Dance Ontario announced the recipients of the inaugural Youth Dance and Dance Innovation awards recently.

The winner of the Youth Dance Award is Makeda Benitez, a delightful and community minded young dancer at Toronto’s Academy of Spanish Dance.

Recipients of the Dance Innovation Award were Apolonia Velasquez and Ofilio Sinbadinho Portillo in recognition of their work with the TUDS Street Dance Festival and their ongoing dedication to innovation in the dance community.

Finally, the winners of DanceWeekend’s Audience Choice Award were Benjamin Landsberg and Cadence Youth Dance Company.

Congratulations to everyone!