On the evening of Oct. 20, dancers and industry professionals gathered at the Apollo Theater to honor some of New York City’s outstanding dance professionals and their work at the 30th Annual Bessie Awards, the New York Dance and Performance Awards.
Produced in partnership with Dance/NYC, the Bessies (named after the iconic choreographer Bessie Schonberg) were hosted by Lisa Kron, whose hit musical “Fun Home” will make its Broadway debut in 2015.
The evening featured performances that represent the past three decades of Bessie-recognized work, including Megan Williams in Mark Morris’ “Bijoux” and “Shelter” from Urban Bash Women.
Famed dancer and choreographer Arthur Mitchell, who’s been recognized as a MacArthur Fellow, was one of the youngest people to receive recognition from the Kennedy Center Honors in 1993, and received the United States Medal of Arts, can add another award to his résumé as he received the Bessies’ lifetime achievement award.
Several presenters came out to support the dance industry, including Robert Battle, Faye Driscoll, Megan Fairchild, Karen Finley, Crazy Legs, Tere O’Connor, Jessye Norman, Omagbitse
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