industry Award

Theresa Beattie, Director of Artist Development at The Place, has today been recognised by the Dance UK Industry Award, presented at a ceremony at Sadler’s Wells as part of the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards.

The Dance UK Industry Award has been set up this year, to be awarded to an individual who makes important but often unacknowledged contributions that make a real difference to the way dance is created, supported and seen. Dance UK invited members of the dance profession to write in to nominate people whose behind-the-scenes work they felt deserved recognition.

Theresa Beattie joined The Place Artist Development (then known as TPDS) in 1995. The department is recognised for high quality research and development and production initiatives, including 'Choreodrome' and 'Hothouse', and Associate Artists and Choreographer in Residence schemes. It provides information and advice to independent dance professionals in the UK and abroad via its 'Juice' listings magazine and a range of subscriber services including one-to-one advice surgeries. The portfolio also includes Dance in Screen, the UK's largest festival of dance created for the camera, digital editing and recording facilities for dance film makers, and the production of dance films for use in education with the 'Movers and Shakers' and 'Set Step' series.

Ms Beattie said today:

“I’m delighted to accept this award as acknowledgement that the dance artists we work with both need and appreciate the support that we give them.”

Nigel Hinds, Interim Executive Director of The Place, said:

“I’m thrilled that Theresa’s dedication and great achievement has been recognised by this very special award. Her tireless work in support of dance artists is an example to all of us lucky enough to work alongside her.”

Hats off to the Independent for reporting on the National Dance Awards:

All-male Swan Lake star and Cuban truck driver's son take top British dance awards
By Louise Jury, Arts Correspondent for The Independent

His role as a male swan was featured in the ending to the film Billy Elliot. Yesterday Adam Cooper, the star of Matthew Bourne's acclaimed all-male production of Swan Lake, won the plaudits of critics and audiences at Britain's national dance awards.

click for more

<small>[ 14 January 2004, 03:18 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

Boogie nights
From The Herald


ANOTHER feather in the cap of Scottish dance and Dundee. Scottish Dance Theatre, Dundee Rep's resident com-pany, has been awarded a prestigious national accolade for Outstanding Company Repertoire (Modern) at the Critics' Circle National Dance Awards in London.

click for more

<img src="http://www.nationaldanceawards.com/images/awards03/awards_e3_385.jpg" alt="" />

The 2003 winners

Bruce Marriott has posted some great images of the National Dance Awards by Dougie Morrison on the NDA website.

Here is the link.

<small>[ 19 January 2004, 06:04 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

File under "I'm probably going to regret this."

<img src="http://www.ballet-dance.com/images/images/clip_image001_001.jpg" alt="" />

At the NDA 2003, your intrepid correspondent does the reverse of "tripping the light fantastic" with one of the great dancers from the Jiving Lindy Hoppers - poor girl. It was great fun!

<small>[ 21 January 2004, 10:34 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

I've seen videos of this group (but not of the intrepid correspondent) -- they're great!