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