The 2024 & 2025 Bessie Awards Reception

Join The New York Dance and Performance Awards, The Bessies, New York City’s premier dance awards to honor outstanding creative work in the field!

The 41st Bessie Awards Reception for 2024 and 2025 Bessie Awards will take place on Tuesday, January 20 at 7 pm at Dixon Place Theater, 161A Chrystie Street, NY 10002.

**Space is limited and entry isn’t guaranteed based on capacity.

Dixon Place is proud to host this year’s Bessies Award event. As a Bessie Award–winning institution itself—and with founder Ellie Covan recognized with a Bessie in 1989—Dixon Place has long been a home for bold, innovative dance artists. Dixon Place is honored to continue this deep connection with the Bessies and to celebrate the extraordinary creators who shape the future of dance.

The Bessie Awards Selection Committee, an independent committee of dance industry professionals, makes nominations. Performances presented from April 1, 2023 until March 31, 2024 AND from April 1, 2024 until March 31, 2025 were eligible for consideration.

Award categories include:
Outstanding Choreographer/Creator
Outstanding Performer
Outstanding Revival
Outstanding Sound Design or Music Composition
Outstanding Visual Design
Outstanding Breakout Choreographer

Additional awards are given for:
Lifetime Achievement and Outstanding Service to the Field of Dance.

• List of 2024 and 2025 Nominees.
• 2024 & 2025 Lifetime Achievement & Outstanding Service to the field of Dance

The 2023–2024 Bessie Awards Selection Committee: Tyler Ashley, PeiJu Chien-Pott, Yoshiko Chuma, Duke Dang, Porshia A. Derival, Gregory English, Hannah Garner, Celia Ipiotis, William Isaac, Anabella Lenzu, Gian Marco Riccardo Lo Forte, Shalewa Mackall, zavé martohardjono, Yoko Murakami,, David Persky, Lynn Schwab, Rakia Seaborn, Alex Smith, Ivan Talijančić, Kate Thomas, Farren Wood, and Nami Yamamoto.

The 2024–2025 Bessie Awards Selection Committee: Tyler Ashley, PeiJu Chien-Pott, Yoshiko Chuma, Duke Dang, Gregory English, Jens Richard Giersdorf, Kyla Gordon, Celia Ipiotis, William Isaac, Raelle Myrick Hodges, Suzzanne Ponomarenko, Rakia Seaborn, Alex Smith, Kate Thomas, Farren Wood, Nami Yamamoto, and Sangeeta Yesley.

The Bessies Steering Committee (2023-2024): Paz Tanjuaquio (chair), Yvonne H. Chow, Stanford Makishi, maura nguyễn donohue, Nicky Paraiso, Craig Peterson, Tiffany Rea-Fisher, george emilio sanchez, and Charmaine Warren.

The Bessies Steering Committee (2024-2025): Stanford Makishi, maura nguyen donohue, Nicky Paraiso, Craig Peterson, Tiffany Rea-Fisher, george emilio sanchez, and Charmaine Warren.

ATTENDANCE:
RSVP request only. Final confirmation of in-person attendance will be sent closer to the event date. Due to limited capacity, priority for in-person seating will be given to 2024 & 2025 nominees and honorees.

If we are not able to accommodate your RSVP for in-person attendance, we will be happy to share a live streaming link, allowing you to join the celebration from the comfort of your home with friends and family.

This year’s Bessie Awards event will be a small, intimate, and community-focused gathering. While more modest in scale than past celebrations, the evening remains deeply committed to honoring excellence within New York City’s dance community and bringing artists together in a spirit of recognition, connection, and shared appreciation.

ABOUT THE BESSIES

The New York Dance and Performance Awards have saluted outstanding and groundbreaking creative work in the dance field in New York City for 41 years. Known as “The Bessies” in honor of revered dance teacher Bessie Schönberg, the awards were established in 1984 by David R. White at Dance Theater Workshop. They recognize choreography, performance, music composition, visual design, legacy, and service to the field of dance by independent dance artists and organizations. Nominees are chosen by a selection committee composed of artists, presenters, producers, and writers. For more information about The Bessies, visit www.bessies.org.

ABOUT DIXON PLACE

An artistic incubator since 1986, Dixon Place is a Bessie and Obie Award-winning non-profit institution committed to supporting the creative process by presenting original works of theatre, dance, music, puppetry, circus arts, literature and visual art at all stages of development. Presenting over 1000 creators a year, this local haven inspires and encourages diverse artists of all stripes and callings to take risks, generate new ideas, and consummate new practices.

The artist’s experience is given top priority through our professional atmosphere and remuneration, and their process is enhanced by our adventurous audiences. With a renewed commitment to racial equity and justice, Dixon Place is a local haven for creativity as well as an international model for the open exploration of the process of creation.

Visit: dixonplace.org

FAQ: What are my transport/parking options getting to the event? Here is the transportation link to Dixon Place: http://dixonplace.org/about-us/location/Delancey and Essex Municipal Parking Garage on 105-113 Essex Street & 112-120 Ludlow Street, New York, NY 10002, is very affordable and is about 5 blocks from Dixon Place, about 7 min walk.

SUPPORT THE BESSIES!

The Bessies continues its restructuring process, which began in 2024 with a focus on long-term sustainability and organizational growth. Guided by its inaugural Board of Directors, the Bessies is working toward establishing independent nonprofit status, strengthening its internal framework, and building partnerships that advance its mission to celebrate and support New York City’s diverse dance community.

Currently, the Bessies is on hiatus, and the viewing of dance works is temporarily paused as the organization focuses on completing this transition. The pause is expected to be lifted in the near future, as the Bessies prepares to resume its activities with renewed clarity, purpose, and sustainability.

As the Bessies continues this vital period of renewal, we invite the community’s support to help sustain this essential platform for recognizing and uplifting dance artists in New York City. Contributions and partnerships will play a key role in ensuring that the Bessies can return stronger than ever, continuing its legacy of honoring excellence and innovation in dance. Please support us.