Tonys, Emmys, Kennedy Center Honors - These are thought to be the some of the most prestigious awards given to performing artists for excellence in their craft. Oklahoma City University's "Living Treasure in American Dance Awards" brings its own unique prestige to American tap and jazz artists. OCU has always been committed to celebrating tap and jazz as America's contribution to dance and honoring the men and women who have created and sustained it. In 1989 Jo Rowan, Chairman of the Dance Department at Oklahoma City University's School of American Dance and Arts Management and the dance students, presented the university's first award to officially recognize significant contributors to the development of American dance with the annual "Living Treasure in American Dance Award." By presenting this award for the last twelve years, OCU celebrates the heroes of American dance in their own land for creating truly American art forms from the American Experience. The "Living Treasure Award" is unique because the next generation of artists, the OCU dancers, are aware of the great importance of honoring those who have laid the foundation for their craft and their career.

The tap renaissance of the 1980's -90's brought about a true rebirth of respect for tap. The "Preservation of Our Heritage - American Dance Award" was created in 1999 to honor those men and women who have worked extensively in promoting and preserving American Dance. By providing venues for the perpetuation of American dance and by recording its written history, they have guaranteed the continuation of tap's newfound respect. The School of American Dance and Arts Management is proud to present the 2001 "Living Treasure in American Dance Award" to Marion Coles and the "2001 Preservation of Our Heritage - American Dance Award" to Al Heyward and Carl Schlesinger.

Marion Coles, one of the great ladies of tap and widow of tap legend Honi Coles, started dancing professionally at age seventeen as the ballroom team, "Taylor and Edwards," and went on to become a chorus dancer in the acclaimed Restina Banks Chorus Line. The ladies of the chorus were beautiful and talented performers who were not given proper recognition for their contribution to American Dance. They were relegated to the precision of the line, rather than featured, although they danced as well as many of the great men of tap.

Nonetheless, Coles appeared with such greats as Jimmy Lunceford, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Count Basie in the 1930's and 40's. She joined the Changing Times Tap Company from 1980 until 1986 when she joined the Silver Belles, founded by Geraldine Kennedy. Coles currently serves as the Silver Belles' Artistic Director. She has been master teacher, featured artist and guest lecturer at such venues as Lincoln Center, Schomburg Center, Columbia University, the Museum of Natural History, New York University, Dance Theatre of Harlem and Tulane University. Coles is also the recipient of the prestigious Flo-Bert Award, presented by the New York Committee to Celebrate National Tap Dance Day. Incidentally, Coles' late husband, Honi, was the recipient of the Living Treasure Award in 1992. Oklahoma City University will honor Marion Coles and the Silver Belles, a "sorority" of Apollo chorus girls, in an attempt to recognize the joy they brought us and the debt tap owes to them.

Al Heyward is co-chairman of the New York Committee to Celebrate National Tap Dance Day, which produces the annual Flo-Bert Awards, recognizing people who have made significant contributions to the development, growth and appreciation of tap. He is a native of New York City and a graduate of Baruch College - City University of New York with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with emphasis in accounting. He currently serves as an accountant and administrator at Manhattan College. Heyward has always been an avid fan of musical theatre and dance and he helped to produce two versions of the musical revue Encore, starring Joe Silver and Joey Faye.

Carl Schlesinger, also co-chair of the New York Committee to Celebrate National Tap Dance Day, began tap dancing in 1978, at age 52. Enamored with the art form, he studied in New York with Brenda Buffalino and Barbara Duffy. He also studied tap history and involved himself with many organizations and events saluting tap. Thus far, Schlesinger and Heyward, along with the rest of the committee, have produced 11 Tap Extravaganza gala shows and 27 tap dance legends have been presented with the prestigious Flo-Bert Award.

The Living Treasure and Preservation of Our Heritage Awards are a source of both pride and humility for Rowan and John Bedford, Dean of the School of American Dance and Arts Management. "We created these awards in an obvious moment of opportunity to honor the creators of these dance styles," Rowan said. "The 16th Century inventors of ballet are no longer with us, but many people who created tap and jazz are still alive."

The Chinese tradition of honoring leading artists while they are still living serves as the inspiration behind the "Living Treasure Award." Past honorees include Tommy Sutton (1989), Al Gilbert (1990), Gus Giordano (1991), Honi Coles (1992), Maceo Anderson (1993), Peg Leg Bates (1994), Henry LeTang (1995), Harold Cromer (1996), Buster Brown (1997), Jimmy Slyde and Dianne Walker (1998), Cholly Atkins (1999) and Leonard Reed (2000).

"Preservation of Our Heritage - American Dance Award" recipients include Melba Huber and Sali Ann Kriegsman (1999) and Jaqui Malone and Robert Reed (2000). "It is through their diligence and dedication that American dance remains in the hearts and minds of the American public and the world," Bedford said.

The 2001 Awards Ceremony will immediately follow the final performance of the 2001 Spring Dance Concert, presented by the acclaimed American Spirit Dance Company, under the direction of Jo Rowan, March 10, 2001.