Rolex presented Career Transition For Dancers’ “30th Anniversary Pearl Jubilee: A Star-Studded Retrospective” in association with the Lloyd E. Rigler – Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, at New York City Center. The spectacular show was a gala celebration of Career Transition For Dancers: 30 Years Changing Lives!
Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones introduced and presented the 2015 Rolex Dance Award to Shirley MacLaine. “Regardless of what I have done, seen, and enjoyed; I think of myself as a dancer,” said MacLaine. “It is the essence of my work ethic, my values, and my balance in life. I am honored to receive this recognition and to be among my fellow dancers again, as well as the princes of time, Rolex.” The Career Transition For Dancers Outstanding Contributions to the World of Dance Awards recipients included: Andrew Faas-Faas Foundation; Irene & Fred Shen and Misty Widelitz. The CTFD 30th Anniversary Pearl Jubilee Award Honoree was Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc., Stewart Wicht, President and CEO of Rolex Watch USA.
The spectacular show produced and directed by Ann Maria DeAngelo opened with a cast of 80 presenting an “American Dance Collage.” Some of the highlights included Robert Fairchild, a New York City Ballet principal and the award-winning star of “An American In Paris,” who performed “A Tribute To Gene Kelly”(doing the Kelly choreography). This year he won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, a Theatre World Award and an Astaire Award, and was a Tony Award nominee. Misty Copeland, an American Ballet Theatre principal ballerina and one of the stars in Broadway’s “On The Town,” performed “Paganini” with violinist Charles Yang, a solo created by ABT star Marcelo Gomes. Misty has recently been featured in television, numerous newspapers and magazines and has a new film “A Ballerina’s Tale” premiering soon. The fast-paced production also featured Bebe Neuwirth with members of the original cast performing “All That Jazz” from “Chicago,” Noah Racey and New York Song & Dance Company in a show-stopping “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and Parsons Dance in the mesmerizing “Caught,” to name a few.
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Honoree Shirley MacLaine. (Photo: David Dupuy – Annie Watt.com) |
The annual auction with unique items once again brought out the paddles to place bids, including the sought after Vanity Fair Oscar Party, which was sold for $50,000. Overall, the Gala raised $1,259,560.
For more information, visit www.careertransition.org.
