Ballet Hispánico will honor Puerto Rican legendary actress and EGOT winner Rita Moreno with the Toda Una Vida Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by actress Gina Rodriguez, and Ecuadorian-American Pinnacle Group Chairman and CEO Nina Vaca with the Nuestra Inspiración Award, presented by Ralph de la Vega, the former Vice Chairman of AT&T Inc. and CEO of Business Solutions & International, at its annual Carnaval Gala in The Plaza Hotel's Grand Ballroom, 768 Fifth Avenue, NYC. Cocktails begin at 6:30pm and dinner and dancing commence at 7:30pm. Proceeds, which last year totaled over $1.1 million, benefit the creation of new Company works, scholarships in the Ballet Hispánico School of Dance, and community arts education programs.

For more than 45 years, Ballet Hispánico has empowered and educated the next generation through dance.  Through its innovative outreach programs and acclaimed performances, the organization has introduced thousands of young people to a cultural heritage often overlooked in American society.

Ballet Hispánico was founded by a Latina leader of its own, National Medal of Arts recipient Tina Ramirez, who infused the organization in 1970 with her mission to provide access to arts education and give voice to the Latino artist. When Eduardo Vilaro became Artistic Director in 2009, he launched a bold and eclectic brand of contemporary dance that reflects America's changing cultural landscape. He has also established programs that have nurtured a new generation of Latino leaders, many of them female.

"Ballet Hispánico builds on founder Tina Ramirez's legacy of female leadership by celebrating the achievements of two remarkable Latina leaders who have made their mark in the performing arts and corporate America," said Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director & CEO of Ballet Hispánico. "The evening is a celebration of Ballet Hispánico's determined and increasingly necessary commitment to fostering awareness of the gifts of diversity."

"I love what this organization does for the community; it's inspirational. It fits with my own mission to serve our youth," said Rita Moreno. "I am excited to find other ways of partnering with Ballet Hispánico to reach our community with the arts."

"I'm honored to be recognized by such an impactful organization," says Nina Vaca. "Ballet Hispánico empowers our youth to pursue their artistic dreams and reminds us all about the value of bringing communities together.Many of those touched by Ballet Hispánico go on to establish careers in the arts or found their own successful businesses.I applaud Ballet Hispánico for building and strengthening the link between art and entrepreneurship."

Carnaval, the inspiration for Ballet Hispánico's annual Gala as envisioned by Eduardo Vilaro, is a celebration of the impactful voices of the Latino world-an exciting and fitting way to showcase the resilience and unparalleled vision of one of America's cultural gems. Attended by more than 500 of New York's most influential civic leaders, philanthropists and artists, the evening is filled with live Latin music and thrilling performances by the Ballet Hispánico Company and students of the School of Dance.