Review: 2016 BESSIES AWARDS Celebrate the Depth and Breadth of the NYC Dance Community

Dubbed the "Oscars of Dance", the Bessies have been recognizing NYC's outstanding performers, choreographers, musicians, and designers ever since 1984. Established by David R. White at Dance Theater Workshop in honor of legendary dance teacher Bessie Schönberg, the awards ceremonies have treated full houses to performances and presentations by established and emerging artists for more than three decades.

The 32nd annual ceremony on the evening of October 18th 2016, at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House this year after five years at the Apollo, was no exception. Awards were bestowed to thrilled recipients in the categories of Outstanding Production, Outstanding Performer, Outstanding Music Composition/Sound Design, and Outstanding Visual Design, with additional awards presented for Lifetime Achievement and Outstanding Service to the Field of Dance. The audience, an impressive turnout of dance luminaries and dance aficionados, responded with thunderous applause, shouts of approval, and several standing ovations. Kudos to Lucy Sexton, the current Executive Director of the Bessies, for helming a meaningful and memorable 2016 event.

Alastair Macaulay, chief dance critic of the New York Times, summed up the raison d'être of the awards when he said that New York is "Dancer City, Choreographer City, and Dance History City". For me, as someone who has served all five boroughs with the outreach company Ballet Ambassadors, the fact that the 2016 event took place in Brooklyn underscored that fact that New York is not simply Manhattan but also Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island.

Macaulay presented an award for Outstanding Service to the Field of Dance to The Jerome Robbins Dance Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. I've spent countless hours in that treasure trove of dance archives, and I introduced groups of students to the riches that are housed there. That's why I was especially glad to be on hand to witness the entire staff of JRDD walk on stage to accept the richly deserved plaque.

Another highlight of the evening for me was watching the incomparable Brenda Bufalino graciously accept the 2016 Bessie for Lifetime Achievement in Dance in recognition of her 70 (!) years as tap dancer and choreographer extraordinaire. A performance by 14 of her protégées preceded that moment, proving beyond a doubt that she earned her award.

The evening also included a riveting and rigorous live performance by Joya Powell's Movement of the People Dance Company. Powell is the recipient of the Bessies 2016 Outstanding Emerging Choreographer Award. The image accompanying this review is of MOPDC's contribution to the BAM evening.

Another notable performance was an excerpt from Donald McKayle's Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder by Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and produced by Paul Taylor American Modern Dance. The piece received a 2016 Bessie for Outstanding Revival.

The presenters were all charming but none surpassed the amazing duo of Amar Ramassar, Bronx-born NYCB principal dancer uncharacteristically clad in a business suit alongside the legendary Judith Jamison in colorful African garb. They were so engaging, even as they stumbled over some of the announcements they were supposed to read, that they nearly stole the show.

My only quibble with the event was the choice of dancer/choreographer/comedian Adrienne Truscott as the host of the ceremony. Her brand of humor, complete with titillating costumes, served as a distraction rather than an enhancement to an evening that should have belonged to the honorees and to all of us who respect them. Why have a so-called host at all? Lucy Sexton, along with Lane Harwell of Dance NYC, offered a welcome, as did BAM president Katy Clark. From there, the proceedings could have gone on without Truscott's unnecessary and often irrelevant, not to mention political, banterings.

For a complete list of the 2016 awardees, visit http://bessies.org/2016-bessie-awards/ For a full list of the 2016 nominees, visit http://bessies.org/2016-nominees/

Photo credit: Joya Powell's Movement of the People Dance Company by AK47 Division

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