2007 Recipient: Carmen de Lavallade

The 56th Capezio Dance Award will be presented in September to Carmen de Lavallade

Totowa, NJ / New York, NY : The Capezio Ballet Makers Dance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the world's premier dance footwear and apparel manufacturer Capezio Ballet Makers, is proud to announce the selection of Carmen de Lavallade as the 56th recipient of the Capezio Dance Award.

Awarded annually since 1952, the Capezio Dance Award celebrates significant contributions to American dance by an individual, company, or institution. It recognizes those who bring respect, stature and distinction to dance and who exhibit innovation, creativity and imagination. Carmen de Lavallade has spent her life achieving and virtually redefining these ideals with the brilliance of her creativity and intellect.

The Los Angeles born Ms. de Lavallade began her career in 1950 as a lead dancer with the Lester Horton Dance Theater. While with Horton she broadened her artistic horizons, simultaneously studying costume, painting, music, sculpting and stage craft in workshops provided by Horton. Ms. de Lavallade spread her creative wings while at the Horton Company, making her film debut in 1952 and shortly thereafter appearing on Broadway, under the direction of the legendary Herbert Ross, in House of Flowers. During this period she studied acting with the famous Stella Adler, was featured in Duke Ellington's television production of A Drum is a Woman and in 1956 made her dance debut at the Metropolitan Opera in Aida and Sampson and Delilah. In 1990 Ms. deLavallade returned to choreograph the Met's productions of Porgy and Bess and Die Meistersinger.

Ms. de Lavallade first met Alvin Ailey in junior high school, commencing a life long association. She appeared with Mr. Ailey in the aforementioned House of Flowers and with him premiered Roots of the Blues in 1958, which in 1962 was expanded into the seminal Blues Suite. That year also marked the introduction of the de Lavallade – Ailey Dance Company during its Southeast Asian tour. Highlighting this lifetime creative partnership, in 2000 she choreographed Sweet Bitter Love for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Applying her prodigious talents to education, in 1969 Ms. de Lavallade established ties with Yale University's School of Drama, first as a professor of movement for actors and thereafter as choreographer and member of the Yale Repertory Theater. Her involvement with arts education culminated in her appointment as the Director of Adelphi University's Dance Department in the late 1990's. She is the recipient of Actors Equity's Clarence Bayfield Award, for her portrayal of Emilia in Othello, the Dance Magazine Award and honorary doctorates of fine arts from a number of institutions.

Carmen de Lavallade's enthusiasm for and dedication to all of the arts – firmly grounded in dance – continues to this day. Her experience with and unique perspective of the interaction of the arts spectrum with dance has benefited audiences and students throughout her over fifty years as a dancer, actor, choreographer and educator. An accomplished artist in the broadest sense, Carmen de Lallavade is a singular force and vortex of knowledge, experience, innovation, and creativity. It is this exceptional lifetime of achievement in and contribution to American dance that is honored with the presentation of the 2007 Capezio Dance Award.

As the 56th recipient of the Capezio Dance Award, Ms. de Lavallade joins dance luminaries Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham, Bella Lewitzky, Savion Glover, Suzanne Farrell, and last year's recipient, Donald Saddler. The Capezio Ballet Makers Dance Foundation is dedicated to promoting dance appreciation as an art form and, in addition to the Award, makes annual grants to national, regional, state, and local dance organizations, programs, and projects.

Awards Ceremony