But perhaps the two biggest highlights of the show (never mind the outstanding and compelling dance acts- see above…) were the remembrance of legend Michael Jackson and the lifetime honoree winner Kenny Ortega of the Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award who emotionally recanted talks with Michael Jackson who invariably over 25 years would call Kenny up imploring him to come join him and break new boundaries. Without necessarily knowing what he was getting himself into Kenny would always except and once again create impeccable work. To be sure there was not one person in the audience who didn’t get up and give Mr Ortega a well deserved thumping standing ovation.
Honorary Chairs for the Awards Gala included Roberta Flack, The Countess Luann DeLesseps (god bless her precious soul and thank you for wowing us on stage), and Bruce Michael; Gala Co-chairs are Robin Cofer, Carolyn Kendall Buchter, Sara Johnson, Joe Lanteri and Cassandra Seidenfeld-Lyster.
In short it was an evening that brought the inner child in all of us, in particularly this author’s inner child…
