The American Choreography Awards was a ceremony and show that honored outstanding choreographers in the fields of feature film, television, music videos, and commercials. They were first known as the L.A. Dance Awards (1994–95), then as Bob Fosse Awards, and a.k.a. Fosse’s (1996–97), and eventually the American Choreography Awards (1998-'04). Each year in the fall, they were held at a different location in Los Angeles, California. These include places such as the Orpheum Theatre, El Capitan Theatre, Alex Theatre, Wilshire Ebell Theatre, The Hollywood Palace, The Museum of Flying, The Century Club, and Club Tatou.
The template for American Choreography Awards was created in 1994 (as the L.A. Dance Awards) by the Choreographers Resourcenter, a group of individuals led by Grover Dale, who were determined to expose and get recognition for the art of choreography for the camera. Due to a generous grant from the Bob Fosse Foundation, they were titled the Fosse Awards for two years(1996-'97)and in 1998 became the American Choreography Awards. The decade of accumulative awards were eventually recognized as one of the highest standards of achievement in choreography throughout the entertainment industry.
Choreographers were nominated in eight different categories of choreography. These include feature film, short film, television special, episodic and variety show, fight choreography, commercials, and music videos. In addition to awards within each category, honorary awards were given by the event production team such as the Governor’s Award, the Educator’s Award, the Innovator Award, the Career Achievement Award and/or the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The way in which the nominations were determined was through ballots mailed to membership mailing lists. After calculation by the event team, the top five in each category were then screened by seven individual panel committees, composed of producers, directors, casting directors, and media choreographers. The committee members then selected the winner (and often ties) in each category.
For the last five years of the event (2000-'04) The Academy of Dance on Film (DOF) presented and was the beneficiary of these prestigious awards. Larry Billman founded the Academy in 1998. He was a former tapper who turned stage writer, researcher, and director. He created a non-profit organization catering to the interests of teachers, choreographers, researchers, students, and dance fans. Billman has been collecting dance related material for over thirty years through donations and his own purchases. Originally, it was housed in Hollywood, where the American Choreography Awards (ACA) team had an office and work space. To save the foundation's budget, it was moved to Billman's own home in Orange County, California, until it was officially dissolved in December, 2009. The goal of the archive was to bring attention to artists who created dance for the camera. During Billman’s research for his encyclopedia Film Choreographers and Dance Directors, he came to realize that he needed a place to assemble all of his research findings. The Academy was eventually home to 2000 magazines, 3,000 videotapes and DVDs, 3000 books, 1500 playbills, and an assortment of photographs, from films, stage musicals, and dance companies. These artifacts covered all styles of dance and genres of movement, martial arts, combat and fighting, ice dance, fencing and swordplay, gymnastics, acrobatic and circus technique, silent film comedy, created for the camera. Many of the holdings have found new homes at the libraries at Chapman University. the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and San Diego State University. Conversations are ongoing with the Billy Rose theater and Jerome Robbins dance collections at Lincoln Center, The Smithsonian and other archives to assure that all of DOF's "treasures" will have new homes.
“Dance is a barometer of our culture. I want scholars, but more importantly, kids and students, to know how and where these movements came from- that the Nicholas Brothers are tied to break-dancing, and that Astaire by defying gravity, leads to The Matrix Choreography.” – Larry Billman
American Choreography Award Officers: Board of Governors: Julie Arenal Grover Dale, Peggy Holmes, Ceclie Stuart Executive Producers: Julie Arenal, Larry Billman, Hunter Baldus, Teresa Campbell, Lucille DiCampli, Brian Gendece, Peggy Holmes, Alan Johnson, Julie McDonald, Zack Reed, Dorian Sanchez, Shanda Sawyer, Tony Selznick, Cecilie Stuart, Matt Terry, Allen Walls
Event Chronology and Award Recipients LA Dance Awards, September 18, 1994, Club Tatou, Beverly Hills Beneficiary: The Choreographers Resourcenter Heritage Award: Bob Fosse Educator Award: Joe Tremaine Outstanding Achievement in Motion Pictures (Tie): “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” – Michael Peters/”Swing Kids” – Otis Sallid
2nd Annual LA Dance Awards, October 15, 1995, Century City Club, Century City Beneficiary: AIDS Healthcare Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award: Jack Cole Educator Award: Patsy Swayze Alternative Dance Award: Toni Basil Commercials: “Discover Card” – Bill and Jacqui Landrum Outstanding Achievement in Motion Pictures: “The Mask” – Jerry Evans
The Bob Fosse Awards, September 30, 1996, The Museum of Flying, Santa Monica Beneficiary: AIDS Healthcare Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award: Michael Kidd Educator Award: Claude Thompson Alternative Dance: Daniel Ezralow Commercials: SAP America “Office Building” – Adam Shankman Music Video: Bjork’s “It’s Oh So Quiet”– Michael Rooney Motion Pictures: “Mighty Aphrodite” – Graciela Daniels
The Fosse Awards, November 9, 1997, The Hollywood Palace, Hollywood Beneficiary: Arnold Schwarzennegar’s Inner City Games, The Bob Fosse and Michael Peters Scholarship Funds Show Director: Mary Ann Kellogg Career Achievement Award: Herbert Ross Educator Award: Pat Jackson Innovator Award: Debra Brown Governance Award: Vincent Paterson Commercials: Wyndham Hotel – Michael Rooney Music Video: Michael Jackson’s “Ghost” – Michael Jackson, Travis Payne, LaVelle Smith, Barry Lather Television Episodic: “Pearl” – Toni Basil Television Variety or Special: “1996 Olympic Games, Opening Ceremony” – Judy Chabola, Kenny Ortega Motion Pictures: “Everyone Says I Love You” – Graciela Daniele
5th Annual American Choreography Award (formerly known as The Fosse Awards), October 18, 1998, Wilshire Ebell Theatre, Los Angeles Beneficiaries: The Academy of Dance on Film (DOF), The Ebell Scholarship Hosts: L A Dance Foundation (LADF), Stage Society of Directors and Choreographers (SSDC), Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) Show Director: Shanda Sawyer Career Achievement: Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood Educator: Stanley Holden Innovator: Cholly Atkins Commercials: Jenny – Marguerite Derricks Music Video: Brian Setzer’s “Jump, Jive and Wail” – Travis Payne Television Episodic: Chicago Hope: “Brain Salad Surgery” – Kenny Ortega Television Variety or Special: “Christopher Reeves – A Celebration of Hope” – Keith Young Motion Pictures (Tie): “The Full Monty” – Suzanne Grand; “The Last Tango” – Pablo Veron Production Designers: John Shaffner and Joe Stewart
6th Annual American Choreography Awards, September 13, 2000, Alex Theatre, Glendale (Honoring two years 1999 and 2000) Beneficiary: Academy of Dance on Film (DOF) Career Achievement: Lester Wilson Educator: Luigi Governors Award: The GAP Commercials: The GAP’s “Khaki A Go-Go” – Marguerite Derricks (1999)/The GAP’s “America” – Alan Johnson (2000) Music Video: Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” Tina Landon (’99)/Brian Setzer’s ”If You Can’t Rock Me” - Travis Payne (’00) Television Variety/Special: “Hymn to Alvin Ailey” – Judith Jamison (99)/”Annie” – Rob Marshall (’00) Television Episodic : “Drew Carey Show” - Keith Young (’99)/”Drew Carey Show” – Jerry Mitchell (’00) Feature Film: “Tango” – Juan Carlos Copes, Carlos Rivarola, Ana Maria Stekelman (’99) /”Center Stage” – Susan Stroman, Christopher Wheeldon (’00)
7TH Annual American Choreography Awards. October 14, 2001, El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood Beneficiary: Academy of Dance on Film (DOF) Career Achievement Award: Tony Charmoli Educator Award – Lula Washington Governors Award – Bob Mackie Commercials: Exxon/Mobil “Swing” – Michael Rooney Music Video: Fat Boy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice” – Fat Boy Slim – Michael Rooney Music Video – Hip Hop (Tie): Mya’s “Case of the Ex” – Tina Landon/ Mya’s “Free” – Brian “Footwork” Green Television, Episodic: Two Guys and a Girl: “The One Without the Dialogue” –Patti Columbo Television, Special: “2001 Miss America Pageant – Barry Lather Feature Film: “Moulin Rogue” – John O’Connell
8TH Annual American Choreography Awards. October 20, 2002, El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood Show Director: Scott Grossman Beneficiary: Academy of Dance on Film (DOF) Career Achievement Award: Marge and Gower Champion Educator Award – Henry LeTang Innovator – Jackie Chan Commercials: Rubbermaid – Vincent Paterson Music Video: Usher – Anwar “Flii” Burton, Rosero McCoy, Todd Sams, Jamal Sims, Devyne Stephens, Earl “Punch” Wright, Russell “Goofy” Wright Television, Episodic: “That 70‘s Show” – Marguerite Derricks Television, Variety or Specia (Tie)l: “2002 Winter Olympic Games” – Kenny Ortega, Doug Jack, Sarah Kawahara/”Aeros” – Daniel Ezralow, David Parsons, Moses Pendelton Fight Choreography: “Alias” – John Medlen Short Film: “Modern Daydreams” – Ashley Roland, Jamie Hampton. Mitchell Rose Feature Film: “Lagaan” – Saroj Khan, Raju Khan, Ganesh Hegde, Vaibhavi Merchant, Terence Lewis, John Mortimer
9TH Annual American Choreography Awards. November 9, 2003, Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles Show Director: Scott Grossman Beneficiary: Academy of Dance on Film (DOF) Career Achievement Award: Alan Johnson Educator Award – Sallie Whelan Governors Award – Don Mischer Innovator – Luke Creswell and Steve McNichols – STOMP Commercials: “Do It Ebay – Michael Rooney Music Video: Missy Elliott featuring Ludicris’ “Gossip Folk” – Hi-Hat Television, Episodic: “Boston Public” – Joseph Malone Television, Variety or Special: “The Wayne Brady Show” – Christopher Quiban Short Film: “Horses Never Lie” – Caroline Richardson Fight Choreography: “The Bourne Identity” – Nick Powell Feature Film: “Chicago” – Rob Marshall, John DeLuca, Cynthia Onrubia, Joey Pizzi, Denise Faye
10TH Annual American Choreography Awards. October 17, 2004, Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles Beneficiary: Academy of Dance on Film (DOF) Career Achievement Award: Kenny Ortega Educator Award: Ka-Ron Brown Lehman Innovator: Walt Disney Commercials: Target “Changing of the Guards” – Fatima Robison Music Video: Missy Elliott’s “Pass Dat Dutch” – Hi-Hat, Anwar “Flii” Burton, Cicely Bradely, Olisa Thompson Television, Episodic: Malcom in the Middle: “Jump Jump” – Fred Talleksen Television, Special: “2003 Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon” – Jason Samuel Smith/”Arts of Ardor” PBS Dance in America – Paul Taylor Television, Variety: MAD TV: “Regional Championships” (– Monie Anderson Fight Choreography (Tie): “Pirates of the Caribbean, The Curse of the Black Pearl”- George Marshall Ruge/”Kill Bill Vol. 2” – Keith Adams, Sonny Chiba, Quentin Tarantino, Yuen Woo-Ping Short Film: “Amelia” La La Human Steps – Edouard Lock Feature Film (Tie): “The Triplets of Belleville” – Sylvain Chomet/”You Got Served” – Shane Sparks, Robert James Hoffman
The Academy of Dance on Film. 2004. 9 Apr. 2009 <http://www.danceonfilm.org>.
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