The Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards for 2006

Carlos Acosta wins Dancing Times Award for Best Male Dancer

By Jonathan Gray with
photographs by Andrew Cockrill

The hit TV series “Strictly Come Dancing” was honoured with the first ever Patron’s Award at the Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards 2006 held at Sadler’s Wells on January 25. The award is given to an individual or organisation that has significantly furthered the cause of dance in the UK, and the 2006 recipient was chosen by former ballerina and director Dame Beryl Grey, Patron of the National Dance Awards. This is the first time the Critics’ Circle has awarded a prize to ballroom dancing, and the audience of dance professionals, writers and enthusiasts warmly applauded the announcement.

On presentation of the award to “Strictly” star Anton Du Beke, Dame Beryl said the programme had “raised the profile of dancing in the UK, and it was only right that ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ should receive this award.” Also present was “Strictly” judge, Len Goodman, who welcomed the award and said that the programme was a “fantastic influence on dance in the UK and America”.

Once again, The Royal Ballet featured strongly in the awards, with no fewer than seven of its dancers nominated, although sadly none were present at the Awards due to commitments elsewhere. The Bolshoi Ballet’s thrilling 2006 Summer season was also honoured with awards for Best Foreign Dance Company and Best Choreography (Classical Ballet) for Alexei Ratmansky’s The Bright Stream.

Val Bourne received the Dance UK Industry Award in recognition for her outstanding contribution to Dance Umbrella, and the De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance went to the dance historian and writer Ivor Guest, editorial adviser and Trustee of The Dancing Times. Mr Guest was completely taken by surprise at the announcement, and said that he was “overwhelmed to receive this award”.

TV personality Angela Rippon hosted the annual awards ceremony, and other members of the dance profession present included Lionel Blair, Michael Corder, Thomas Edur and Agnes Oaks, Lady MacMillan, Monica Mason, Arlene Phillips, Lady Sainsbury, Doreen Wells, and Sir Peter Wright. Before the ceremony, the audience were treated to performances by dancers from Simply Ballroom, the Jiving Lindy Hoppers, and students from a number of Britain’s leading dance schools.

The full list of winners for the 2006 Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards are: The De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance: Ivor Guest; Dancing Times Award for Best Male Dancer: Carlos Acosta; Richard Sherrington Award for Best Female Dancer: Miyako Yoshida; Best Choreography (Classical Ballet): Alexei Ratmansky for the Bolshoi Ballet’s The Bright Stream at the Royal Opera House; Best Choreography (Modern Dance): Wayne McGregor for Random Dance’s Amu at Sadler’s Wells; Best Foreign Dance Company sponsored by Artsworld Presentations: The Bolshoi Ballet for their season at the Royal Opera House; Emerging Male or Female Artist (Classical Ballet): Steven McRae (for performances as a soloist with The Royal Ballet); Emerging Male or Female Artist (Modern dance): Alexander Varona (for performances as a freelance dancer); Company Prize For Outstanding Repertoire (Classical Ballet): Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo; Company Prize For Outstanding Repertoire (Modern dance): Phoenix Dance Theatre; Best Musical Choreography (Musical Theatre): Twyla Tharp for Movin’ Out; The Audience Award sponsored by Ballet.co: Northern Ballet Theatre and Independent Ballet Wales; Working Title Billy Elliot Award: Brad Corben and Joseph Poulton; The Dance UK Industry Award given in memory of Jane Attenborough, founding director of Dance UK: Val Bourne; The Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards 2006 Patron’s Award: BBC TV’s “Strictly Come Dancing”.

Picture captions:

1. Agnes Oaks and Thomas Edur.
2. Ann Hutchinson Guest and Ivor Guest.
3. Students from Central School of Ballet dancing in the foyer of Sadler’s Wells.
4. Alexander Varona, winner of the Emerging Male or Female Artist (Modern Dance) Award, who also collected the Dancing Times Award for Best Male Dancer on behalf of Carlos Acosta.