The 16th Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards were presented at The Place on 25 January – hosted by Arlene Phillips CBE – highlighting many achievements in dance for 2015. There was a great breadth of nominations, with over 400 dancers, choreographers and companies deemed of such high quality by critics to be recommended for an award this year from a range of genres, surpassing last year’s record.
The awards celebrate excellence across a rich diversity of dance forms that have both entertained and challenged audiences throughout 2015. This year it was unusual that the judges presented two De Valois awards for Outstanding Achievement, in recognition of the unique achievements of two women. Sylvie Guillem, the most famous ballerina of her generation, brought her 30 year dance career to an end with her Life in Progress tour; and over her ten year tenure as the Chief Executive of Dance UK, Caroline Miller gave dance a political voice and merged together four major dance organisations to produce one to represent all facets of the national dance profession.
Although this ceremony generally saw new winners, choreographer Wayne McGregor picked up his fourth award, winning the Best Classical Choreography for Woolf Works. The 52 year old Italian ballerina, Alessandra Ferri – formerly a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet – returned as a guest artist to star in Woolf Works, for which she won Best Female Dancer. Sir Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, won the award for Outstanding Company, and New Adventures dancer Zizi Strallen won Outstanding Female Performance (Modern) for her portrayal of Lana in The Car Man.
Other highlights included the award for Best Modern Choreography going to Canadian choreographer, Crystal Pite, and a high commendation for exceptional artistry went to two great contemporary flamenco artists, Israel Galván and Rocío Molina. The Dance UK Industry Award, determined by a separate panel of judges chosen by Dance UK, went to Tamara McLorg, the internationally-renowned dance educator and choreographer.