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The Guggenheim Foundation marks its 100th anniversary by announcing the 2025 class of Guggenheim Fellows—198 exceptional individuals across 53 disciplines—selected from nearly 3,500 applicants. One of the recipients is Dance at Illinois alumna Leslie Cuyjet (BFA ’03).
Cuyjet, who is based out of Brooklyn, NY, has been choreographing and dancing in New York since 2004, collaborating and performing with other creators “on rooftops, good and bad floors, and alleyways; on stage, in film, art, on tour, and on the fly,” according to her website. She is the recipient of two Bessie Awards, a top honor in the world of dance which recognize pioneering work in choreography, performance, music composition, visual design, legacy, and service to the field of dance. One was awarded in 2019 for her sustained achievement as Outstanding Performer, and another for her 2021 solo, Blur, which earned her a 2022 award for Outstanding Choreographer/Creator.
Recently, Cuyjet was singled out in a New York Times dance review of her 2025 Live Artery contemporary dance festival performance. “Leslie Cuyjet, methodical and refined, commanded a different kind of attention with her flawless pacing and nuance. Her ‘For All Your Life’ was a tour de force,” wrote Gia Kourlas in her article.
A choreographer awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship receives a monetary grant specifically designed to support the recipient in pursuing independent work under what the Foundation calls “the freest possible conditions.”
Ultimately, the Fellowship empowers choreographers to explore bold ideas, push creative boundaries, and make meaningful contributions to the field of dance—something Cuyjet has been doing already for over a decade —without commercial or institutional constraints.
Established in 1925 by Senator Simon and Olga Guggenheim in memory of their son, the Guggenheim Foundation supports scholars and artists in pursuing independent work in any field. Over the past century, it has awarded more than $400 million to over 19,000 Fellows, including numerous Nobel laureates and acclaimed creators. The Foundation’s focus on individual talent has enabled landmark works like Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God and Robert Frank’s The Americans, highlighting its lasting impact on culture and knowledge.
As part of a yearlong centennial celebration, the Guggenheim Foundation also unveiled a refreshed brand identity, a redesigned website, and plans for a special historical exhibition in partnership with The New York Historical. The 100th class reflects a wide range of voices and urgent themes, including climate change, Indigenous studies, and democracy, continuing the Foundation’s century-long legacy of supporting independent creative and scholarly work.
The Department of Dance and the College of Fine and Applied Arts congratulates Leslie Cuyjet in this great accomplishment.