The cast of On The Town

Dance is always big at the Tonys, but especially this year, with several crossover stars from the dance world occupying major Broadway roles. New York City Ballet principal Robert Fairchild, who stars in An American in Paris, lost best lead actor to Michael Cerveris of Fun Home, but we still enjoyed seeing Fairchild’s dreamy lovers’ pas de deux with Leanne Cope. Christopher Wheeldon, making his director-choreographer debut, took home the well-deserved Tony for best choreography for An American in Paris.

Leanne Cope and Robert Fairchild at the 2015 Tony Awards.

Other highlights included a medley from the always energetic On the Town cast (featuring NYCB’s Megan Fairchild and introduced by ballet’s celeb of the moment Misty Copeland), a regal performance by Chita Rivera from The Visit and the news that Tommy Tune received a lifetime achievement award. “My father’s great dream for me was the same as every Texas father’s dream for their first born son: They wanted us all to leave Texas, go to New York and dance in the chorus of a Broadway show,” he said in his acceptance speech. “I did it, and I loved every single time step.”