The 39th New York Dance and Performance Awards, The Bessies, New York City’s premier dance awards honoring outstanding creative work in the field, will be held on Friday, August 4, at 7:30pm at Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park as part of Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City.

Acclaimed queer pop duo The Illustrious Blacks (Manchildblack x Monstah Black) will host this year’s ceremony.

Award presenters include notable members of the dance and performance community, including Mireicy Aquino, George Faison, Jhailyn Farcon, Dionne Figgins, Erin Fogerty, Tiffany Geigel, Dyane Harvey Salaam, Karisma Jay, Gian Marco Riccardo Lo Forte, Fredrick Earl Mosley, Abdel Salaam, Paz Tanjuaquio, and Ms Vee. The 2023 Bessie Jury panelists—Ayodele Casel, Kyle Marshall, and luciana achugar—will present the award to this year’s Juried honoree. 

The evening will include performances by Dance Theatre of Harlem, Princess Lockerooo’s Fabulous Waack Dancers, Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, Ladies of Hip-Hop Collective, and students from AbunDance Academy of the Arts. 

The 2023 Bessie Awards Ceremony is produced by Torya Beard and Bessies Executive Director Heather Robles.