Vanessa Hudgens And Paula Abdul Attend 2015 Industry Dance Awards and Cancer Benefit Show

Vanessa Hudgens and Paula Abdul hung out backstage at the 2015 Industry Dance Awards and Cancer Benefit Show at Hollywood’s Avalon Wednesday night.

Vanessa Hudgens And Paula Abdul

Before Abdul bonded with former High School Musical star Hudgens at the Industry Dance Awards, she presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Rita Moreno. “Every one of us who is here tonight we all owe this woman a debt of gratitude for constantly inspiring us,” said Abdul, who is a dancer and choreographer as well as a former singer. As for Hudgens’ she was at the event to accept the Breakthrough Performer Award.

The dance industry event benefits The Circle of Hope, a charity for dancers who have survived cancer, a disease that Hudgens knows all too well. In her acceptance speech, Hudgens revealed that her boyfriend Austin Butler‘s mother passed away from cancer last year, and that her father recently received a stage four cancer diagnosis.

“Last year, my boyfriend, Austin, lost his mom, Lori, to cancer, and my dad has just been recently diagnosed with stage four cancer,” Hudgens said. “Let me tell you, I hate cancer. I hate cancer with every cell of my being.”

“This award, it means a lot to me but I dedicate it to my boyfriend’s mom, Lori, my dad, and to all the families out there who are struggling with this, because it really takes a strong person and a strong family to be able to help those out who are going through this,” Hudgens added.

While Abdul is busy judging on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, Hudgens is getting ready to prepare for Grease:Live in which she is set to play Rizzo.