LOS ANGELES - July 15, 2014 – Ovation, America’s only arts network, continues to support the arts with a Prima Sponsorship of The 2014 Dizzy Feet Foundation’s (“DFF”) 4th Annual “Celebration of Dance” Gala, taking place at the Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on July 19. Tickets are on sale now at www.musiccenter.org.
Presented by DFF in partnership with the Music Center, the Gala will honor actress/choreographer/dancer Debbie Allen with the Inspiration Award, which is presented to an individual whose dance prowess, talent and gifts have delighted audiences and whose career in film, television, and/or theater has left an indelible mark on the entertainment field.
As part of the partnership, Ovation will be producing a new PSA for the Foundation, to air on Ovation’s linear and digital platforms.
Special guests include Christina Applegate, Jenna Elfman, Wayne Brady, Paula Abdul and Elizabeth Berkley. They will be joined by International Emmy® Award-winning producer Nigel Lythgoe (American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance); director Adam Shankman (Hairspray, Rock of Ages); dancers/choreographers Stephen “tWitch” Boss (So You Think You Can Dance, Bones) and Chehon Wespi-Tschopp (So You Think You Can Dance); and other performers, including talent from So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With the Stars, the Step Up films, Diavolo Dance, Syncopated Ladies, Ailey II and many others.
Legendary ballroom dancers/instructors/choreographers Pierre Dulaine & Yvonne Marceau will jointly receive the Gene Kelly Legacy Award presented by DFF and Gene Kelly Legacy, Inc. Kelly’s widow, Patricia Ward Kelly will be on hand to present the award, which is given to an artist whose career achievements best represent the innovative vision, creativity, and lasting contribution that Gene Kelly made not only to the art of dance on film, but to the world as a whole, as an educator and cultural ambassador.
“Supporting the Dizzy Feet Foundation aligns well with Ovation’s aim to create access to the arts,” notes Sonia Tower, senior VP of Corporate Relations, Ovation and President of The Ovation Foundation. “We admire and commend DFF for its outstanding work in the field of dance education and consider Nigel Lythgoe and Debbie Allen part of our extended Ovation family. We are delighted to be part of their annual celebration and will continue to champion their efforts to raise awareness for the important work of the foundation.”
Ovation has featured a wide variety of dance programming over the years, including its annual Battle of the Nutcrackers holiday event, which was hosted by Nigel Lythgoe and Debbie Allen in 2011. The network also featured the original series A Chance to Dance, produced by Nigel and Simon Lythgoe and starring England’s Ballet Boyz William Trevitt and Michael Nunn in 2012. In addition, Ovation has been home to encore presentations of So You Think You Can Dance and the classic Fame series. Last month, the channel featured the critically-acclaimed series Big Ballet, and later this month, Ovation will premiere Young Marvels, a new original docu-series about child prodigies which includes young dance marvels in modern and ballroom dance. Young Marvels premieres Wednesday, July 16 at 10 pm ET, only on Ovation.
All proceeds from the Gala ticket sales will benefit The Dizzy Feet Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is threefold: 1. to sponsor, fund, and/or support dance education programs that expose children in low-income areas to the lifelong benefits of dance education through and with local community organizations; 2. to provide scholarships to talented students studying at accredited or nationally regarded dance schools, studios, or institutions; and 3. in conjunction with recognized credentialing organizations, to support and increase the quality of all styles of dance education in the United States.
VIP tickets are available through www.dizzyfeetfoundation.org/tickets or by visiting The Music Center Box office: www.musiccenter.org/DFF.
