Winners of the 2007 Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards announced today at the Royal Opera House, London

NEW: Photographs of the Awards now available

The stars of the dance world were out in force today to celebrate the 2007 Critics’ Circle National Dance Awards. Hosted by long-time supporter of the Awards, Angela Rippon they were announced at a magnificent ceremony at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The Bolshoi Ballet scooped three awards: Best Foreign Dance Company, a Spotlight Award for Ivan Vasiliev and The Richard Sherrington Best Female Dancer Award going to Natalia Osipova. The prestigious de Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance went to Celeste Dandeker, co founder of the highly successful Candoco, the leading contemporary dance company of disabled and non-disabled dancers. For the first time in the history of the event The Dancing Times Best Male Dancer Award did not to go a ballet dancer but went instead to contemporary dancer Jonathan Goddard of Richard Alston Dance Company.

Darcey Bussell won the Patron’s Award for raising the profile of dance in the UK. This award was presented by legendary ballerina Dame Beryl Grey, Patron of the National Dance Awards. Ballet Hoo! Ballet Changed My Life the television documentary directed by Michael Waldman was recognised in a Special Award given to two members of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Marion Tait and Desmond Kelly for leading the Company’s project with disadvantaged children.

Irish choreographer Michael Keegan-Dolan won the Best Modern Choreography category for his hilarious and scatological piece The Bull at the Barbican and in the classical equivalent Wayne McGregor chalked up the only win for the Royal Ballet for Chroma. Scottish Ballet and the Henri Oguike Dance Company picked up the awards for Best Classical and Modern Repertoire.

The Working Title Billy Elliot Award went to Brandon Lawrence a fifteen year- old sensation from Bradford who is already being hailed as a future star. In addition to his prize he will spend a day as the guest of artistic director Wayne Eagling at English National Ballet.

These major honours have a special significance since the members of the Critics’ Circle Dance Section vote in a secret ballot for the winners. On arrival today the stars of the ballet and modern dance worlds were treated to performances by Britain’s leading dance schools. Guests and presenters included Culture Minister Margaret Hodge; Lady Sarah Chatto; Sir Gerald Kaufman; Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Sadler’s Wells, Alistair Spalding; Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House, Tony Hall; Monica Mason, Director of The Royal Ballet; David Bintley, Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet; Wayne Eagling, Director of English National Ballet; ballerinas Agnes Oaks, Tamara Rojo, Zenaida Yanowsky, Sarah Lamb and Irina Kolesnikova; and male stars Thomas Edur, Ivan Putrov and Martin Harvey; Sir Peter Wright; Lady Sainsbury of Preston Candover; Dame Antoinette Sibley; actor Jeremy Sheffield; and Wayne Sleep.

Critics Circle National Dance Awards Winners 2007
Patron Dame Beryl Grey DBE

De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Celeste Dandeker, Candoco co founder

The Dancing Times Award for Best Male Dancer
Jonathan Goddard (for performances with Richard Alston Dance Company)

Richard Sherrington Award for Best Female Dancer
Natalia Osipova (for performances with the Bolshoi Ballet in London)

Patron’s Award
Darcey Bussell

National Dance Awards Special Award
Desmond Kelly and Marion Tait of Birmingham Royal Ballet for their work on
Ballet Hoo! Ballet Changed My Life

Best Choreography (Classical)
Wayne McGregor (for Chroma, Royal Ballet)

Best Choreography (Modern)
Michael Keegan-Dolan (for The Bull, Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre)

Best Foreign Dance Company
Bolshoi Ballet

Spotlight Awards
Kialea-Nadine Williams (Female Modern Dancer) Phoenix Dance Company
Dane Hurst (Male Modern Dancer) Rambert Dance Company
Carol-Anne Miller (Female Classical Dancer) Birmingham Royal Ballet
Ivan Vasiliev (Male Classical Dancer) Bolshoi Ballet

Dance UK Industry Award
Celeste Dandeker

Company Prize for Outstanding Repertoire (Classical)
Scottish Ballet

Company Prize for Outstanding Repertoire (Modern)
Henri Oguike Dance Company

Working Title Billy Elliot Award
Brandon Lawrence