Debbie Allen, Dick Van Dyke among 43rd Kennedy Center honorees

Jan. 13 (UPI) -- The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced five honorees for lifetime achievement awards on Wednesday. Choreographer/actor Debbie Allen, singer/songwriter and activist Joan Baez, singer/songwriter Garth Brooks, violinist Midori and actor Dick Van Dyke will receive lifetime achievement honors.

The 43rd Kennedy Center Awards were postponed from December due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns. Originally rescheduled for March, the 2021 honors now have events scheduled from May 17 to 22, with a gala broadcast June 6 at 9 p.m. EDT on CBS.

The Kennedy Center also postponed its Mark Twain Prize for American Humor until June 20. PBS will air the Mark Twain awards at a later date.

Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein praised the five latest nominees in a statement .

"Debbie Allen moves seamlessly between artistic disciplines and is a cultural ambassador for all while having a monumental impact on dancers of color everywhere," Rubenstein said. "Folk icon Joan Baez breathed new life into the genre and powered rock music's turn toward social and political consciousness.

"As one of the world's best-selling music artists, Garth Brooks heightened country music's profile like no other singer before him," Rubenstein continued. "With an international presence for over 35 years, violinist Midori combines graceful precision and expression for performances building connections between art and the human experience."

Of Van Dyke, Rubenstein said, "With a charm that has made him one of the most cherished performers in show business history, Dick Van Dyke has brought us beloved film, stage, and TV characters adored by generations of fans, for more than seven decades."

The 2021 Kennedy Center events will combine live-filmed tributes to the nominees and virtual moments, according to the center's press release. Performances and tributes will occur on stages at the center's Washington, D.C., campus including the Front Plaza, Grand Foyer and Opera House.

Plans for in-person events are subject to change as the center continues to monitor COVID-19.