The Bessie Awards Steering Committee, Cora Cahan, Beverly D'Anne, Lane Harwell, Judy Hussie-Taylor, Carla Peterson, Elizabeth Streb, Laurie Uprichard, Martin Wechsler, and Reggie Wilson invite you to an evening of cocktails and hors d' oeuvres.

Immediately following the Cocktail Party, all nominees of the 2011/2012 award year will be announced at a Press Conference, and the Juried Bessie Award will be presented.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

French Institute Alliance Francaise
Le Skyroom
22 East 60th Street
(between Park and Madison avenues)
New York, NY 10022

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased here:
http://bessiecocktails.eventbrite.com/

Yvonne Rainer, Lar Lubovitch, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar will announce their choice for the Juried Bessie Award. This jury of acclaimed choreographers is chosen each year by the Bessie Steering Committee. Together they have chosen a single work or a choreographer that exhibits the most interesting and exciting ideas happening in dance in New York City today. The honored dance maker will tour their work to one or more regional theaters outside the city.

This annual affair has become one of the most anticipated dance events in New York City.

The Bessie committees look forward to raising a glass with you!
The Bessies Award Cocktail Party is a fundraiser to benefit The Bessies, a sponsored program with Performance Zone Inc (dba The Field), a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. You will receive a tax deduction for all but the $15 value of refreshments.

The New York Dance and Performance Awards, aka The Bessie Awards, have saluted outstanding dance work since 1984. They were founded by David White and named for the treasured teacher of dance and composition, Bessie Schonberg. The 2012 awards ceremony will be held October 15, 2012 at the legendary Apollo Theater. www.dancenyc.org/bessies

Dance/NYC is a branch of the national dance service organization Dance/USA. Dance/NYC's mission is to bolster the support structure for dance in New York City-serving as a voice, guide, and infrastructure architect for all local dance artists and managers. www.dancenyc.org