Hilton Midtown, New York, NY.
August 15, 2026.
The A.C.E. Awards were on August 15th, 2026, at DanceOne Summit in New York City. Hundreds of choreographers submitted, and 15 were chosen to showcase their work for a chance to win $15,000. The judges for the evening were Tessandra Chavez, Liz Imperio and JP Christensen.
The opening performance of the night was none other than Jason Williams, the 2025 A.C.E. Awards runner-up. Full of versatility and showcasing what Williams has to offer, the 20-minute work started with groovy, Times Square fun. It then shifted to a sensual group section in high cut leotards, transitioned to William’s solo, and his choreography titled Legacy concluded with classic across-the-floor jazz, pas de bourrées and battements.
To start off the choreographer’s competition, Erik Sosa presented I Grieve These Memories You Haunt. This piece started feminine with pretty lines and dresses. A quick shift turned it dark through a costume change of dancers wearing masks and a man joining the stage representing a haunting. Sosa played with the lighting design to emphasize the contrast.
Next up was Brady Rowan with Winter Fields. A captivating start with one dancer lying center stage and the only thing moving was their chest breathing. Continuing, more dancers joined the stage showing great musicality and levels.
Somos Inmortales followed, choreographed by Santiago Villarreal. One word to describe this number was airy. Lots of lifts, partnering and throws showed the trust these dancers had with one another. Seeing large group sections in unison was refreshing.
Changing up the tone was Leo Manzari’s Lucky Number 7. This was the first tap routine of the evening featuring Manzari rapping alongside the other tappers. The formations were clean and visually appealing while the musicality was crisp.
Jessie James presented This Box Is Not a Gift with a light up prop briefcase and costumes of flowy skirts. Only one dancer wore a different color outfit representing the story of one trying to be unique but the rest of the group wanting them to conform to the norm.
The following was Aperture by Justin Pham. This piece included numerous styles of dance. Pham choreographed house steps with whacking arms while other dancers simultaneously performed petite adagio, contemporary and even a time step at one point.
I Am Running Out of Ideas choreographed by Isabella Lown was up next. This stand out performance was face pasted with strobe lights, head banging and intricate movements. The audience gasped and cheered as the excitement of the piece grew. MOVE IT invited this routine to reperform in March at Excel London as their Spotlight Winner.
Straight out of a musical, Riley Roberts brought Paraiso to the stage. With a table and chairs setting the scene high energy, cup-ography and colorful costumes, this choreography reminded me of something you’d see on a Broadway stage.
Scalpello with a Black Swan feel performed next, choreographed by Brennan Maniaci. Dancers wore all black with slick buns and black eyeliner creating a dark aura on stage. One dancer fought through choreography as a rope twisted around their limbs.
Next up was a full out routine titled Dying 4 U by Abigail McKinney. This piece was filled with clean formations, level changes and expansive dancing. The entire stage was filled with energy and passion.
The smoothest choreography of the night was next, Brooke Gilmour’s If This Is All We Get. The partnering was quiet and flowy while transitions were seamless. The dancers and choreographer had so much trust in each other that the audience was left feeling at peace.
Another tap piece performed next by Jessee Leigh Robinson titled For Whom the Bells Tolls. What set this piece apart was the mix of a breakdancer with the tappers. A creative approach to merging the two styles, keeping it cohesive.
Starting off as showgirls and transitioning into gloom was Kamryn Funk’s & That’s Showbiz. The dancers started off with wigs in an upbeat jazzy routine. The wigs got ripped off as the lights dimmed and showed the reality of showbiz and that it isn’t all glamorous, something most of the audience could relate to.
Sunday Morning by Angelina and Karlo Familara performed next. This was one of the most intriguing routines of the evening with dancers walking on in face coverings and then executing intricate movements with clean details. The costumes were strategically chosen to emphasize the movement and flowing with certain direction changes.
Closing out the competition was Olivia Wang’s Elsewhere. The storyline drove this piece with one dancer beginning the routine at a desk with a typewriter. The rest of the performers entered the stage to represent the imagination of what was being typed. It then concluded with the dancers leaving and the original performer back at the desk.
The A.C.E. Awards stage then announced a performance by Madi Hicks, second runner up from last year. This was an intense performance titled Is Margo Mad? This work featured dialog and touched on mental illness. Hicks will continue to develop this work into a full-length piece.
Ending the evening was also second runner up from last year, Tommy Tibball’s Said/Done. With stunning technique and control, these dancers grasped the attention of everyone in the room.
Congrats to all involved with the beautiful evening celebrating dance and choreography. A special congratulations to Santiago Villarreal, Jessie James and Brooke Gilmour for placing and receiving monetary winnings to produce future work.
By Abby DeReamer of Dance Informa.
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