Doing the Awards Dance

I read with great interest the article concerning the recent alterations in the nomination process for the Lester Horton Dance Awards (“The Lester Horton Dance Awards Return, in Double Time,” by Elaine Dutka, March 31).

Unfortunately, no matter the methodology or procedural implementations, there will always be a few naysayers who choose to bore us with their ego-driven harangues. Needless to say, these diatribes only serve to undermine the true intention of the Horton Awards: to gather choreographers, dancers, designers, technicians and dance lovers under one roof to celebrate dance and to raise the visibility of concert dance in the mainstream media.

To that end, the Horton Awards deserve a standing ovation.

MICHAEL MIZERANY

Artistic director,

MizeranyDance!,

North Hollywood

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Although I was correctly quoted in Dutka’s article, I was sorry that my greatest concerns regarding the Horton Awards were not voiced.

I fear that those awards are intrinsically divisive and therefore do not contribute to the dance community’s pressing need for unity. The awards utilize far too many of the Dance Resource Center’s valuable resources that otherwise could be focused on advocacy and service.

BENITA BIKE

Benita Bike’s DanceArt Company

Sunland