Joe Lanteri News

Bergen County Players will kick off its 2011-12 season with the multiple Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

The NYC Dance Alliance Foundation held its 1st Annual Bright Lights, Shining Stars Gala at the Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU and clearly delivered on its promise of a star studded evening of music & dance with one show-stopping number after another. Following cocktails hosted by Honorary Co-Chairs Cassandra Seidenfeld Lyster and Robin Cofer, eager guests flooded into the elegant theater for an evening of unforgettable moments.

The NYC Dance Alliance, in an effort to make its Bright Stars! Shining Lights! Gala on August 1 at the Skirball Center at NYU affordable to a broad audience including performing artists, students and young professionals and to continue its mission of empowering young dancers is offering $25 Balcony Seats for their Gala with CODE: DANCER through the Skirball Box office ( 212-352-3101 ) or through The Skirball website:

Bright Lights! Shining Stars!, a gala event to benefit the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation, will honor the legendary Roberta Flack with the NYCDAF's First Ambassador for the Arts Award on August 1, 2011 at the Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU. 566 LaGuardia Place, New York. The star studded evening of song and dance directed by renowned choreographer, dancer and instructor Joe Lanteri will also feature the awarding of $50,000+ in college scholarships to promising young dancers.

NYCDAF Executive Director Joe Lanteri director of Bright Lights! Shining Stars!, a gala event to benefit the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation has announced that 'Smokey Joe's Café' stars Brenda Braxton, Felicia Finley, Ramona Keller & Deb Lyons will reunite to perform one of the great Leiber & Stoller hits from the smash musical at the star studded gala.

Following a dazzling opening number featuring Broadway stars & hundreds of young dancers from across the country, Costa Rica & Canada, Joe Lanteri Executive Director of the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation got to the real 'meat' of the Closing Evening Gala at the Sheraton New York, the announcement of the college and university scholarship winners By the end of the segment, a mind boggling total of $2.8 Million in scholarships were awarded to the most promising young dancers.

Following a dazzling opening number featuring Broadway stars & hundreds of young dancers from across the country, Costa Rica & Canada, Joe Lanteri Executive Director of the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation got to the real 'meat' of the Closing Evening Gala at the Sheraton New York, the announcement of the college and university scholarship winners By the end of the segment, a mind boggling total of $2.8 Million in scholarships were awarded to the most promising young dancers.

Bright Lights! Shining Stars!, a gala event to benefit the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation, will honor the legendary Roberta Flack with the NYCDAF's First Ambassador for the Arts Award on August 1, 2011 at the Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU. 566 LaGuardia Place, New York. The star studded evening of song and dance directed by renowned choreographer, dancer and instructor Joe Lanteri will also feature the awarding of $50,000+ in college scholarships to promising young dancers.

Skipping the usual 4th of July festivities, over 1,500 young dancers from across the country and as far as Brazil, Costa Rica & Canada have taken over the Sheraton New York for the 17th Annual NYC Dance Alliance Convention from June 30 to July 7.

Bright Lights! Shining Stars!, a gala event to benefit the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation, will honor the legendary Roberta Flack with the NYCDAF's First Ambassador for the Arts Award on August 1, 2011 at the Jack H. Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU. 566 LaGuardia Place, New York, NY 10012

At the 29th Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, the only awards to recognize excellence in dance and choreography on Broadway and in film, actor, dancer & singer Corey Snide, a senior at Colonie Central High School in Albany, New York, danced his way into the Awards Committee's hearts and walked away with the first ever Adele Astaire Scholarship presented by the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation at the 29th Fred & Adele Astaire Awards.

Bergen County Players (BCP) presents Sordid Lives, a black comedy about white trash by playwright Del Shores. Winner of 14 Drama Logue awards, including Best Production, Sordid Lives is a comedic twist on a story of unconditional love, acceptance and coming out in a Texas family as they all arrive for the matriarch's funeral.

The 29th Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, hosted by Bebe Neuwirth and Lee Roy Reams at the magnificent Skirball Center for The Performing Arts at NYU once again honored excellence in dance and choreography on Broadway and in film. Susan Stroman took top honors for Best Choreographer on Broadway in a field of nine nominees for her stunning work in 'The Scottsboro Boys'. It was a record breaking 5th Astaire Award for the 5 time Tony Award and 5 time Drama Desk winner. Two time Tony Award Winner Bebe Neuwirth presented the award to Ms. Stroman. Sutton Foster star of 'Anything Goes' took home her second Astaire for Best Female Dancer on Broadway for her rousing performance as 'Reno Sweeney'. Her first Astaire was for 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'. Desmond Richardson, Tony nominee for 'Fosse' and co-founder and co-artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet presented the award to Ms. Sutton. First timer Norbert Leo Butz star of 'Catch Me if You Can' took the prize for Best Male Dancer on Broadway presented by Tony and Drama Desk winner Karen Ziemba . Australia's Graeme Murphy and Janet Vernon won the Astaire for Excellence in Choreography in Film for their breathtaking dances in 'Mao's Last Dancer' presented by Tony Award winner Bill Irwin. Legendary dancer, choreographer, teacher and founder of the National Dance Institute Jacques d'Amboise received the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award named for the late drama critic and co-founder of the Award with Fred Astaire. Following a major tribute in dance including a brilliant performance by NYCB's Russell Janzen of a piece from the ballet 'Who Cares' created by George Balanchine and first danced by d'Amboise; an exuberant performance of 'Shall We Dance' by d'Amboise's students at the National Dance Institute and praiseful introductions by Len Cariou, Charlotte & Christopher d'Amboise, Brian Stokes Mitchell presented the award to Mr. d'Amboise.

Yesterday, May 15, the 2011 Fred and Adele Astaire Awards were held at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU. The Fred & Adele Astaire Awards afe the only awards to recognize excellence in dance & choreography on Broadway and in film. On hand to celebrate were some of Broadway and film's greatest talents including Daniel Radcliffe, Benjamin Millepied, Sutton Foster, Christie Brinkley, Bebe Neuwirth, Lee Roy Reams, Ava Astaire, Norbert Leo Butz, Aaron Tveit, Len Cariou, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Bill Irwin, Maurice Hines, Christine Andreas, Karen Ziemba, Nick Adams, Kathleen Marshall, Desmond Richardson, Young Dancers from the National Dance Institute, Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Jacques d'Amboise and more.

The Fred and Adele Astaire Awards the only awards to recognize excellence in dance and choreography on Broadway are offering a limited number of Student Rush tickets with proper student ID at $20 beginning 6pm Sunday May 15 at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at New York University Box Office Only, 566 LaGuardia Place, New York City 10012. The dazzling Awards Show & Performances begin at 7:30 pm. The producers want to make this extraordinary event available to young people with an interest in dance and theater.

The Bergen County Players (BCP) presents The Tiger, a dark comedy by Murray Schisgal. Under the direction of Jerry Pettinati, The Tiger will be performed at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell for two performances only: Saturday, May 14 at 2pm and Sunday, May 15 at 7pm.

Patricia Watt, Executive Producer and Joe Lanteri, Co-producer have announced several more electrifying moments for the 2011 Fred and Adele Astaire Awards on May 15 at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU.

Patricia Watt, Executive Producer of the 2011 Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, has announced the first group of Presenters for the 29th Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, In addition to Len Cariou and Brian Stokes Mitchell who will co-present the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award to legendary, dancer, choreographer, teacher and star of stage, film and television Jacques D'Amboise, additional presenters include Bill Irwin, Maurice Hines, Christine Andreas, Charlotte D'amboise, Christopher D'amboise and Karen Ziemba.

The 29th Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards nominees were announced by choreographer & director Lee Roy Reams at a special reception hosted by Carolyn Kendall Buchter, Ronald Buchter and Patricia Watt, Producer of the Astaire Awards at Theater Row's Firebird Russian Restaurant,. The 'Astaires' are the only awards to honor excellence in dance and choreography on Broadway and in film. Check out photos from the reception below!

at a special reception hosted by Carolyn Kendall Buchter, Ronald Buchter and Patricia Watt, Producer of the Astaire Awards at Theater Row's Firebird Russian Restaurant,. The 'Astaires' are the only awards to honor excellence in dance and choreography on Broadway and in film.