The 2017 Kennedy Center Honorees include singer-songwriter Gloria Estefan, whose life was explored in the Broadway musical On Your Feet!, and actor, dancer, and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade, whose Broadway credits include A Streetcar Named Desire and House of Flowers.
Rounding out this year's recipients are hip hop artist LL COOL J, television writer and producer Norman Lear, and musician and record producer Lionel Richie.
In the video above, catch a glimpse of the annual celebration, including a brief interview with honorary Estefan, who says, "This has been one of the most magical nights."
“The Kennedy Center Honors spotlights the extraordinary careers of five artists whose talent and ingenuity have enriched and shaped cultural life in America,” said Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein in an earlier statement. “Carmen de Lavallade is a national treasure whose elegance and talent as a dancer led to a career touching many art forms; international superstar Gloria Estefan has influenced American music through her infectious Miami sound; landmark hip hop artist LL Cool J taught the world how to rhyme as one of the pioneers of the hip hop phenomenon; Norman Lear spoke to the human condition and sparked poignant cultural conversations with some of the most epochal TV sitcoms of the 20th century; and Lionel Richie’s irresistibly recognizable melodies capture the heart and transcend generations.”
