ISADORA DUNCAN DANCE AWARDS COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES AWARDEES FOR 2024-2025 PERFORMANCE SEASON
Nominees Announced: February 4, 2026 | Awardees Announced: March 30, 2026
Contact: izziespublicity@gmail.com
San Francisco, CA, March 31, 2026 – The Isadora Duncan Dance Awards Committee announces the “Izzie” awardees for the 2024-2025 performance season.
The Isadora Duncan Dance Awards Committee announced on February 4, 2026 the nominees for the 39th Isadora Duncan Dance Awards Ceremony — more affectionately known as the Izzies — which celebrate outstanding achievements in the creation, performance and presentation of dance across the San Francisco Bay Area. This year’s nominations recognize works presented between September 1, 2024 and August 31, 2025.
The following is a list of nominations by awards category with the Final awardees in bold. Awardees were announced at a celebration event on Monday, March 30, 2026 at ODC Theater in San Francisco. Andréa Spearman and David Herrera were the Emcees for the evening. The event also featured performances by Kambara + and dazaun.dance. The ceremony brought together Izzies nominees, honorees, and awardees, their peers and the community.
The nominations for the 2024-25 season are:
Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Individual
Drasti Mody, Paheli: The Riddle of Motherhood, Zohar Dance Company Studio, Palo Alto
Eddie Whitfield, Borrowed, Conni McKenzie, Joaquin Miller Park, Oakland
Jeremy Brooks, Return, Juneteenth Salon, Shawl-Anderson Dance Center, Berkeley
Sasha De Sola, Nutcracker, San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco
Wei Wang, Frankenstein, San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco
Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Ensemble
Brett Conway and Emily Hansel, elephant, SFDanceworks, Z Space, San Francisco
Corps of Swans, Swan Lake, Diablo Ballet, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek
Esteban Hernandez and Wona Park, Manon, San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco
Kelly Del Rosario and Erin Yen, Refer, RAWDance: The 20th Anniversary Home Season, ODC Theater, San Francisco
Men's Corps de Ballet, Raymonda, San Francisco Ballet, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco
Outstanding Achievement in Performance – Company
Calpulli Tonalehqueh, 2025 Peninsula International Dance Festival, San Mateo Performing Arts Center, San Mateo
Flamenco Arts International, Songs From A Sinking Ship, Z Space, San Francisco
Kristin Damrow & Company (Macio Payomo, Giovana Sales, Giulia Sales, Johnny Huy Nguyễn), Boundary Layer, Calous Lofts, Oakland
ODC/Dance, Nothing’s Gonna Make Sense (Reflections on Grief), ODC Theater, San Francisco
Parangal, Ipat a Kadsakay, Living Traditions of Maguindanao, Blue Shield of California Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
REYES Dance, DIOS, ODC Theater, San Francisco
San Francisco Ballet, Raymonda, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco
Outstanding Achievement in Music/Sound/Text
Aaron M. Gold, Music – Refer, RAWdance: 20th Anniversary Home Season, ODC Theater, San Francisco
Baba Duru, Carson Fratus and Cy Thompson, Music – Regain the Power of Joy/Rara, excerpt of Healing to Joy, Dimensions Dance Theater, Black Choreographers Festival: Here & Now, 20 Year Anniversary, Dance Mission Theater, San Francisco
jose e. abad and Stephanie Hewett, Sound Design and Mixing; Gabriele Christian and Styles Alexander, Text; amara tabor smith, Joanna Haigood and Ishmael Houston Jones, Additional Voices – DIASPORADICA, RUPTURE, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco
Peter Colclasure, Music – Season(s), Fast Forward, New Ballet, Hammer Theatre Center, San Jose
Outstanding Achievement in Visual Design
Jack Carpenter, Katherine Mattson and Dan Sweeney, Scenography; Jack Carpenter, Lighting Design; Jessica Swanson, Video Design – Are You OKAY?, Joe Goode Performance Group, Rincon Center, San Francisco
Del Medoff, Lighting Design, Beyond, UNA Productions, Z Space, San Francisco
Rogelio Lopez, Costume Design & Construction – Colorized Point (Flora y Fauna), David Herrera Performance Company, Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco
jose e. abad, Styles Alexander, Gabriele Christian, Clarissa Rivera Dyas and Stephanie Hewett, Set Design/Concept: Salimatu Amabebe, Island Set Fabrication and Set Support; Adam Miller, Inflatable Ball Design; Mike Rogers, Installation, Scaffold and Rigging; David Freitag, Scaffold and Rigging; Johnny Castro, Scaffold; GG Torres, Lighting Design – DIASPORADICA, RUPTURE, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco
Don Aguillo, June Arellano, Jose Rexiel Dela Cruz, Matthew Espina Harris, Major Julian, Faisal Monal, Jonathan Michael Mercado, Kimberly Requesto, Eric Solano and Allen Willner, Attire & Stage Design – Ipat a Kadsakay, Living Traditions of Maguindanao, Parangal, Blue Shield of California Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
Subhashinee Krishnamurthy, Visual Design – Finding Joy, Two Folds, Siddhi Creative, ODC Theater, San Francisco
Outstanding Achievement in Restaging / Revival / Reconstruction
Suhaila Salimpour, restaging of Bal Anat by Jamila Salimpour (1968), LeFevre Theatre of Performing Arts at Saint Mary’s College of California, Moraga
Lauren Strongin and Joseph Walsh for San Francisco Ballet, restaging of Frankenstein by Liam Scarlett (2017), War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco
Robert Tewsley for San Francisco Ballet, restaging of Manon by Sir Kenneth MacMillan (1974), War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco
Alonzo King for Alonzo King LINES Ballet, restaging of Scheherazade, Original commission - Monaco Dance Forum honoring the Centenary of the Ballets Russes (2009), Blue Shield of California Theater at YBCA, San Francisco
Sean Kelly and Christopher Lam for Diablo Ballet, restaging of Swan Lake suite by Marius Petipa (1895), Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek
Outstanding Achievement in Direction or Choreography
Isabel del Día, Marina Elana and José Maldonado, Songs From A Sinking Ship, Flamenco Arts International, Z Space, San Francisco
Forest Chen, Jason Nguyenand Lia Xia, Rogue Wave Ukiyo-e, Synkronize Showcase, Off The Grid, SJSU Morris Dailey Auditorium, San Jose
Jocelyn Reyes, DIOS, REYES Dance, ODC Theater, San Francisco
Kelly Del Rosario and Erin Yen, Refer, RAWdance: 20th Anniversary Home Season, ODC Theater, San Francisco
Kristin Damrow, Boundary Layer, Kristin Damrow & Company, Calou Lofts, Oakland
Mariana Sobral, Season(s), Fast Forward, New Ballet, Hammer Theatre Center, San Jose
Special Award Honorees
Alex Ketley, An Approximation of Resilience – for the concept and production of An Approximation of Resilience, which explores the life of death row inmate Bill Clark, incarcerated at San Quentin for 33 years. Through his correspondence with Clark, an artist on death row, Ketley created a performance that opened minds and hearts in the Bay Area dance community. By bringing Clark's voice and humanity to audiences through dance, film and the stark imagery of prison life, this deeply researched work helped us see incarcerated individuals not as separate from our world, but as part of it. Presenter: Manuelito Blag, Accepted by: Eli Shi, Alice Svetic, William Brewton Fowler Jr
Flamenco Arts International, Songs From A Sinking Ship – for outstanding achievement in every aspect of performance for Songs From A Sinking Ship. Presented in an intimate venue, the production showcased exceptional artistry that belied the company's size, featuring a highly creative concept paired with masterful choreography and original music. The entire ensemble, dancers, singers, and musicians alike, delivered top-notch performances that demonstrated a remarkable caliber of work from a small company. Presenter: Max Gustafson
Stella Adelman – Recognition of her transformative 20-year leadership at Dance Mission Theater. As the face of the organization for two decades, Adelman has been instrumental in building some of its most celebrated programming. Her multifaceted contributions as teacher, student, dancer, administrator, director, advocate, and activist have championed cultural dance and its vital role in education and wellness throughout San Francisco and beyond, making her an indispensable force in the Bay Area dance community. Presenter: Nicole Klaymoon
Sustained Achievement Honorees
Dr. John Deroy, a San Francisco Bay Area chiropractor and former dancer, has been honored with a Sustained Achievement Award in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to keeping dancers performing. For over four decades, Dr. Deroy has been an essential pillar of support for the region's dance community, treating countless performers from renowned companies including ODC/Dance and Lines Ballet, often getting them back together in time for their next performance. Dr. Deroy's unique understanding of dancers' bodies, informed by his own background as a dancer, combined with his unwavering commitment to their wellbeing, has made him an irreplaceable resource for the Bay Area dance community. Presenter: Enrico Labayan
Krissy Keefer, founder of Dance Mission, is being recognized with a Sustained Achievement Award for her extraordinary 50-year commitment to the Bay Area dance community. For five decades, Keefer has been a cornerstone of the dance scene, sustaining Dance Mission through countless challenges while providing vital support for choreographers. Her vision has reached broad and inclusive audiences, empowering marginalized communities through extensive dance class offerings and performance opportunities, ensuring that diverse voices are seen, heard and respected in the Bay Area arts landscape. Presenters: Keith Hennesey and Sarah Crowell
Smuin Contemporary Ballet receives a Sustained Achievement Award for 30 years of growth and artistic excellence. Since its founding, Smuin has not only survived but thrived, establishing itself as a vital force in the Bay Area dance community. This milestone celebrates three decades of innovative choreography, compelling performances and the company's remarkable ability to grow and flourish in an ever-changing arts landscape. Presenter: Val Caniparolli, Accepted by: Amy Seiwert and Celia Fushille
Tonya Marie Amos and Grown Woman Dance Collective for Sustained Achievement recognizing their 17 years of dedication to arts, wellness and social justice. Oakland and Concord-based GWDC celebrates community via Juneteenth productions, narrative shift choreography and voter mobilization, free community classes, and workforce development to heal and empower Black communities from within. Presenter: Wren Amos