If you are wondering who's hip and who's hot in the New York City dance scene, check out the nominations for the 2021 NY Dance and Performance Awards, The Bessies, New York City’s premier dance awards honoring outstanding creative work in the field, Digital performances presented between March 15, 2020 and May 31, 2021, and in-person performances presented between June 1, 2020 and May 31, 2021, were considered for this round of Bessie nominations. Award categories include Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performer, Outstanding Revival, Outstanding Music Composition or Sound Design, Outstanding Visual Design, and Outstanding Breakout Choreographer, which recognizes an artist who has made an exceptional leap in visibility and impact in their career this past season.
“Dance artists and their collaborators have continued to dream and build during the pandemic. They have called upon each of us to reimagine and commit our collective movement toward equity, justice, and healing. We are thrilled to celebrate their work and the resilience of our community at the virtual 2021 Bessies Ceremony,“ said Bessies executive director Heather Robles. The 37th Annual Bessie Awards ceremony will be live-streamed on Monday, October 11, 2021, at 7:30pm Eastern. Reservations for the ceremony will be available starting September 20, through donation.
The 2021 Bessie Award Nominations
Outstanding Production:
Kyle Abraham, When We Fell New York City Ballet at the David H. Koch Theater
Kyle Abraham and Taylor Stanley, Ces noms que nous portons New York City Ballet and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Related story: Dancing On Lincoln Center Plaza
Stefanie Batten Bland, Kolonial, Baryshnikov Arts Center
mayfield brooks, Whale Fall, Abrons Arts Center
Ayodele Casel, Chasing Magic The Joyce Theater
Janessa Clark, Communion, Janessa Clark and HERE Arts Center
Johnnie Cruise Mercer, For_AShadowPrince, Presented through Stephen Petronio Company's Bloodlines(future) program
Israel Galván, Maestro de Barra, The Joyce Theater
Indigenous Enterprise, Indigenous Enterprise: Powwow Style, The Joyce Theater
Eiko Otake, A Body in a Cemetery, Pioneer Works and Green-Wood Cemetery
Mariana Valencia, Brownout, Baryshnikov Arts Center
Saul Williams, Bill T. Jones, Maria Bauman, Kayla Farrish, Marjani Forté-Saunders, d. Sabela grimes, Jasmine Hearn, and Shamel Pitts, The Motherboard Suite, New York Live Arts
Outstanding Music Composition/Sound Design:
Monstah Black, For _AShadowPrince, by Johnnie Cruise, Mercer Presented through Stephen Petronio Company's Bloodlines(future) program
Pedro León and Manu Prieto, For Maestro de Barra, by Israel Galván The Joyce Theater
Arturo O’Farrill, Crystal Monee Hall (singer/songwriter), Annastasia Victory (music director and composer), and Senfu Stoney (percussionist), For Chasing Magic, by Ayodele Casel, The Joyce Theater
Saul Williams, For The Motherboard Suite, New York Live Arts
Outstanding Visual Design:
Kyle Abraham (Director), Ryan Marie Helfant (Director & Director of Photography), Eric K. Yue (Director of Photography), and Esteban Pedraza (Editor), When We Fell, by Kyle Abraham New York City Ballet at the David H. Koch Theater
Tei Blow and Sean McElroy (visuals), The Sprezzaturameron by Tei Blow and Sean McElroy Baryshnikov Arts Center
Conrad Quesen (installation) and Shane Ballard (costumes), Kolonial, by Stefanie Batten Bland Baryshnikov Arts Center
Catalin Stelian (Director of Photography, Cinematography, Editor), Kofi Assane Opare (Cinematography), and Kweku Amantey Opare (Editor), Steel Standing, by Fritzlyn Hector DanceAfrica 2021 Brooklyn Academy of Music
The NY Dance and Performance Awards have saluted outstanding and groundbreaking creative work in the dance field in New York City for 37 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 outstanding work in choreography, performance, music composition, and visual design. Nominees are chosen by a selection committee composed of artists, presenters, producers, and writers. All those working in the dance field are invited to join the Bessies Membership and participate in annual discussions on the direction of the awards and nominate members to serve on the selection committee.
For a complete nominations list: www.bessies.org