Photo Flash: The Bessies' Presenter Gathering Honors Yoko Shioya Of The Japan Society

On January 6th, 2019, Yoko Shioya, Artistic Director of the Japan Society, was awarded the 2019 Bessies Presenter Award for Outstanding Curating, an annual honor bestowed by The NY Dance and Performance Awards, The Bessies in recognition of achievement of the work of a presenter or curator of programming performed in the New York City area. The recipient is chosen jointly by the Bessies Selection and Bessies Steering Committees.

The citation praised Ms. Shioya for "expanding the universe of dance and performance for New York audiences in her work at the Japan Society, for supporting the creation and presentation of innovative dance by Japanese, Asian, and western artists, and for deepening partnerships across cultures and geographies." Joseph V. Melillo of the Brooklyn Academy Of Music, recipient of the 2018 Bessies Presenter Award for Outstanding Curating, presented the award to Ms. Shioya. The evening also included a powerful speech by Alejandra Duque Cifuentes (the Acting Co-Executive Director of Programming and Justice Initiatives at Dance/NYC) highlighting the importance of supporting immigrant artists who contribute to making NYC's dance scene vibrant and relevant to the American society at large. The festive ceremony was attended by the members of the New York dance and performance community including artists, administrators, presenters, and critics, and took place at La MaMa La Galleria in New York City.

The NY Dance and Performance Awards have saluted outstanding and groundbreaking creative work in the dance field in New York City for 34 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 comprised of artists, presenters, producers, and writers. All those working in the dance field are invited to join the NY Dance and Performance League as members and participate in annual discussions on the direction of the awards and nominate members to serve on the selection committee. The Bessies are produced in partnership with Dance/NYC. For more information about The Bessies, visit www.bessies.org.

Photo Credit: AK47 Division