Missy Elliott is set to receive the Icon Award at the 2026 Gala of the Stars, with Janet Jackson chosen to present the honour at the annual benefit supporting Dancers Against Cancer.
The ceremony will take place on October 22 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. Jackson, who received the same award at the 2025 event, will pass the recognition to Elliott in a moment celebrating two influential artists whose careers have helped shape the relationship between music, performance and dance.
According to Noah Lands, CEO of Dancers Against Cancer and executive producer of the gala, Elliott represents the spirit of the award through her groundbreaking artistry and the generations of performers she has inspired.
Celebrating Missy Elliott’s Influence on Music and Dance
Elliott has built a career defined by her inventive approach to hip-hop, distinctive music videos and performances that combine music with bold visual concepts and choreography.
The four-time Grammy Award winner has achieved several historic milestones, including becoming the first female hip-hop artist inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the first female rapper inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She also became the first female rapper to receive the MTV Video Music Awards’ Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
From records such as “Work It” and “Get Ur Freak On” to her visually adventurous videos, Elliott has consistently placed movement and performance at the centre of her artistic identity. Her influence extends beyond the music itself, with dancers and choreographers playing an important role in bringing her creative vision to life.
The Icon Award recognises that wider impact, making the upcoming presentation an acknowledgement of her contribution to dance culture as well as hip-hop.
Janet Jackson Returns as an Icon Award Presenter
Jackson’s involvement adds a personal connection to this year’s ceremony. After receiving the Icon Award in 2025, she will now present it to Elliott, linking two generations of artists known for combining music with memorable visual performances and choreography.
The gala will also recognise other notable figures in dance and entertainment. Choreographer and performer Toni Basil is set to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, while director and choreographer Vincent Paterson will be honoured with the Vanguard Award. Maksim Chmerkovskiy is scheduled to host, and Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies are among the announced performers.
Supporting Dancers Affected by Cancer
Beyond the awards, the Gala of the Stars serves a charitable purpose. The annual event raises funds for Dancers Against Cancer, an organisation that provides financial assistance to dancers, choreographers and their families dealing with the financial challenges of cancer.
The organisation’s official website reports that the 2025 gala raised $717,218. Its wider mission is to help members of the dance community access support during some of life’s most difficult circumstances.
With Elliott receiving this year’s Icon Award from Jackson, the October 22 ceremony will celebrate an artist whose work has helped make dance an essential part of modern music culture, while supporting the people who make those performances possible.
