Horton Awards

 

The Horton Awards are an annual event celebrating Greater Los Angeles dance and those who keep it thriving.

The Horton Awards recognize and honor choreographers, dancers, advocates, educators, presenters, and other dancer stakeholders to highlight key players in the LA dance scene who advance the field of dance and fuel the well-being, vibrancy and inclusive growth of the Greater Los Angeles area arts community.

Stay tuned for details about 2018 awards nomination process and celebration.

Who was Lester Horton? 

American dancer and choreographer Lester Horton (1906-1953) made Los Angeles an epicenter for dance at a time when most of America was focused on New York. He was greatly influenced by the Japanese performer Michio Ito and Native American cultures. 

In the 1930s, Horton founded his own company, the Lester Horton Dancers. At the time, it was one of the few interracial organizations in the United States. Some of the works he presented include Voodoo Ceremonial(1932) and Rain Quest (c.1935), which were inspired by non-European cultures. Alvin Ailey and Bella Lewitzky were among Horton’s many students who had successful careers in dance. Other well-known dancers who worked in his company include Carmen deLavallade, Arthur Mitchell, and James Truitte. Horton technique is still taught in many studios in the United States.

Through the Years

2016 Horton Award Winners

Community Leader Appreciation Awardees:

  • Emiko Sugiyama, educator, choreographer, producer and artistic director, J.U.i.C.E Hip Hop Dance Festival
  • Ricka Glucksman-Kelsch, founder, Dance and Dialogue

The panel:

  • Arianne MacBean, director, choreographer, The Big Show Co.
  • Elena Muslar, program assistant, Skirball Cultural Center
  • Matt Wells, chief operating officer, DIAVOLO | Architecture in Motion

Artist Appreciation Awardees:

The panel:

  • Rebecca Bryant, choreographer, asst. professor, Cal State Long Beach
  • Lakshmi Iyengar, co-artistic director, Rangoli Company, DRC board member, manager, Worldwide Acquisitions, Universal Pictures
  • Ben Johnson, performing arts director, Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs
  • Jackie Lopez, founder, artistic director, Versa-Style, executive director, Flourish Foundation
  • Chisa Yamaguchi, dancer, marketing director, DIAVOLO | Architecture in Motion
2015 Horton Award Winners

Artist Appreciation Awards

Community Leader Appreciation Awards

2014 Horton Award Winners

Awarded by the Latino Arts Network: Juanita M. Lopez

Awarded by Career Transition for Dancers: Bobbie Bates

Awarded by California Dance Education Association: Shana Habel

Awarded by the Dance Resource Center: George Lugg

2010 Horton Award Winners

Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Company
Helios Dance Theater “Beautiful Monsters’ Laura Gorenstein Miller

Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Male
Bradley Beakes “Always Remember Never Forget” Visions Dance Theatre, Macarena Granadillas

Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Female
Drea Sobke “Gods and Marionettes” LA Contemporary Dance Company

Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Small Ensemble (Duets/Trios/Quartets)
C. Derrick Jones & Nehara Kalev, “IRON” Catch Me Bird

Outstanding Achievement in Choreography – Long Form
Barak Marshall “Rooster”

Outstanding Achievement in Choreography – Short Form (less than15 minutes)
Nate Hodges “Flowers That Pick Themselves” RhetOracle Dance Company

Outstanding Achievement in World Dance
Malathi Iyengar “Shivaya” Rangoli Dance Company

Outstanding Production of a Festival or Series
Pasadena Dance Festival produced by Lineage Dance Company, Hilary Thomas, Artistic Director

Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design
Monique L’Heureux “Hammerklavier” Raiford Rogers Modern  Ballet

Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design
Kharen Zuenert, Laura Karlin and Erin Schlabach “WreckTangle” Invertigo Dance Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Music for Dance
String Theory (composed by Toby Karlin, Najeeb  Sabour, Luke Rothschild, Holly Rothschild, Joseph Harvey, Danny Moynahan) “Wrecktangle” Invertigo Dance Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Set Design
Chris Kuhl “Tov” Rosanna Gamson Worldwide

SPECIAL HONOREES

Dance in the Community Award
The Wooden Floor – Melanie Rios Glaser, Executive and Artistic Director

The Lester Horton Excellence in Teaching Award
Bando Mitsusa

The Lester Horton Lifetime Achievement Award
Inesita

The Lester Horton Furthering the Visibility of Dance Award Furthering Visibility Award
Fred Strickler

2009 Horton Award Winners

Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Company
David Rousseve/REALITY-Saudade, David Rousseve

Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Male
Kevin Williamson Fruit, KDUB DANCE

Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Female
Marissa LaBog Really All About Eve, Collage Dance Theater

Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Small Ensemble (Duets/Trios/Quartets)
Bahareh Ebrhimzadeh, Rogelio Lopez Garcia, Andrew Merrell and Jennifer Parra, The Presence of Absence – Keith Johnson/Dancers

Outstanding Achievement in Choreography – Long Form (more than 15 minutes)
David Rousseve, David Rousseve/REALITY-Saudade

Outstanding Achievement in Choreography – Short Form (less than 15 minutes)
Bradley Michaud volenti non fit injuria, Method Contemporary Dance

Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design
Ryan Heffington, Really All About Eve

Outstanding Achievement in Music for Dance
Alexander Marchand, Say the Body is Like This Lamp, Alyson Boell

Outstanding Achievement in Set Design
Matt Scarpino, Silk or Cotton, Bare Dance Company

Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design
Eileen Cooley, The Crossings, Regina Klenjoski Dance Company

Outstanding Production of a Festival or Series
50th Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration produced by Los Angeles County Arts Commission

Outstanding Achievement in World Dance
Viver Brasil, Feet on the Ground/Aiye, Linda Yudin and Luiz Badaró

SPECIAL HONOREES

The Lester Horton Award for Service to Our Dance Community
Carol Zee (Gabriela Axelrod foundation)

The Lester Horton Furthering the Visibility of Dance Award
Jamie Nichols

The Lester Horton Excellence in Teaching Award
Ron Brown

2008 Horton Award Winners

Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Company
Method Contemporary Dance, This is Not an Exit

Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Male
Jacob “Kujo” Lyons, Metanoia, Lux Aeterna Dance Company

Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Female
Drea Sobke, Arrive, BackhausDance

Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Small Ensemble (Duets,Trios,Quartets)
David Contreras and Anh Dillon, Duet by Terri Best

Outstanding Achievement in Choreography – Long Form (More than 15 min)
Bradley Michaud, This is Not an Exit, Method Contemporary Dance

Outstanding Achievement in Choreography – Short Form (less than 15 min)
Jacob “Kujo” Lyons, Metanoia, Lux Aeterna Dance Company

Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design
Sri Susilowati, Karuna Agung – A Buddhist Requiem, Sri Dance Company

Outstanding Achievement in Music for Dance
Luiz Badaró and Mario Pallais with Jose Ricardo Sousa of Viver Brasil Dance Company, So Moved/In Motion

Outstanding Achievement in Set Design
Francisco Martinez, Orbital Dances, Francisco Martinez Dance Theater

Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design
Eileen Cooley, Sans Detour, Catch Me Bird and Baker & Tarpaga

Outstanding Achievement in World Dance
Sohini Ray, Gita-Govinda, Manipuri Dance Visions

Outstanding Production of a Festival or Series
Celebrate Dance 2008 produced by Jamie Nichols

Special Jury Award

Gnama Gnama Mana Mana Kono/Disorder Inside Order
Baker and Taparga Dance Project

SPECIAL HONOREES

Lifetime Achievement in Dance
Arlene Kennedy

Service to the Field Award
The James Irvine Foundation

Furthering the Visibility of Dance
Lynette Kessler

Excellence in Teaching
Luis Badaró and Linda Yudin, Co-Artistic Directors, Viver Brasil

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