By Maria Esteves - February 1, 2009

The 37th Annual 2009 Dance on Camera Festival (DOCF09), Awards and Reception was held at the Walter Reade Theater, New York, Saturday, January 10, 7:00 PM. The award acknowledges the best in dance films and emerging directors.
The award announcers were DFA artistic director Deirdre Towers, dance online consultant Marlon Barrios Solano, and festival juror Caterina Bartha, DCOF.

Since 1956, Dance Films Association, Inc. (DFA) founded by Susan Braun is a non-profit organization that promotes excellence in dance through dance film lab, publications, grants, workshops, and annually presents the international touring Dance on Camera Festival (DCF). It's many partners help bring the ageless art of dance through film to the world. DFA/DCF artistic director is Deirdre Towers and co-producer is Joanna Ney, Film Society of Lincoln Center. DFA board members are Virginia Brooks, Louise Spain, Amy Meharg, Betty Jenkins, and Marta Renzi. 

This year's film festival now on tour included 12 films (premieres, features, documentaries) and 26 shorts. The festival also included an opening night reception, panel discussions, workshops, special events, and awards ceremony.

2009 DOCF presented by DFA is co-sponsored by Film Society of Lincoln Center. The prime sponsors shortlist are Arte TV, Bravo! FACT, Canadian Consulate General, Certamen de Burgos, DanceMedia.Com, Dance-Tech.Net,
Kaltura Republique Franciaise, National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, and SHOWBIZ SOFTWARE (full list). The winners were judged by:

* Caterina Bartha – DCOF juror
* Lois Greenfield – photographer, DCOF juror
* Tere O’Connor – choreographer, DCOF juror
* Madeleine Shapiro – musician/composer, DCOF juror

The ceremony included 5 awards within 3 categories. The following are the various awards and their winners:

Special Mention

* Producer Caleb Custer for PROJECT 52, CEDAR LAKE

* Program director Jennifer S.B. Calienes and filmmaker Shoko Letton for RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS, Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography

* Molecular biologist/journalist/producer John Bohannon, The American
Association for the Advancement of Science, for THE SCIENCE DANCE PROJECT

Jury Prize

* Dahci Ma for MYSTERIES OF NATURE

Special Recognition 

* LOUISE SPAIN, DFA treasurer