The Dance Hall of Fame was conceived by Emmy-winning choreographer and producer Anita Mann, seven-time Emmy-winning director Louis J. Horvitz, and dance documentarians Melinda and Kurt Soderling. Together, they assembled a distinguished board of 13 leaders in dance and entertainment to bring a long-overdue vision to life: a global celebration of movement, creativity and legacy.
Mann and Horvitz, along with Jeff Thacker, five-time Emmy-nominated executive producer of "So You Think You Can Dance," serve as executive producers of the ceremony, with the Soderlings serving as producers. Mann has choreographed for icons including Elvis Presley, Cher, Michael Jackson and The Muppets and is the longtime producer of one of Las Vegas' most enduring shows, Fantasy. Horvitz, a master of live television direction, has helmed the Grammy Awards, the Academy Awards, the Emmy Awards and the Kennedy Center Honors, shaping some of entertainment's most unforgettable televised moments.
The mission of the Dance Hall of Fame Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is as follows: "The Dance Hall of Fame Foundation educates and engages future generations of dancers, choreographers, and creators. Grounded in the names and histories of those inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame, the Foundation focuses on inspiring emerging artists; it is critical to the ongoing development of the art of dance and the strength of our global dance community that the next generation of artists feels empowered to create. The Dance Hall of Fame Foundation is committed to breaking barriers and providing the stage for dancers and choreographers to continue raising the barre."
