Distinguished Achievement in Dance Award

The Connecticut Dance Alliance bestows the Distinguished Achievement Award annually. Based on nominations from the community, anyone can nominate an individual, organization, or event for this award. A deserving nominee is typically a: dancer, dance teacher, choreographer, artistic director, school director or dance presenter. However, nominees may also include: backstage technicians, lighting designers, set and costume designers, dance photographers, dance video/film artists, events coordinators, dance writers, or other dance contributors (such as, fund raising, promotion, Board participation, etc.).

Nominations for the Distinguished Achievement Award are solicited in the late spring/summer, and awarded in the fall. After nominations are collected and reviewed, the CDA Board of Directors selects awardees. In most years, two or three awardees are selected.

Criteria for Distinguished Achievement nominees:

• At least two decades of professional participation in dance, with at least five years of that service conducted in Connecticut 
• Through dance, the individual, organization or event is regarded as making an outstanding or transformative contribution(s) to Connecticut dancers, communities or audiences

The Jill Henderson Award for Outstanding Service and Dedication to the Dance Community as a Volunteer

This annual award will be given to an individual who has given a significant contribution of their time and talents in service to the Connecticut dance community. Service activities considered for this award include any unpaid assistance to an individual artist or dance organization.

Nominations for the Jill Henderson Award for Outstanding Service are solicited in the late spring/summer, and awarded in the fall. After nominations are collected and reviewed, the CDA Board of Directors selects the awardee. In most years, one awardee is selected.

Click here to learn about this year’s recipients

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 Center for the Arts at the University of St. Joseph,

        Deborah Goffe, Earl Mosley’s Institute of the Arts

2013 Linda Burns, Brad Roth, Elena Rusnak 

2014 David Dorfman, Tracy Dorman, Thomas Giroir

2015 no nominations

2016 no nominations

2017 Jill Henderson Pasanen

2018 Bonita Weisman, Rosie Docal Pizzuto

2019 Joyce DiLauro, Jeanne Giroir

2020 Rachna Ramya Agrawal, Libby Nye

RECIPIENTS OF THE JILL HENDERSON AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE DANCE COMMUNITY

2013 Ron Compton, John Long

2019 Debra Collins Ryder

2020 Barbara Ally