CDA DISTINGUISHED AWARDS IN DANCE

Distinguished Achievement in Dance Award – Awarded annually to someone who has at least two decades in the professional dance world, five of which have been in Connecticut; has made an outstanding contribution in teaching, performing, promoting dance, designing and/or “teching” for dance, or writing about dance; has had a transformative effect on audiences, individual dancers, a dance ensemble, the public, or the prosperity of our dance scene; and whose work is likely to continue to affect the CT dance scene in recognizable ways after his or her lifetime.

The Jill Henderson Award for Outstanding Services and Dedication to the Dance Community as a Volunteer – Awarded annually to an individual who has given a significant contribution of his/her time, talents and service within the Connecticut dance community. Efforts by a nominee can be for any one organization or multiple organizations in the state of Connecticut and must align with the mission statement of the Connecticut Dance Alliance to increase the public’s awareness of dance in all its forms and serve the need of the state-wide dance community. 

PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

2000 Martha Myers, Ernestine Stodelle, Jennifer Tipton

2001 June Kennedy, Enid Lynn, Mariam McGlone

2003 Lee Lund, Betsy Mahaffey, Pilobolus Dance Theatre

2005 Pamela Tatge and Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts

2006 Sharon Dante, Judy Dworin

2007 Susan Matheke, Kim Stroud

2008 Noble Barker, Cheryl Smith

2009 Kathy Borteck Gersten, Olivia Sabulao Ilano-Davis, Catherine Fellows

2010 Barbara E. Feldman, Dee Dee Handy-Morris, Dorothy Silverherz

2011 Connecticut Ballet, The Ted Hershey Dance and Music Marathon, 

         Michael Uthoff

2012 Carol Autorino Centre for the Arts, Saint Joseph University;

        Deborah Goffe, Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts

2013 Linda Burns, Brad Roth, Elena Rusnak 

2014 David Dorfman, Tracy Dorman, Thomas Giroir

 2017 Jill Henderson

2018 Bonita Weisman, Rosie Docal Pizzuto