Bessies get rolling again

My New Mexico vacation plans had long been set when I learned that the Bessies would be coming back and celebrated at Symphony Space on October 18. While I felt sad to be unable to be there, I was delighted to hear the results and that the evening, with Isaac Mizrahi as MC, turned out to be amazingly fabulous! Congratulations to everyone--the winners, the selection committee and steering committee, Dance NYC and Lucy Sexton who pulled this thing from death's door.

And, of course, New York dance is the big, big winner.

Here's the list:

37 Venice Boulevard
Choreographed by Faye Driscoll
Performed November 2008 at the Here Arts Center

Pent-Up: A Revenge Dance
Created and choreographed by Okwui Okpokwasili
Performed February 2008 at Performance Space 122

Stolen
Choreographed by Yvonne Meier
Performed February 2009 at Danspace Project

Crotch (all the Joseph Beuys references in the world cannot heal the pain, confusion, regret, cruelty, betrayal, or trauma…)
Choreography, performance, installation, and visuals by Keith Hennessy
Performed April 2009 at Dance Theater Workshop

Dark Horse/Black Forest
Direction and choreography by Yanira Castro
Performed June 2009 in the hotel lobby bathroom at The Gershwin Hotel, presented by Performance Space 122

Be In the Gray With Me
Choreographed by Pam Tanowitz
Performed June 2009 at Dance Theater Workshop

Comme Toujours, Here I Stand
By Big Dance Theater
Performed October 2009 at The Kitchen

Grupo de Rua: H3 
Direction and choreography by Bruno Beltrao
Performed February 2010 at Dance Theater Workshop

Last Meadow
Created and choreographed by Miguel Gutierrez in collaboration with the performers
Performed September 2009 at Dance Theater Workshop

parades & changes, replays
Conception and artistic direction Anne Collod in dialogue with Anna Halprin and Morton Subotnick
Performed October 2009 at The Kitchen

Puro Deseo
Concept and direction by Luciana Achugar
Premiered April 2010 at The Kitchen

The Radio Show
Choreographed by Kyle Abraham
Performed February 2010 at Danspace Project

Recipients of Bessies for performances from the past two seasons (2008–2010)

Michelle Boule

David Leventhal

Heather Olson

Miki Orihara

Paradigm

Latysha Antonio, Sofia Britos, Non Griffiths and Allegra Herman for their performance in Sarah Michelson’s Dover Beach at The Kitchen

Kayvon Pourazar

And here's some more Bessies goodness:

Bessies Are Back After a Hiatus, Primed for a Major Makeover
by Gia Koulas, The New York Times, September 10, 2010

Video footage from the 2010 Bessie Awards
Dance NYC