7th Annual Minnesota SAGE Awards for Dance
Honorees Announced for 2011 Awards Gala
The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts announced tonight the honorees for the 7th Annual Minnesota SAGE Award for Dance held on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 7:30pm in The Goodale Theater. The evening was a wonderful celebration and included Twin Cities dance artists and supporters.
The gala award presentation was hosted by Kenna Camara Cottman and featured performances by past SAGE honorees Hijack, Penny Freeh and Zenon Dance Company. The 2010/2011 SAGE Award panelists were introduced who then served as the award presenters for each category. Throughout the evening, 10 SAGE Award honorees were presented with a commissioned work by local artist, Paul Gill. Those awardees are as follows in alphabetical order:
Outstanding Performance (three honorees):
· Feet Don’t Fail Me Now! - Rhythmic Circus (Nick Bowman, Ricci Milan, Kaleena Miller)
· The Thank-you Bar - Emily Johnson/Catalyst + BLACKFISH
· Who Made These Videotapes? - Laurie Van Wieren
Outstanding Performer (two honorees):
· Alanna Morris - TU Dance spring concert and Dreams: A Solo
· Greg Waletski - Like an Octopus and Anatomy of a Viciously Sweet
Outstanding Ensemble (one honoree):
· Dancers of Feet Don’t Fail Me Now by Rhythmic Circus
Outstanding Design (two honorees):
· Costumes for Journey - Sonya Berlovitz
· Video, lighting and music for Heaven – Robert Hammel & Steve Campbell (video), Marcus Dilliard (lighting), Chan Poling and Natalie Nowytski/Peter O’Gorman/Victor Zupanc/Joe Chvala (score and music)
Outstanding Dance Educator:
· Toni Pierce-Sands
Special Citation:
· Linda Shapiro
The evening honored choreographers, dancers, educators, presenters, scenic and lighting designers and others who continue to make the Twin Cities a national center of dance. This important celebration and recognition for local artists is named in honor of Sage Cowles with heartfelt appreciation for all she has done for Minnesota dance.
The 2011 SAGE Awards were generously supported by Red Stag Supper Club, Surly Beer and the Twin Cities dance community.
Press links:
http://www.secretsofthecity.com/events/view/38982
http://www.twincities.com/entertainment/ci_19088224
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/state-of-the-arts/archive/2011/10/sage-awards.shtml
About the SAGE Awards
Since 2005, the Minnesota SAGE Award’s have been presented annually to honor choreographers, dancers, educators, presenters, scenic and lighting designers, visual artists and others who continue to make the Twin Cities a national center of dance. This important celebration and recognition for local artists is named in honor of Sage Cowles with heartfelt appreciation for all she has done for Minnesota dance.
Paul Gill, a Minneapolis visual artist, has been commissioned to create the actual SAGE Award for the 2011 award recipients.
The awards were created to celebrate the dance community and bring national attention to the tremendous amount of high caliber dance activity in the Twin Cities. Dana Kassel and Stuart Pimsler serve as coordinators for the SAGE Awards in collaboration with an advisory panel representing the Twin Cities dance community.
The Cowles Center generously supports the SAGE Awards program.
