Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography
The Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography, informally known as The Chitas, honor excellence in dance and choreography in both stage and screen productions. Presented annually at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, the awards celebrate outstanding achievements in Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre as well as in Cinema of [the United States|film].
Established in 1982 as The Astaire Awards, the honors were originally created to recognize the legacy of Fred Astaire and his sister Adele, who were celebrated for their influential work on the Broadway stage. In 2017, the awards were renamed in honor of two-time Tony Award-winning dance icon Chita Rivera.
The Chita Rivera Awards are presented by the , and the event is publicized by long-standing Broadway press agency Keith Sherman & Associates.
History
The Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography honor excellence in dance and choreography across theatre and film productions, with awards presented based on each eligible season. In addition to competitive categories, several discretionary, non-competitive honors are also bestowed, including a Lifetime Achievement Award and an award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre and Film.Proceeds from the Chita Rivera Awards benefit the NYC Dance Alliance Foundation’s College Scholarship Program, which provides financial support to talented young dancers pursuing higher education. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded over $5 million in scholarships to more than 500 students attending 50 of the nation's leading college dance programs.
Originally established in 1982 as the Astaire Awards, the honors were created in collaboration with Fred Astaire to celebrate both his legacy and that of his sister, Adele Astaire. The siblings starred together in ten Broadway musicals between 1917 and 1931.
From 2001 to 2005, the Theatre Development Fund presented the awards under the name TDF Astaire Awards. In 2007, the awards were rebranded as the Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, a title they retained until 2017, when they were officially renamed the Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography.
The awards' use of Fred Astaire’s name led to a series of legal challenges by his widow, Robyn Astaire, who sought to restrict unauthorized use of his name and likeness. In 2010, she attempted to block the ceremony, asserting that the “Fred and Adele Astaire Awards” violated trademark and publicity rights. The ensuing legal battle involved Astaire’s daughter, Phyllis Ava Astaire McKenzie, and other stakeholders in the awards. Ultimately, courts denied Robyn Astaire's motions for restraining orders, citing insufficient evidence of likely success or irreparable harm. These disputes highlighted ongoing legal complexities related to posthumous publicity rights and the control of celebrity estates.
Choreographer Susan Stroman holds the record for the most awards in the history of the Chita Awards. She won her fifth award in 2011 for The [Scottsboro Boys (musical)|The Scottsboro Boys.] Stroman earned the Best Choreography in a Broadway Show award for three consecutive years: in 2000 for Contact and The Music Man, in 2001 for The Producers, and in 2002 for Oklahoma!. She first received the honor in 1994 for the Broadway revival of Show Boat.
Legendary recipients of the Chita Rivera Awards include some of the most influential figures in American musical theater and dance. Honorees have included iconic figures such as Liza Minnelli, Bernadette Peters, Joel Grey, Chita Rivera, and John Kander, whose collective contributions have shaped the modern Broadway landscape. Other notable winners include Ariana DeBose, Debbie Allen, Ann Reinking, Tommy Tune, Savion Glover, Rob Marshall, Susan Stroman, Bebe Neuwirth, Jane Krakowski, Andy Blankenbuehler, Adrienne Warren, Wayne Cilento, Ben Vereen, Karen Olivo, Corbin Bleu, Robyn Hurder, and Desmond Richardson.
In 2016, the eligibility criteria were expanded to include Off-Broadway productions. On March 30, 2017, the awards were officially rebranded as the Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography. In 2023, the organization announced the adoption of gender-neutral performance categories, replacing traditional gendered awards with a single, inclusive category featuring twice as many nominees and two winners.