The New York Dance and Performance Awards have announced nominees for both the 2024 and 2025 Bessie Awards, including nominations for several Princeton University faculty, fellows, alumni and guest artists in the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Dance. Nominees include longtime faculty member and Lecturer in Dance Dyane Harvey-Salaam; 2025-2027 Princeton Arts Fellow Niall Jones and 2023-2025 Princeton Arts Fellow yuniya edi kwon; Princeton alumnus Ogemdi Ude ’16; past 2018-19 Hodder Fellow Okwui Okpokwasili; current Hearst Choreographer-in-Residence Omari Wiles and recent Hearst Choreographers Rennie Harris, Amy Hall Garner, Shamel Pitts, Kyle Marshall, Urban Bush Women, and Ralph Lemon; and recent guest artists Tamisha Guy, Princess Lockerooo, and Ishita Milli.
The artist nomination and performance details include:
- Lecturer Dyane Harvey-Salaam nominated for 2024 Outstanding Performer for Purple: A Ritual In Nine Spells, Sydnie L. Mosley Dances, presented at Clark Theater at Lincoln Center
- Recent guest artist Tamisha Guy also nominated for 2024 Outstanding Performer for Rain (1989), Bebe Miller/A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, presented at The Joyce Theater
- Recent Princeton Arts Fellow yuniya edi kwon nominated for 2024 Outstanding Sound Design or Musical Composition along with Haruko Crow Nishimura & Joshua Kohl of Degenerate Art Ensemble for Boy mother/faceless bloom, Juni One Set, presented at New York Live Arts
- Past Hodder Fellow Okwui Okpokwasili also nominated for 2024 Outstanding Sound Design or Musical Composition along with Peter Born, Will Johnson, and Deah Love Harriott for adaku, part 1: the road opens, presented at BAM Fisher
- Ogemdi Ude, Princeton alumnus from the Class of 2016, nominated for 2024 Outstanding Breakout Choreographer
- Recent Hearst Choreographer Shamel Pitts nominated for 2024 Outstanding Choreographer/Creator for Touch of Red, presented at New York Live Arts
- Recent lecturer and Hearst Choreographer Kyle Marshall also nominated for 2024 Outstanding Choreographer/Creator for Onyx, presented at The Joyce Theater
- Current Princeton Arts Fellow Niall Jones nominated for 2025 Outstanding Performer for JohnsonJaxxxonJefferson, presented at Danspace Project
- Current Hearst Choreographer-in-Residence Omari Wiles nominated for 2025 Outstanding Choreographer/Creator along with Arturo Lyons for CATS:“The Jellicle Ball” at Perelman Performing Arts Center
- Recent Hearst Choreographer Rennie Harris also nominated for 2025 Outstanding Choreographer/Creator for Jacob’s Ladder, presented at The Joyce Theater
- Past Hearst Choreographer Ralph Lemon also nominated, along with Darrell Jones, for 2025 Outstanding Choreographer/Creator for Low, presented at MoMA PS 1
- Past Hearst Choreographers Urban Bush Women also nominated for 2025 Outstanding Choreographer/Creator for Scat! ..The Complex Lives of Al & Dot, Dot & Al Zollar, presented at Perelman Performing Arts Center
- Past guest artist Princess Lockerooo also nominated for 2025 Outstanding Choreographer/Creator for curating Waacking Community, Fabulous Waacking Festival Winter Edition, presented at Imperial Ballroom Dance Studio
- Recent Hearst Choreographer Amy Hall Garner and recent guest artist Ishita Milli nominated for 2025 Outstanding Breakout Choreographer
Established in 1984, The Bessies are New York City’s premier dance awards. According to the organization, “They recognize groundbreaking work in choreography, performance, music composition, visual design, legacy, and service to the field of dance.” An independent Selection Committee of dance industry professionals nominates artists for each award.
Performances presented between April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, and from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, were eligible for consideration for the 41st annual Bessie Awards. Winners will be announced on January 20.
View the full list of nominees posted on The New York Dance and Performance Award website.
Banner image: Princeton students perform “bubbles,” a new work by Shamel Pitts, during a dress rehearsal for the 2023 Princeton Dance Festival in the Berlind Theatre on November 30, 2023. Photo by Larry Levanti.
