Ron Brown, Lisa Nicole Wilkerson, Leslie Odom, Jr. and "The Artist" Win 2012 Astaire Awards

By Adam Hetrick
June 6, 2012

Porgy and Bess choreographer Ron Brown and cast member Lisa Nicole Wilkerson, as well as Leap of Faith's Leslie Odom, Jr. are among the winners of the 2012 Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, which were presented June 4 in Manhattan.

The 7:30 PM ceremony at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts honored Liza Minnelli with the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award.

Presenters included Broadway veterans Chita Rivera and Susan Stroman, as well as "Grey Gardens" filmmaker Albert Maysles and "Smash" choreographer Josh Bergasse, Tony Danza, John Turturro, Tamara Tunie, Karen Ziemba, Melissa Errico, Lee Roy Reams, Joe Morton and Countess LuAnn de Lesseps.

The nominees, with winners preceded by an asterisk, follow:

Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Musical:
Elena Roger (Evita), Ashley Amber (Evita), Bahiyah Hibah (Evita), Jan Maxwell (Follies), Krystal Joy Brown (Leap of Faith), Patti Murin (Lysistrata Jones), Kara Lindsay (Newsies), Kelli O’Hara (Nice Work if You Can Get It) and *Lisa Nicole Wilkerson (Porgy & Bess).

Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Musical:
Hugh Jackman (Back on Broadway), Ricky Martin (Evita), Danny Burstein (Follies), *Leslie Odom, Jr. (Leap of Faith), Jason Tam (Lysistrata Jones), Jeremy Jordan, (Newsies), Ryan Breslin (Newsies), Thayne Jasperson (Newsies), Ryan Steele (Newsies) Ephraim Sykes (Newsies), Matthew Broderick (Nice Work if You Can Get It) and Robert Hartwell (Nice Work if You Can Get It).

Outstanding Choreographer for a Broadway Musical:
Rob Ashford (Evita), Sergio Trujillo (Leap of Faith), Christopher Gattelli (Newsies), Kathleen Marshall (Nice Work If You Can Get It), Steve Hoggett (Once) and *Ron Brown (Porgy & Bess).

Outstanding Feature Film (Fictional):
*"The Artist," "Damsels in Distress," "Footloose," "Musical Chairs," "Passione" and "W.E."

Outstanding Dance Documentary:
"Check Your Body at the Door," "First Position," "Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance," "Never Stand Still" and *"Pina."

Visit AstaireAwards.org.