Havana, May 9 (RHC)-- Cuba’s Acosta Danza is among the nominees to the National Dance Awards of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the UK.

The iconic Cuban dance ensemble competes in the category of BEST INDEPENDENT COMPANY against other equally renowned dance companies: 2Faced Dance, Boy Blue Entertainment, Rhiannon Faith Company and Scottish Dance Theatre.  

Due to the impact of the pandemic, the qualifying period for performances, both live in the UK and digital (available in the UK) was extended by four months to between 1 September 2019 and 31 December 2020. 

Four new awards have been introduced this year to recognize the dance sector’s response to the pandemic:

    Best Company Response to the Pandemic

    Best Digital Choreography

    Best Dance Film

    Best Short Dance Film

The shortlisted nominees are taken from nominations made by the members of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle. In total, there were 456 companies, choreographers, performers and other creative artists nominated (up from 418 in 2019).

The winners will be announced at an online ceremony to be streamed on Sunday, 27th June 2021.

The event will also play host to the De Valois Award for Outstanding Achievement for which there are no prior nominations.  

Once again, The Royal Ballet tops the list with a record total of 18 nominations (up from 15 in 2019), followed by English National Ballet (9), Birmingham Royal Ballet (6), Scottish Ballet (5) and Rambert (4).

The National Dance Awards have been organized by the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in each year of this Millennium to celebrate the vigor and variety of Britain’s thriving dance culture. They are presented by the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle, which brings together over 60 dance writers and critics. They are the only awards given by the body of professional dance critics in the UK.