2024:
DYANE HARVEY-SALAAM TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE AND BALLET TECH TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE FIELD OF DANCE
2025:
GARTH FAGAN TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE AND GIBNEY DANCE TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE FIELD OF DANCE
The New York Dance and Performance Awards, The Bessies, New York City’s premier dance awards honoring outstanding creative work in the field, are delighted to announce that Dyane Harvey-Salaam, will receive the 2024 Bessie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Dance and Garth Fagan will receive the 2025 Bessie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Dance. Ballet Tech will receive the award for the 2024 Outstanding Service to the Field of Dance and Gibney Dance will receive the award for the 2025 Outstanding Service to the Field of Dance. Both awards for each year will be presented at the 41st Bessie Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, January 20 at 7 p.m., at Dixon Place Theater, 161A Chrystie Street, NY 10002. Admission is free. Please register here: https://dixonplace.org/performances/41st-annual-bessies-announcement-1-20-2026/
2024
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE
Dyane Harvey-Salaam is an accomplished performing artist, BESSIE award nominee (2019) and winner (2017), dance educator, choreographer, certified Pilates instructor, and board member of the American Dance Guild. Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother and Grandmother, she has performed as a principal soloist with many recognized dance companies and is a founding member and assistant to director Abdel R. Salaam, of The Forces of Nature Dance Theatre Company and wishes to acknowledge with deep gratitude this long relationship.
Having appeared nationally and internationally with concert dance companies including: The Eleo Pomare Dance Company, Joan Miller’s Dance Players, Chuck Davis Dance Company, Walter Nicks Dance Company, Otis Sallid’s New Art Ensemble, George Faison’s Universal Dance Experience, Dance Brazil, and The Repertory Dance Theatre of Trinidad and Tobago, she knows that the values instilled while dancing with these companies have prepared her for a richly satisfying life.
She has served as guest artist in Sydnie L. Mosely’s Purple, A Ritual In 9 Spells, first produced for Lincoln Center’s Rose Theatre, DancePlace in Washington, D.C., other iterations of the “Purple Universe” include a residency at Penn State University and most recently in collaboration with Dr.Kim Hall’s exquisite quilt exhibit at the Milstein Library, Barnard College.
Commercial appearances include The Wiz (original Broadway and film) Timbuktu!, Spell #7, Your Arms Too Short ToBox With God (Paris Company) Ailey Celebrates Ellington (CBS Special) Free To Dance (Forces of Nature Dance Theatre-PBS Special)
Her choreography for Black Theatre companies has earned AUDELCO Awards: Oya the Dance Drama, and Great Men of Gospel, and The United Solo and Broadway Berkshire Awards for Becoming Othello a Black Girl’s Journey. Other awards include: Abundance Arts Keeper of the Flame Award, the Asase Yaa Foundational Legacy Award, A.I.R. Living Legends Award (Miami Dade Community College), Distinguished Woman Award (Harlem Arts Alliance and Harlem Chamber of Commerce), and the ModArts Legacy Award.
Aspects of her life have been recorded for the Lincoln Center Performing Arts Library Jerome Robbins Dance Division, Oral History Project, and she participated in The Dance Historian Is In, a video presentation in which her major career achievements were highlighted. Along with dance colleagues, she assisted in the curation of two The Dance Historian Is In segments celebrating the lives of her mentor Eleo Pomare and Joan Miller, as well as a special evening honoring the lifework of Talley Beatty.
Her published article, “Making Movement as an Act of Listening, Riding With the Muse” was included in the CLAJ Special Edition dedicated to the legacy of collaborator, Ntozake Shange. Additional literary offerings include a chapter in the book edited by Reverend Melody McGant, Good is Powerful , entitled “The Goodness of SweetHoney” and for the Dance Enthusiast, “Impressions:DanceAfrica 2025, Movement! Magic! Manifestation!”
An educator, she continues to teach and design courses at both Princeton and Hofstra Universities, where she shares her philosophy about the dance of life itself.
Ase’ to all who have come before!
2024
OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE FIELD OF DANCE
Ballet Tech, founded in 1974 by choreographer Eliot Feld, is a pioneering New York City dance institution dedicated to cultivating the next generation of ballet artists through unparalleled access, opportunity, and training. Formally known as the New York City Public School for Dance, Ballet Tech has built a national reputation for its innovative approach to classical ballet education, combining rigorous training with equity, inclusion, and a deep commitment to nurturing young dancers from all backgrounds.
At the heart of Ballet Tech is its groundbreaking audition program, which brings ballet directly into NYC public schools, offering thousands of children the opportunity to discover their talent for dance at no cost. Students who show promise are invited to train at Ballet Tech’s state-of-the-art studios, where they receive exceptional technique classes, artistic mentorship, and academic support designed to help them thrive both as dancers and individuals.
In 2021, Dionne Figgins, a celebrated American ballerina, Broadway performer, and arts leader, was appointed Artistic Director of Ballet Tech. Her appointment marks a new chapter in the institution’s evolution, bringing a powerful vision centered on excellence, diversity, and expanded visibility for young dancers. Figgins’ leadership builds on Eliot Feld’s legacy while guiding the school toward a more dynamic, contemporary, and culturally responsive future.
Known for its annual Kids Dance performances at The Joyce Theater, Ballet Tech continues to inspire audiences and empower students through joyful, high-caliber performances. With its unique fusion of artistry, education, and accessibility, Ballet Tech remains one of New York City’s most impactful and enduring dance institutions.
2025
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE
Garth Fagan is the visionary founder and Artistic Director of Garth Fagan Dance and one of the most influential choreographers of his generation. Born in Jamaica and based in the United States since the 1960s, Fagan has developed a groundbreaking movement language that blends modern dance, ballet, Afro-Caribbean traditions, and postmodern experimentation. His technique—celebrated for its polyrhythmic complexity, strength, and emotional depth—has shaped generations of dancers and established him as a master craftsman of the form.
Fagan’s choreography has been commissioned by major companies worldwide, including the Dance Theatre of Harlem, for whom he created the critically acclaimed Footprints Dressed in Red, a work praised for its bold musicality, cultural resonance, and unique movement invention. His expansive body of work also includes The Dispossessed, Griot New York, Prelude: Discipline is Freedom, and the landmark Broadway production of Disney’s The Lion King, for which he received the Tony Award for Best Choreography.
Throughout his career, Fagan has been honored with numerous accolades, including the Bessie Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, NYC Mayor’s Award for Arts and Culture, and the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) from the Jamaican government. His company, founded in 1970 in Rochester, New York, remains a cornerstone of American contemporary dance.
With a career spanning more than five decades, Garth Fagan continues to inspire audiences with choreography that is both technically profound and deeply human, solidifying his legacy as a transformative force in the world of dance.
2025
OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE FIELD OF DANCE
Gibney is one of New York City’s most influential and progressive arts institutions, recognized internationally for its unique integration of contemporary dance, social action, and community engagement. Founded in 1991 by choreographer Gina Gibney, the organization has grown from a small dance company into a multi-faceted cultural hub with two Manhattan locations—Gibney 280 Broadway and Gibney 890 Broadway—together offering some of the largest and most vibrant studio spaces for training, creation, and performance in the city.
At its core, Gibney champions artistic innovation through its resident company, presenting programs, and extensive artist support initiatives, including residencies, commissions, subsidized studio rental, and professional development resources. Its performance series brings forward emerging and established artists, fostering a diverse range of voices and perspectives in contemporary dance.
Gibney is nationally recognized for its groundbreaking Community Action program, which uses movement workshops to support survivors of gender-based violence. Through partnerships with social service organizations, the program provides tools for self-expression, healing, and empowerment, exemplifying Gibney’s belief in dance as a vehicle for social change.
A leader in arts advocacy, Gibney also supports the professional dance field through the Dance Mobility Initiative, training programs, and a commitment to equitable practices, accessibility, and artist-centered values. The institution regularly collaborates with local and international organizations, strengthening its role as a connector within the global dance community.
With its blend of artistic excellence, community engagement, and forward-thinking leadership, Gibney stands as a transformative force in New York City’s cultural landscape and a model for how the arts can drive meaningful social impact.
A list of the 2024 & 2025 Bessie nominees can be found at 2024 Bessie Nominees & 2025 Bessie Nominees.
EVENT DETAILS
The 41st Bessie Awards Event
Tuesday, January 20, 7 p.m.
Dixon Place Theater,
161A Chrystie Street, New York, NY 10003.
Location link.
FREE ADMISSION (with live streaming option). Click Here.
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.
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.
Press contact:
Audrey Ross, (929.222.3973), Email: audreyrosspub@aol.com
Follow The Bessies on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: #theBessies / @bessieawards
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