Liza Minelli Presenting Rolex Dance Award
On October 7, 2013, the stage in New York City’s City Center will resound with the rhythmic staccato of dance steps that never cease to awe theater goers on the Great White Way. That’s the night of “Broadway and Beyond! Celebrating Theater and Dance – Career Transition for Dancers 28th Anniversary Jubilee”, known as Broadway and Beyond! for obvious reasons.
Presented by Rolex, the extravaganza features the talent of today performing for the talent of yesterday, with proceeds going to Career Transitions for Dancers, a non-profit that helps dancers prepare for life once their days on the stage are behind them. And presenting the affair’s signature award will be a phenomenal talent who was born to the stage and over sixty years later is still getting up there and giving it all she’s got.
Liza Minelli has accepted the invitation to present the Rolex Award this year. When you consider that Liza has earned awards galore, including Four Tony awards, an Oscar, an Emmy, two Golden Globes, and a Legends Grammy, the fact that Judy Garland was her mother becomes only a biographical note, doesn’t it?
On the receiving end will be another beautiful whirlwind of talent whose name has blazed in the lights for decades. Ann Margret who is equally weighted down with awards will accept her latest from Liza and bring it home where her two Academy Awards,one Emmy, and Five Golden Globes will keep it company. Also being honored with “Outstanding Contributions to Dance”awards will be philanthropist Ann Van Ness and Harlequin, a leader in sprung and vinyl floor technology.
If you are fortunate enough to score a ticket for this year’s single performance Broadway and Beyond! you’ll be treated to performances from such sellout musicals as Damn Yankees, A Chorus Line, and Tap Dance Kid, interspersed with show-stopping numbers from performers with the American Repertory Ballet, the Dresden Semperoper Ballet, Cirque du Soleil, Broadway Dance Lab, New York Song and Dance Theater, and a number to be presented for the first time ever by SMASH choreographer, Josh Bergasse.
Ticket Prices
If you’re thinking of attending, Broadway and Beyond! patron tickets begin at $600 range up to $750 and $1,000. Tables for 10 start at $7,5000. Patron tickets and tables include admission to the post-performance “Supper with the Stars”, with dancing, and a live charity auction to be held in the Grand Ballroom of the New York Hilton. If you’d just rather see the show, performance-only tickets cost $45, $55, $75, and $130.
Proceeds
But it all goes to a good cause. Career Transitions for Dancers has assisted over 5,800 professional dancers identify their own special talents in preparation for a career they can pursue when the day comes that dance can no longer support them. Since its inception in 1985, the agency has provided over 60,000 hours of one-on-one career counseling and services at no cost and has awarded over $5 million in scholarships for education, certificate programs, and entrepreneurial grants.
That could be one of the reasons Liza Minelli, who, by the way, won last year’s Rolex Dance Award, says that being asked to participate is “an absolute honor”.