On Tuesday, November 18, Dance/NYC gathered advocates, donors, and dance workers from across the city for its annual NEW YORKERS FOR DANCE event, a joyful evening recognizing those who nurture New York City’s vibrant dance ecosystem. In addition to powerful performances and a lively social dance gathering, the event presented Dance/NYC’s annual Dance Advocate Award, which honors those who champion equity within and for the arts, and Dance Catalyst Award, which celebrates those who’ve channeled resources to where they’re needed most.

This year’s Dance Advocate Award recipient was Courtney Washington, an artist, activist, and community leader whose work embodies liberation, belonging, and joy. A legendary figure in the ballroom community as Mother of the House of Balenciaga and founder of the Kiki House of Juicy Couture, Washington has built spaces that center and uplift queer, trans, and BIPOC performers. Through her company, Masterz at Work Dance Family, and acclaimed works such as Disco 2024 and Courtney’s Diner, she continues to expand what inclusion looks like in dance, advocating through artistry, mentorship, and unapologetic authenticity.

Receiving the Dance Catalyst Award was Sara Nash, currently Interim Executive Director of Dance/USA, in recognition of her more than two decades of national leadership advancing equity, access, and sustainability in the dance field. From her tenure as Director of Dance at the National Endowment for the Arts—where she stewarded over $35 million in federal funding—to her earlier work at the New England Foundation for the Arts, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, and New York Live Arts, Nash has shaped lasting systems of support for artists and organizations across the country.

The awards were presented by last year’s honorees, Phil Chan and Leah Krauss, respectively.