Jacob's Pillow Schedule

Dance in the Berkshires

By: Pillow - Apr 11, 2024

Jacob’s Pillow announces that tickets are now on sale to the general public for the full schedule of programming at this summer’s Dance Festival, which will offer nine weeks of performances by world-class artists, live music, and free and paid family-friendly events, on indoor and outdoor stages. In addition to featuring local and regional artists, the festival will include dance companies traveling from across the United States, Canada, England, Switzerland, Italy, Argentina, Spain, and beyond.

Events will be held at Jacob’s Pillow’s National Historic Landmark site in Becket—located ten minutes from the Mass Turnpike, with free parking and onsite dining and picnicking options—and across the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts. Visitors to Jacob’s Pillow are also invited to take morning classes, participate in community arts events and workshops led by festival artists, learn from dance discussions led by Pillow scholars, and explore exciting new intersections between dance and technology. Visitors also enjoy free entry to the multimedia Archives and exhibition spaces. Unless marked otherwise, all free and paid offerings at Jacob’s Pillow are family-friendly and open to all ages.

“Week by week, this summer unfolds with a truly extraordinary array of artists from all over the world who will bring their best work to Jacob's Pillow," said Pamela Tatge, Executive and Artistic Director. “This is a place of joy, a refuge for artists and audiences during these uncertain times. A place where history, live performance, and nature combine to create an unmistakable alchemy that has fueled the Pillow for 92 years. I hope audiences will come as often as possible not only to our world-class performances but also to visit our Archives and exhibitions, attend our talks, classes, workshops, observation hours in The School, and all we do to bring audiences closer to this remarkable artform.”

In an exciting first, the world-renowned Company of The Royal Ballet of the United Kingdom will make their Pillow debut by staging a “takeover” of Festival Week 2 (July 3-7), with daily performances on two stages. Audiences will be able to enjoy The Royal Ballet program on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage, then continue the experience by moving into the historic indoor Ted Shawn Theatre to see a completely different program. The indoor and outdoor portions of the “takeover” will be ticketed separately. This will mark the first time in the Festival’s history that a single company will perform on both the indoor and outdoor stages with separate programs on the same day. This engagement will be The Royal Ballet’s exclusive appearance in the United States in 2024.

The nine companies to perform for one week each in the Ted Shawn Theatre are, in chronological order: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, The Royal Ballet of the United Kingdom, Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, Social Tango Project, MOMIX, Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Parsons Dance, Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca, and Dance Theatre of Harlem.

On the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage, companies performing multi-night runs are: M.A.D.D. Rhythms, Pathways to Performance (a project of Theresa Ruth Howard’s MoBBallet), Dancers of Damelahamid, David Dorfman Dance, and Gibney Company. This year’s one-night-only programs on the Leir Stage are: Shawn L. Stevens and Friends; Merce Cunningham, Liz Gerring, Kyle Abraham: Three Duets; The MasterZ at Work Dance Family; Miguel Gutierrez; Annie Hanauer; INSPIRIT; USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance; Sekou McMiller & Friends; Emma Cianchi; Acrobuffos; House of Jit & A Lady in the House Dance Co.; KanKouran West African Dance Company; kNonAme Artist / Roderick George; Christopher Unpezverde Núñez; South Chicago Dance Theatre; DaEun Jung; Princess Lockerooo & The Fabulous Waack Dancers; local and regional artists performing on the Pillow’s annual Community Day; and performance ensembles from The School at Jacob’s Pillow summer programs in Contemporary Ballet, Contemporary, and Musical Theatre. Event descriptions and a full festival daily schedule are listed below.

Following a successful launch of the Choose What You Pay ticket program last year, Jacob’s Pillow will once again offer flexible pricing for the one-night-only performances on the Henry J. Leir Stage. The Choose What You Pay program is designed to increase the accessibility of tickets by allowing individuals to determine the amount they would like to pay to attend each performance.

Jacob’s Pillow is also launching a Rain or Shine ticket program this year. When purchasing tickets for the Henry J. Leir Stage, ticket buyers may purchase a Rain or Shine ticket (at a flat rate) to ensure access to the performance’s indoor venue in the event of inclement weather. A limited number of Rain or Shine tickets will be available for each outdoor performance, and may sell out sooner than other ticket types. Only ticket holders who have purchased a Rain or Shine ticket will be guaranteed access to the indoor venue, regardless of Membership level.

Jacob’s Pillow will hold its Season Opening Gala on Saturday, June 22, which will feature the presentation of the 2024 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award to American choreographer Pam Tanowitz(whose work Secret Things, commissioned and performed by The Royal Ballet, will appear in the festival’s second week of programming). Onstage performances at this year’s Gala will include Rhapsody in Blue with Caleb Teicher and Conrad Tao, and The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Ballet Program in a world premiere by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. Further program announcements for the Gala will be made online as the event approaches.

Community Day will also return this year, providing free, all-ages daytime performances by regional dance artists, as well as activities around the Pillow’s campus, on Friday, August 16.

To supplement this year’s in-person programming, Jacob’s Pillow will once again offer an array of dance livestreams, films, and virtual events for dance fans around the world. Digital offerings this year will include a free one-night-only livestream of the Season Opening Gala on June 22, as well as a series of free livestreams of select performances throughout the summer, to be announced later this spring. Details about additional year-round offerings, such as on-demand video premieres and the 2024-25 Pillow Lab residency series, will be announced in late summer.

Jacob’s Pillow continues to be a home for presentations of world-premiere works. This year will feature several world premieres, including The Royal Ballet performing a world premiere by Wayne McGregor, Camille A. Brown & Dancers performing the world premiere of I AM, Emma Cianchi performing the world premiere of Il mare che ci unisce (translation: the sea that unites us), and a special immersive media project by Black Grace titled The Art of Black Grace 3/5.

Festival 2024 artists who have previously participated in the Pillow Lab—Jacob’s Pillow’s year-round residency program for research and development of new works—are Theresa Ruth Howard (founder and curator of MoBBallet), Miguel Gutierrez, INSPIRIT, Sekou McMiller, and Emma Cianchi.

Artists and companies making their Jacob’s Pillow debuts this season include The Royal Ballet, Social Tango Project, M.A.D.D. Rhythms, Annie Hanauer, USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, Sekou McMiller, Dancers of Damelahamid, Emma Cianchi, Acrobuffos, Gibney Company, KanKouran West African Dance Company, kNonAme Artist / Roderick George, Christopher Unpezverde Núñez, South Chicago Dance Theatre, and DaEun Jung.

Jacob’s Pillow will further its commitment to exploring the intersection of dance and technology with two special programs this summer, both designed as immersive experiences for the whole family in Sommers Studio. The Art of Black Grace 3/5 (running July 10-13) combines dance, music, art, and video recordings that bring small groups of visitors face-to-face with the dancers of Black Grace, one of New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance companies. And Snakehips in our DNA (running July 31 through August 4) is a free, open-gallery experience—presented in partnership with the Apollo Theater in New York City—where visitors can explore the trajectory of dance from the Harlem Renaissance to the present through a stunning video installation of a choreographic media collage of Black movement artists responding to the soul and spirit of legendary dancer Earl “Snakehips” Tucker.

All performances in the Ted Shawn Theatre are preceded by a free 15-minute Pre-Show Talk led by Pillow Scholars-in-Residence, held in Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before showtime. Pre-Show Talks will also be given in Blake’s Barn for the outdoor program by The Royal Ballet (July 3-7) and for Gibney Company (August 7-11). Additionally, a free Post-Show Talk with the artists will follow each Friday matinee performance in the Ted Shawn Theatre as well as the Thursday evening performances on the Leir Stage with The Royal Ballet and Gibney Company.

The Festival is curated by Tatge and Associate Curators Melanie George and Ali Rosa-Salas. Also on the Jacob’s Pillow curatorial team is International Advisor Cathy Levy.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Jacob’s Pillow is committed to creating a safe and healthy environment as we come together for the annual Festival. Before visiting Jacob’s Pillow, please refer to jacobspillow.org/health and to Jacob’s Pillow email communications for the most up-to-date guidance and policies.

FREE EXHIBITS & ARCHIVES – ONGOING

JOHN LINDGUIST: AS OF TODAY

It’s impossible to overstate how the photographs of John Lindquist (1890-1980) have shaped public perception of the Pillow’s first four decades and influenced all subsequent photographers here. Now the institutional home for Lindquist’s body of work, Harvard University’s Houghton Library has digitized many thousands of images, and we are able to learn more about our past through these carefully-selected new prints, many of which are being exhibited for the first time. Blake’s Barn; open Tue-Sun, noon through final curtain.

ROYAL BALLET CONNECTIONS

Even as this season marks The Royal Ballet’s Pillow debut, the links between these two iconic dance institutions run deep. Some of the evidence is on display here, in rare photos and footage spanning the decades. From Alicia Markova and Antony Tudor to contemporary artists including Pam Tanowitz and Wayne McGregor, the shared histories are surfaced and celebrated. Ted Shawn Theatre Lobby; open Tue-Sun, noon through final curtain.

FANTASY MEETS REALITY: THE FAR EAST TOUR

Curated by Phil Chan and Caroline Hamilton, this exhibit builds upon last year’s initial examination of Denishawn’s 1925-26 Asian tour. Drawing upon costumes and photographs assembled by Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis and augmented by newly surfaced materials, the curators explore distinctions between theatrical costumes (fantasy) and authentic garments (reality), challenging viewers to ponder what it means to share culture with integrity. Blake’s Barn; open Tue-Sun, noon through final curtain.

Online Exhibit: Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive

This evolving online resource features breathtaking video highlights of Pillow performances from the

early 1930s through today, with an expanded section of multimedia essays featuring talks, photos, and

other exclusive content organized into various themes. danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org.

Jacob’s Pillow Archives/Norton Owen Reading Room

This spacious, informal library and reading room allows visitors to view videos, browse through books, access the Pillow's computer catalog, or peruse permanent collections of Pillow programs and photographs from the Archives. The Reading Room and new Special Collections Room also feature recent donations and more archival treasures from the Stephan Driscoll Collection. Blake’s Barn; open Tues.-Sun., noon through final curtain.

VISITOR INFORMATION AND TOURS – ONGOING

Warren Davis Welcome Center

The Warren Davis Welcome Center stands next to the Ted Shawn Theatre at the center of the Jacob’s Pillow campus, and is open daily throughout the summer as a meeting point and community resource for individuals and groups visiting Jacob’s Pillow’s historic site. The welcome center was renamed in 2021 in honor of Warren Davis, the African-American craftsman and businessman born in 1884 who selected and hand-hewed the five spruce and pine timber trusses spanning the interior of the Ted Shawn Theatre.

Public Tours

June 27 – August 24; Thursdays and Saturdays 5-5:30pm

Learn about the history and legends of Jacob’s Pillow on a free 30-minute guided tour of the National Historic Landmark grounds. Guided walking tours, led by Jacob’s Pillow staff and interns, start from Blake’s Barn. Tours are free and no registration is required.

Public Tours of Jacob’s Garden

July 13 and August 24; 12:30pm | Free with registration

Jacob’s Pillow inaugurated the 1.5-acre Jacob’s Garden in 2021 as a place to grow fruits and vegetables and connect to the land's multiple histories, drawing direct inspiration from Ted Shawn’s original 1931 “friendship garden." On two summer Saturdays, visitors can tour the garden beds, apiary, rainwater harvesting system, and pollinator meadow of Jacob’s Garden. Join in a brief stretch and moving meditation led by Adam Weinert, and contribute to the garden’s health by turning the compost heap. Please wear clothes you can move in and bring gloves, if you have them. Meet at the Welcome Center before walking along George Carter Road.

Eastern Woodlands Homesite

Saturday, August 3, 12-1:30pm | Free with online registration encouraged

Join Andre Strongbearheart Gaines Jr., Creative Director of NO LOOSE BRAIDS, with Tracy Ramos, William SmallEarCoyote Connors, Miguel WanderingTurtle Garate, and Nazario TallHairRedDeer Garate to learn about Eastern Woodlands culture, land use, and living presence through exploration of a traditional Nipmuc homesite.

ONSITE CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

Morning Classes

June 25 – August 23; Tuesdays through Fridays 9-10am

A variety of in-person dance and movement classes open to participants of all experience levels, including beginners, ages 16+ (sorry, no exceptions). $12 per class; $50 for 5 classes. Pay via online pre-registration or cash/card at the door.

Workshops with Festival Artists

Sundays, June 30 – August 25, 10-11:30am

Workshops with Festival Artists offer unique experiences for movers to explore repertory, genres, and techniques from leading dance artists. $25/class or $20/class for dance educators with I.D. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged online or by calling 413.243.0745. Walk-ups and quiet observation welcome, pending capacity. Pay via online pre-registration or cash/card at the door. Check jacobspillow.org/festival for workshop descriptions and age guidelines.

June 30: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
July 7: The Royal Ballet of the United Kingdom
July 14: Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève
July 21: Social Tango Project
July 28: MOMIX
August 4: Camille A. Brown & Dancers
August 11: Parsons Dance
August 18: Noche Flamenca
August 25: Dance Theatre of Harlem

Family Music and Dance

Select Sundays: July 7, August 4, and August 11 from 10:30-11:30am

Join Sandy Russell, a cherished teacher with over 20 years of experience in the Berkshires, for a taste of the Music Together® program. Her classes ignite children's natural passion for music and movement. With active participation from parents and caregivers, regardless of musical prowess, everyone has fun. Through playful engagement in a stress-free environment, this class fosters music and movement connections between adults and children, aiming to infuse everyday family life with the joy of music-making. $20 per class, per family. Class will be held in the Event Tent on the Great Lawn, rain or shine. Class size will be limited to 12 families per event. Registration will open later this spring.

In Studio Observation in The School

Tuesdays through Fridays: June 25 – August 16, 10:45am-12:15pm and 2:30-4pm

Quiet observation of classes and rehearsals inside the Perles Family Studio will be open on a first come, first served basis. In the case of inclement weather, School observation hours will not be held.

In Studio Pause-in-the-Process Showings by The School

Select Saturdays: July 6, August 3, and August 10 from 1-1:45pm

Join Artist Faculty and School dancers for informal sharings of their work in the studio together. Seating is limited in the Perles Family Studio; priority entry given to visitors who pre-register online. Registration will open later this spring. Walk-ups are also welcome. Additional dates may be announced. To view select showings on Instagram Live, follow Jacob’s Pillow on Instagram at @jacobspillow.

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS IN PITTSFIELD

Free

Community members of all ages are invited to join artists in movement and conversation. Workshops are held in Pittsfield and are free to attend. All ages and experience levels are welcome. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged online or by calling 413.243.0745. Walk-ups welcome! Details to be announced.

ON THE ROAD PERFORMANCES

Free

Catch outdoor dance performances across the Berkshires, featuring touring and Berkshire dance artists to be announced. Pack a blanket or outdoor chair and enjoy these free pop-up performances with family and friends in June and August. On the Road is sponsored by Mill Town Capital.

Friday, June 7 at 6:30pm – Jacob’s Pillow On the Road at First Fridays at Five! in Pittsfield
Friday, August 9 at 7pm — Jacob’s Pillow On the Road at Berkshire Busk! in Great Barrington
Saturday, August 10, 3pm — Special Lecture / Demonstration at Becket Arts Center in Becket

Details and additional programming to be announced; dates and locations subject to change.

Dance with us! Jacob's Pillow is pleased to invite dance-makers from across our region to apply to perform as part of our summer 2024 season. Opportunities will take place both on the Pillow campus and offsite in Berkshire County and include performances for On the Road (August 9) and/or Community Day (August 16). Apply by May 31. For more details and to apply, visit jacobspillow.org/talent.

ONGOING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Day at The Pillow Visits

Enjoy a tailored experience with your community group at Jacob’s Pillow. Go on a guided tour, observe class at The School, see a performance, visit the Pillow Archives, or take a dance class. A nominal fee is charged for private classes and special experiences. To plan a visit, please contact community@jacobspillow.org.

Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion® Institute Public Presentations

On Saturday, July 27, at 11am and 2pm, join the 2024 Jacob's Pillow Curriculum in Motion® Institute artist graduates for lively, interactive presentations about their work. The Institute, “a dance-makers’ think tank,” is a ten month training in the Curriculum in Motion® method: a co-creative workshop/residency model applying choreographers’ methods to the curriculum, question, issue or theme of a community partner. The Institute is directed by Celeste Miller (Institute Director), Kimberli Boyd, and Michael Richter (Institute Co-Directors). Free with online registration encouraged.

Over the past 30 years, Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion®, a nationally-recognized arts-integration approach, has partnered choreographers with K-12 classrooms, museums, after-school programs, medical providers, businesses, civic and cultural organizations in Berkshire County and beyond. Applications for this year’s Curriculum in Motion® Institute are now open through May 1! Learn more and apply at jacobspillow.org/cim-institute.

Live in Berkshire County and have questions about transportation to the Pillow?
Contact community@jacobspillow.org

FESTIVAL 2024 DAILY SCHEDULE

Performance dates and descriptions, PillowTalks, Workshops with Festival Artists, Community Events, and Special Events follow. Select Festival artist descriptions include links to supplemental video clips within Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive, featuring past performances. All programming, casting, and pricing is subject to change; visit jacobspillow.org for updates.

—PRE-FESTIVAL EVENTS—

Season Opening Gala

Sat., June 22, 5pm | Livestream performance 6:15pm

Start your summer dancing! Celebrate the magic of the Berkshires and Jacob’s Pillow with our Season Opening Gala. Known as the ultimate summer kickoff, the Gala is sure to be a spectacular evening of conversation, connection, and inspiration, capped off with lots of dancing. Join us at the Gala and help ensure that Jacob’s Pillow can continue to provide a place for local and global communities to gather in celebration of dance and invigorate the cultural landscape of the Berkshires and beyond.

The Season Opening Gala will feature the presentation of the 2024 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award to American choreographer Pam Tanowitz (whose work Secret Things, commissioned and performed by The Royal Ballet, will appear in the festival’s second week of programming). Onstage performances at this year’s Gala will include Rhapsody in Blue with Caleb Teicher and Conrad Tao, and The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Ballet Program in a world premiere by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. The one-night-only Gala performance in the Ted Shawn Theatre will be followed by dinner and a dance party under a tent on the Great Lawn at Jacob’s Pillow.

Tickets begin at $600; tables begin at $6,000. Visit jacobspillow.org/gala for more information. Live stream access is free and open to all who register to watch. Leadership support for the 2024 Season Opening Gala is provided by Sylvia T. Pope.

— WEEK 1, JUNE 26-30 —

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

June 26-30, Wed., Thu. and Sat. at 8pm; Fri.-Sun. at 2pm

Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65

Festival 2024 opens with the trailblazing comic ballet company Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (the “Trocks”), celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. In crowd-pleasing performances around the world, the Trocks “delight with fabulous charm” (The New York Times) while staying true to their roots. Founded in the wake of the Stonewall Uprising in New York City as a gender-skewering company of professional male dancers, the Trocks perform a full range of ballet and modern dance repertoire, offering humorous yet faithful renditions that are both “delightful” and “rebellious” (The New Republic).

After fifty years of globe-spanning performances, the company now plays to a world that is, as they put it, “catching up with their once highly-subversive viewpoint, allowing their style of ballet to be viewed simply as sheer entertainment.” In their long-awaited return to the Pillow, the Trocks will perform the second act of Swan Lake, plus their singular take on Paquita, among other favorites.

Related content on Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive:

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, 2010:https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/les-ballets-trockadero-de-monte-carlo/le-lac-des-cygnes-swan-lake-act-ii/

Shawn L. Stevens and Friends

Wed., June 26, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

The outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage hosts musician, dancer, and storyteller Shawn L. Stevens (Red Eagle), enrolled member of the Stockbridge Munsee band of Mohicans and Friends, for a special opening performance of Festival 2024. Jacob’s Pillow is sited on the ancestral homelands of the Muh-he-con-ne-ok or Mohican people.

A spiritualist, musician, dancer, storyteller, historian, and sharer of knowledge, Shawn has been fulfilling his path journey for the past few decades by doing a variety of sharing in his people’s ancestral lands as well as the Midwest. Shawn describes himself as a “helper” to not only his people but to all. He explains that his spiritual path is to share the many things given to him for spiritual direction and purpose.

Every Body Move – Community Residency in Pittsfield with Camille A. Brown & Dancers

Thurs.-Sun, June 27-30

In Pittsfield | Free

Full residency details to be announced

Jacob’s Pillow welcomes Camille A. Brown’s community engagement initiative, Every Body Move (EBM), to Pittsfield for a multi-day community residency. This series of movement workshops will engage participants in the rich history and cultural significance of social dances that have shaped the African American community. EBM’s experienced and passionate dance artists, Ethel Calhoun and Maxine Montilus, will lead movement workshops, ensuring a fun and rewarding experience for all.

Workshops are intergenerational and are open to participants of all ages, inviting everyone to join in celebration and learning through dance. A highlight event will be the Every Body Move & Groove Dance Party, perfect for anyone looking to learn the styles and moves of some of the most popular social dances, and based on moves found in Camille A. Brown's Trilogy. Experience a dance journey through time, led by Calhoun and Montilus. Groove to dances from Lindy Hop to the Electric Slide, from the Kid-n-Play to the Running Man, and more! Come with your friends or with family and get your groove on! Join us for this unique and culturally enriching experience and immerse yourself in the vibrant world of social dance.

M.A.D.D. Rhythms
Thurs.-Fri., June 27-28, 6pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Tickets from $40
Based in Chicago, M.A.D.D. (Making A Difference Dancing) Rhythms is a multi-generational tap dance collective with one passion: to spread the love and joy of tap worldwide. Featuring dancers with wide-ranging backgrounds from all over Chicago, the company’s versatility and sense of play is a potent draw for all ages. Pillow audiences will see the full-length work A M.A.D.D. Mixtape, created by Donnetta Jackson, which combines the rhythmic connection of Tap and Footwork into an inspiring onstage party, featuring a live DJ spinning some of hip hop and R&B’s most treasured musical gems.

M.A.D.D. Rhythms has performed widely across Chicago and neighboring cities, as well as at conferences, festivals, and community events. Through live shows as well as their Tap Academy—which has educated hundreds of students—the company is committed to bringing tap history and culture front-and-center for youth in underserved communities and unexpected places. In their words: access to tap dance “gives a child a greater chance at a positive life… Therefore, we will spread the joy, love, discipline, and expression of tap to as many children as we humanly can!”

The School at Jacob’s Pillow: Contemporary Ballet Performance Ensemble

Sat., June 29, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

Performances by The School at Jacob’s Pillow Performance Ensembles provide an inside look at The School experience and feature repertoire created on the dancers by leading choreographers serving as program faculty. This performance is the culmination of the two-week Contemporary Ballet Program and features the dancers’ work with Program Director Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, répétiteur Anitra Keegan, and choreographer Silas Farley.

Dancers of The School at Jacob’s Pillow are apprentices, trainees, pre-professionals, and early-career professionals from around the world. The School’s professional advancement programs are held onsite during the Festival to nurture the artistic voices and growth of the next generation of dance artists.

PillowTalk: Fifty Years of the Trocks

Sat., June 29, 4pm

Blake’s Barn

FREE

Since its first performances in 1973, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo has both amazed and delighted audiences with its all-male performances of classic ballets, explored here with director Tory Dobrin.

Workshop with Festival Artists: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

Sun., June 30, 10-11:30am

Open to all dance experience levels, ages 12+

Have you ever dreamed of performing your own version of the iconic ballet solo, “The Dying Swan?” Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo invites you to create your own legendary moments of breathtaking beauty and hilarity while discovering your inner swan. Roy Fialkow, Trock Education Manager and former Trock, will take you step by step, encouraging you to create your own version of the Trocks take on the “terminal fowl” and holding a space in which The Dying Swan is accessible to all abilities and dance experiences. Wear comfortable clothing and ballet flats, socks, or dance sneakers.

— WEEK 2, JULY 3-7 —

The Royal Ballet – Indoor Program

July 3-7, Wed., Thurs., and Sat. at 8pm; Thurs.-Sun. at 2pm

Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65

One of the most famous and celebrated companies in the world, The Royal Ballet will appear at Jacob’s Pillow for the first time, as the company’s sole stop in the U.S. in 2024. To celebrate this milestone, the festival will feature daily back-to-back performances from The Royal Ballet in multiple venues.

In the Ted Shawn Theatre, this summer’s program will feature the U.S. Premiere of Secret Things by American choreographer Pam Tanowitz and a World Premiere by Wayne McGregor created especially for Jacob’s Pillow, alongside works by Frederick Ashton, Kenneth MacMillan, and Christopher Wheeldon. The Royal Ballet Principals Matthew Ball, Mayara Magri, Marcelino Sambé, Anna Rose O’Sullivan, and Sarah Lamb will perform in this engagement along with a vibrant array of the company’s dancers. Principal dancer Natalia Osipova will perform on opening night (Wednesday, July 3).

The indoor program will feature: Secret Things – excerpt (choreography Pam Tanowitz), Diamonds – pas de deux from Jewels (choreography George Balanchine), Giselle – Act II pas de deux (choreography Marius Petipa after Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot), Diana and Actaeon – pas de deux (choreography Agrippina Vaganova after Marius Petipa), Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan (choreography Frederick Ashton), For Four (choreography Christopher Wheeldon), Manon – Act I pas de deux (choreography Kenneth MacMillan), Carousel – If I loved you pas de deux (choreography Kenneth MacMillan), and a World Premiere by Wayne McGregor. Casting for each performance will be announced two weeks in advance.

Based in London, England, The Royal Ballet has been in residence at The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden since 1946. The company was founded by Dame Ninette de Valois in 1931. The company’s celebrated repertory is drawn from 19th-century ballet classics as well as the distinctive English works of its Founder Choreographer Frederick Ashton and Principal Choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, and continues to resonate with audiences strongly today through the striking contemporary sensibility of Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor and Artistic Associate Christopher Wheeldon.

The Royal Ballet – Outdoor Program

July 3-7, Wed. - Sat. at 5:30 pm, Sun. at 12 pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Tickets from $50

On the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage, this summer’s program will feature a series of solos and duets from classical repertoire and works by Frederick Ashton, Wayne McGregor, and Christopher Wheeldon. Principal dancer Natalia Osipova will perform on opening night (Wednesday, July 3). Other select Royal Ballet Principals to be announced will perform in this engagement along with a vibrant array of the company’s dancers.

The outdoor program will feature: Les Rendezvous – solo (choreography Frederick Ashton), Les Biches – solo (choreography Bronislava Nijinska), After the Rain – pas de deux (choreography Christopher Wheeldon), Swan Lake – pas de deux from Act II (choreography Lev Ivanov), Dance of the Blessed Spirits (choreography Frederick Ashton), Us – duet (choreography Christopher Wheeldon), Carbon Life – I Love You So (choreography Wayne McGregor), The Dying Swan (choreography Mikhail Fokine), and Le Corsaire – pas de deux (choreography after Marius Petipa). Casting for each performance will be announced two weeks in advance.

PERFORMANCE NOTES:

The Dying Swanwill only be performed on Wednesday, July 3.
The School at Jacob's Pillow Contemporary Performance Ensemble will open the outdoor evening program on Saturday, July 6 with a performance beginning at 5:15pm. Ticket holders are invited to arrive early to enjoy this additional performance as part of their ticket purchase.

Romeo and Juliet: Beyond Words Film Screening

Starring The Royal Ballet

Fri., July 5 at 8pm

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington

$15

Experience a cinematic reimagining of the best-known love story of all time, in this 2019 film directed by former dancers and International Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, known for their 2008 Pillow appearance as the Ballet Boyz.

Shot on location in the streets of Hungary, and set to a unique recording of Sergei Prokofiev’s original score, this cinematic costume drama features dancers from The Royal Ballet, and stars William Bracewell as Romeo and Francesca Hayward as Juliet in their feature film debuts. Nunn and Trevitt have restaged Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s remarkable 1964 choreography in an audacious first in contemporary filmmaking: what The Guardian calls a “vibrant, up-close take on one of the Royal Ballet’s best-loved gems.” The Mahaiwe screening is introduced live by Christopher Saunders, The Royal Ballet’s rehearsal director, who plays Lord Capulet. Tickets are available at mahaiwe.org beginning April 12.

PillowTalk: The Royal Ballet

Sat., July 6 at 4pm

Blake’s Barn

FREE

As director of one of the world’s most famous and celebrated companies, Kevin O’Hare talks about his desire to bring his dancers to Jacob’s Pillow for the first time, in conversation with Scholar-in-Residence Theresa Ruth Howard.

Workshop with Festival Artists: The Royal Ballet

Sun., July 7, 10-11:30am

Open to all dance experience levels, ages 12+

Join Repetiteur of The Royal Ballet Deirdre Chapman and Pianist and Head of Music Rob Clark in a workshop centered on Christopher Wheeldon’s For Four, a work presented as part of The Royal Ballet’s performance in the Ted Shawn Theater. Ballet experience is not required, but beneficial. Wear comfortable clothing and ballet flats, socks, or dance sneakers.

— WEEK 3, JULY 10 -14 —

Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève

July 10-14, Wed., Thurs., and Sat. at 8pm; Fri.-Sun. at 2pm

Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65

“One of the most original and inventive in Europe” (La Presse de Tunisie), Switzerland’s acclaimed ballet company returns to Jacob’s Pillow for the first time in over a decade, featuring classically trained dancers performing breathtaking contemporary choreography. Boasting a rich, century-long history, the company is praised as “without a doubt one of the best European companies” (Paris Capitale).

This summer’s appearance at the Pillow will mark the company’s first U.S. engagement under the artistic direction of the groundbreaking Belgian and Moroccan choreographer, dancer, and director Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, who received the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award in 2022. Winner of the Olivier Award and Kairos Prize, Cherkaoui is also the artistic director of his own company, Eastman, and former artistic director of Belgium’s Royal Ballet of Flanders. In 2018, he choreographed the music video “Apeshit” for The Carters (Beyonce? and Jay-Z), and supported the couple on their subsequent live tour. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his work on Jagged Little Pill, featuring the music of Alanis Morissette.

This summer, Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève will perform an all Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui program, including his groundbreaking Faun, inspired by Claude Debussy’s L’après-midi d’un faune, and the U.S. debut of Noetic, created with a distinguished team including renowned sculptor Sir Antony Gormley, fashion designer duo Les Hommes, and composer Szymon Brzóska.

Related content on Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive:

Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève; 2011:https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/ballet-geneve/closer/

https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/ballet-geneve/romeo-and-juliet/

The Art of Black Grace 3/5

July 10-13, Wed.-Sat., 12-4:30pm (staggered entry every 30 minutes)

Sommers Studio | $15

A Dance & Technology Event

Jacob’s Pillow explores the intersection of dance and technology this summer with immersive experiences for the whole family. The world premiere of The Art of Black Grace 3/5 combines dance, music, art, and video recordings that bring small groups of visitors face-to-face with the dancers of Black Grace, one of New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance companies. In the span of roughly 15 minutes, the dancers will teach visitors the choreography of Handgame, a dance with Samoan cultural roots that Black Grace has performed around the world, including at Jacob’s Pillow in 2022.

While Handgame is high-energy and percussive—marked by clapping, stomping, and jumping—the dance uses simple movement patterns and rhythms, making it accessible for all ages to participate in, with no dance experience necessary. Although the dancers will appear via video, there is no video captured during the event, and participants are not recorded. This is a ticketed performance with limited capacity; reservations must be made in advance. Black Grace has had three previous engagements at Jacob’s Pillow: in 2004, 2005, and 2022.

MoBBallet: Creating Pathways to Performance

Wed.-Thurs., July 10-11, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Tickets from $40

The Pathways to Performance (PTP) Choreographic Program is an exciting new initiative by Memoirs of Blacks in Ballet (MoBBallet) founder Theresa Ruth Howard, supported by Jacob’s Pillow and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. MoBBallet created PTP in order to nurture and develop Black ballet choreographers and those of color, providing them with opportunities to create and present their work on prominent stages. This engagement on the Leir Stage will feature a range of newly-commissioned and previous works by five Black choreographers, including a new work by Meredith Rainey developed in the Pillow Lab residency program this spring.

A multi-talented and highly-regarded voice in the field, Howard is a former ballet dancer, curator, scholar, and arts leader with a longstanding connection to Jacob’s Pillow. She founded MoBBallet in 2015 to preserve, promote, and present the historical and present-day contributions of Blacks in ballet. Following Howard’s work in a Reframing the Narrative residency at the Kennedy Center, her launch of the PTP Choreographic Program at the MoBBallet Symposium led to this most recent collaboration with Jacob’s Pillow.

Related content on Jacob’s Pillow On Demand:

Inside the Pillow Lab: Theresa Ruth Howard, 2023

https://watch.jacobspillow.org/detail/videos/inside-the-pillow-lab-film-series/video/6327545001112?autoStart=true

Public Tours of Jacob’s Garden

Sat., July 13, 12:30pm

Free with registration

The MasterZ At Work Dance Family

Sat., July 13, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

A dance collective of fierce young performers from different dance backgrounds, MasterZ at Work ignites the stage with jazz, hip-hop, street jazz, house, African, vogue, and contemporary dance. Led by Black trans femme choreographer Courtney Washington Balenciaga—a legend in the ballroom community—the company creates dances that represent resilience, and which foster community in under-resourced areas of Brooklyn. Always “irrepressible” and “crowd-pleasing” (The Dance Enthusiast), the company wowed the Pillow audiences last year, and 2024 marks their triumphant return.

Merce Cunningham, Liz Gerring, Kyle Abraham: Three Duets

Fri., July 12 at 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

This evening brings together three distinctive duets: an arrangement from Merce Cunningham’s Landrover, Liz Gerring’s Dialogue, and Kyle Abraham’s MotorRover. These three works first appeared in a 2021 digital program called “In Conversation with Merce,” co-produced by the Merce Cunningham Trust and Baryshnikov Arts. Jamie Scott, a former member of the Cunningham company, was engaged by the Trust to make a duet arrangement of material from Landrover for Jacquelin Harris and Chalvar Monteiro, and choreographers Gerring and Abraham were each commissioned by Baryshnikov Arts to make a duet in response. Now, on the Leir Stage, these three duets will be seen together in live performance for the first time, in a program honoring Merce Cunningham’s enduring legacy and his more than 50-year relationship with the Pillow.

PillowTalk: Lives Beyond Motion

Sat., July 13 at 4pm

Blake’s Barn

FREE

Former dancer Keith Glassman interviewed dozens of American men to address why they dance, and his resulting film encompasses a wide range of Pillow artists. This screening will be followed by a brief discussion.

Pillow Pride Party

Sat., July 13 at 10pm

Pillow Grounds

Our annual LGBTQIA+ celebration returns with a dance party following the evening performances of the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève in the Ted Shawn Theatre. Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève ticket buyers are granted free entrance to the Pillow Pride Party.

Workshop with Festival Artists: Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève

Sun., July 14, 10-11:30am

Intermediate and advanced dancers, ages 16+

Focus on the ideals of movement and performance of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui through phrasework from Noetic, a work presented as part of the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève’s performance in the Ted Shawn Theater. Company members Zoe Hollinshead and Jared Brown will guide participants through a mapping of the body and creating internal and external patterns, alone and with others. Wear comfortable clothing to move in; socks or bare feet recommended.

PillowTalk: Breaking Form

Sun., July 14 at 4pm

Blake’s Barn

FREE

For more than 40 years, choreographer Jane Comfort has been grappling with hot-button issues including gender, AIDS, and social injustice, and this feature-length film addresses it all.

— WEEK 4, JULY 17-21 —

Social Tango Project

July 17-21, Wed., Thurs. and Sat. at 8pm; Fri.-Sun. at 2pm

(Saturday evening ticket includes post-show milonga dance party)

Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65

Founded and based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Social Tango Project’s mission is to share the social value of dance, celebrating the tango community through live performances, music, and film. Under the artistic direction of Agustina Videla, the company provides “a journey into the heart of Tango” (La Nación Newspaper), and aims to inspire individuals to join the dance floor and cultivate tango communities worldwide.

Social Tango Project offers a stunning interactive and immersive dance performance that blends movement and live music with cinematic documentary film projection, offering a colorful window into tango’s power to create and maintain social cohesion at times of political unrest. Because the company encourages the audience to embrace the tango and make it their own, each performance will also feature onstage appearances by local and regional dancers.

Social Tango Project offers audiences a deep dive into this very special social dance—which originated in the 1880s along the border of Argentina and Uruguay—showcased on the Ted Shawn Theatre stage like never before. The company comes to Jacob’s Pillow following a spring appearance in the RiverRun Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Miguel Gutierrez

Wed., July 17 at 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

A living legend of contemporary dance-making in the downtown New York scene, Miguel Gutierrez is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Lenapehoking/Brooklyn, NY and Tovaangar/Los Angeles, CA. He creates empathetic and irreverent spaces for queer and trans people of color to dream. While at the Pillow, Gutierrez will perform sueño, a new music project that “incorporates dancers and live musicians, offering the audience a heightened world of fantastical drama” (The Highline).

His work has been presented internationally in venues such as Festival d’Automne/Paris, the Walker Art Center, and in the 2014 Whitney Biennial. He is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, United States Artists Fellowship, Foundation for Contemporary Arts Award, four NY Dance and Performance Bessie Awards, and a 2016 Doris Duke Artist Award. He is an Associate Professor of Choreography at UCLA in the department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance.

Annie Hanauer

Thurs., July 18, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

In her U.S. debut as a choreographer, Hanauer will present the U.S. Premiere of A Space for All Our Tomorrows, which imagines a utopian space for different bodies to share. It takes inspiration from the historical artist community of Monte Veritá in the Swiss mountains. Through their bodies, movement, and voices, Hanauer and collaborators channel the search for utopia—the feeling of something that is intangible, imaginary and different for every person—and hold space for multiple perspectives, particularly including testimony from disabled persons. Four bodies, each with their own wisdom, explore the harmony and tension between togetherness and individuality, presence and power, in relation to our human search for utopia.

Third Annual Du Bois Forum Roundtable & Celebration at Jacob's Pillow

Fri., July 19

3pm Du Bois Forum Roundtable (Free)

6pm INSPIRIT performance (tickets sold separately)

7:30pm Du Bois-inspired Dinner (dinner reservations are required; pricing and menu to be announced)

Join us for the third annual gathering of the Du Bois Forum at Jacob's Pillow. Writers and artists will again reflect upon the Black intellectual and artistic traditions that W.E.B. Du Bois shaped and the urgency of this work in our current moment. This multi-part event features a Du Bois-inspired menu under the stars, designed by James Beard award-winning chef Bryant Terry, author of Black Foodand 30+ writers, scholars, and artists from across the country.

The Du Bois Forum is a retreat for writers, scholars, and artists founded by Tufts University historians Kerri Greenidge and Kendra Field, and Du Bois biographer David Levering Lewis. This year's event is made possible by the African American Trail Project at Tufts University, in partnership with Great Barrington's Du Bois Freedom Center, the Mellon Foundation, Jacob's Pillow, and Troutbeck. The Forum aims to support Black thought, creative production, and social change.

Prior to dinner, attendees are encouraged to attend a Du Bois Forum Roundtable discussion at 3pm (free entry), as well as the 6pm performance by INSPIRIT on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage (tickets sold separately). Dinner reservations are required; pricing and menu to be announced.

INSPIRIT

Fri., July 19, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage I Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $35

Choreographer Christal Brown’s newest project, What We Ask of Flesh, was developed in a 2021 Pillow Lab, and combines soundscapes, installation art, and the dancers’ physicality to explore the stories that we carry in our bodies, and the capacity of human life. By harnessing the transcendent power of dance, INSPIRIT strives to create and sustain social change. Originally founded as a platform for female artists and choreographers, it now champions collaborative creativity and community engagement. Evolving from a performance ensemble to a collaborative methodology, INSPIRIT embodies the fusion of artistry and executive innovation, making dance a medium for unity and artistic growth.

Founding Artistic Director Christal Brown has an extensive history as a performer, appearing with Chuck Davis’ African-American Dance Ensemble, Andrea E. Woods/Souloworks, Gesel Mason Performance Projects, the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, and Urban Bush Women.

The School at Jacob’s Pillow: Contemporary Performance Ensemble

Sat., July 20, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage I Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

Performances by The School at Jacob’s Pillow Performance Ensembles provide an inside look at The School experience and feature repertoire created on the dancers by leading choreographers who serve as program faculty. Guest choreographers for the 2024 Ensemble include Cindy Salgado for Crystal Pite Repertoire, Jessica Wright for Studio Wayne McGregor, and Jennifer Archibald. This performance is the culmination of the 2024 Contemporary Program, led by Program Director Milton Myers.

PillowTalk: Envisioning Social Tango

Sat., July 20 at 4pm

Blake’s Barn

FREE

While directing Social Tango Project, Agustina Videla also creates films with Pable Destito, and here they share some examples of their film work and talk about how these two pursuits intersect.

Workshop with Festival Artists: Social Tango Project

Sun., July 21, 10-11:30am

Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+

Tango is more than a dance—it's a profound connection between two individuals, a conversation set to music, each responding to the other's movements. Social Tango Project artistic and general directors Agustina Videla and Ramon de Oliveira Cezar will unveil the fundamental principles of communication inherent in tango, fostering a friendly and inclusive atmosphere where students can explore and grow. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes that can slide; tango requires pivots and turns, and is not possible to do in bare feet.

— WEEK 5, JULY 24-28 —

MOMIX

July 24-28, Wed., Thurs. and Sat. at 8pm; Fri.-Sun. at 2pm

Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65

Famous across the globe for exceptional inventiveness and physical beauty, MOMIX is a company of dancer-illusionists under the direction of Moses Pendleton, one of America’s most renowned and widely performed choreographers. A co-founder of the groundbreaking Pilobolus Dance Theater in 1971, Pendleton formed his own company in 1980. Based in Connecticut, MOMIX conjures thrilling and family-friendly performances that move from humorous to athletic, sensual to physical, and dynamic to lyrical, always using props, bodies, costumes, and screen projections in new and unique ways, with eye-popping visuals and an extraordinary sense of fun.

Returning to the Pillow for the first time since 2002, the company will perform VIVA MOMIX, a magical collection of the company’s most astonishing works. The company’s “wondrously agile human dancers” (The New York Times) combine with innovative stage magic that have delighted audiences around the world for decades.

Explore past Pillow performances on Jacob’s Pillow Interactive:

MOMIX 2002:

https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/momix/passion/

USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance

Wed., July 24, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage I Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

Founded in 2012, USC Kaufman is a world-class art school at the forefront of developing dancers, choreographers, and dance leaders for the future. In addition to bringing together a stellar list of faculty and Artists in Residence, the program features the repertory of several iconic and innovative choreographers including Founding Director Jodie Gates, as well as George Balanchine, Ji?í Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite, Dwight Rhoden, Sonya Tayeh and Rauf “RubberLegz” Yasit, among other significant dance-makers.

Graduates of the BFA program have gone on to secure contracts with Broadway productions and dance companies including Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Ballet BC, BalletMet, Ballet Hispánico, BODYTRAFFIC, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Oregon Ballet Theatre, RUBBERBAND, and The Joffrey Ballet, among others.

Sekou McMiller and Friends

Thurs., July 25, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

Sekou McMiller is a New York City/Chicago-based choreographer, teacher, curator, and producer at the forefront of a new movement in Afro Latin dance. McMiller’s unique fusion style has a strong Afro-Caribbean essence that is laced with many different dance techniques combined with an explosive energy. His new work is inspired by the golden age of mambo at the Palladium nightclub in New York City during the 1940s, ‘50s and ’60s. To bring the work to life, McMiller has curated a collective of skilled dancers, musicians, composers, and performers. The result is a masterful show that fuses music and dance while uniting interconnected cultures.

McMiller’s choreographic work has been featured at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Dance Chicago, The Actors Fund Theater, New York City Center, Ailey CitiGroup Theater, Symphony Space, Edison Ballroom, and the United Nations General Assembly. He has appeared in films including In the Heights (2021), performed off-Broadway, choreographed for television, and performed and choreographed for top Latin music artists including Gilberto Santa Rosa, Willie Colón, Ismael Miranda, Cheo Feliciano, Johnny Pacheco, Tito Rojas, Tito Nieves, Pitbull, and Madonna. He is a director of this summer’s Musical Theatre program at The School at Jacob’s Pillow.

Related content on Jacob’s Pillow On Demand:

Inside the Pillow Lab: Sekou McMiller, 2023

https://watch.jacobspillow.org/detail/videos/inside-the-pillow-lab-film-series/video/6345129433112?autoStart=true

Dancers of Damelahamid

Fri.-Sat., July 26-27, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Tickets from $40

The Dancers of Damelahamid is an Indigenous dance company from the Northwest Coast of British Columbia with a rich history of masked dance. Through dramatic dance, captivating narrative, intricately carved masks, and elaborate regalia, the company finds innovative ways to bring all audiences into the art, history, language, and traditions of Indigenous culture.

Through “breathtaking” (Vancouver Arts Review) performances, the company offers a deep appreciation of the richness of Indigenous dance in the Pacific Northwest. After many decades of suppression from the illegalization of the potlatch (gift-giving feasts) by the Canadian government from 1885 to 1951, the Dancers of Damelahamid emerged in the 1960s out of an urgency to ensure that these artistic practices were not lost.

Founded upon generations of dance revitalization, the company’s performances are relevant to current innovation, influence, and insights. Dancers of Damelahamid’s “amazing” (Artsfile) performances—full of story dance and song—and their annual Coastal Dance Festival of international Indigenous artists (founded in 2008) honor a legacy while offering new pathways between communities and cultures.

Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion® Institute Public Presentations

Sat., July 27, 11am and 2pm
Free with online registration encouraged

Join the 2024 Jacob's Pillow Curriculum in Motion® Institute artist graduates for lively, interactive presentations about their work. The Institute, “a dance-makers’ think tank,” is a ten month training in the Curriculum in Motion® method: a co-creative workshop/residency model applying choreographers’ methods to the curriculum, question, issue or theme of a community partner. The Institute is directed by Celeste Miller (Institute Director), Kimberli Boyd, and Michael Richter (Institute Co-Directors).

PillowTalk: You, The Choreographer

Sat., July 27, 4pm

Blake’s Barn

FREE

A comprehensive new book by Vladimir Angelov considers all aspects of dance-making, while Moses Pendleton has been creating works for MOMIX and others for decades. Here they discuss it all.

Workshop with Festival Artists: MOMIX

Sun., July 28, 10-11:30am

Beginner dancers, ages 16+

Join MOMIX dancer and School at Jacob’s Pillow alumnus Anthony Bocconi in a traditional ballet barre and floor warm-up, followed by MOMIX-inspired centerwork. This workshop will conclude with a Q&A. Comfortable clothing and socks or ballet flats recommended.

PillowTalk: Obsessed With Light

Sun., July 28, 4pm

Blake’s Barn

FREE

This new 90-minute documentary about pioneering dancer Loïe Fuller includes a jaw-dropping assortment of imagery and surprising interviews with Bill T. Jones, William Kentridge, MOMIX’s Moses Pendleton, and more.

— WEEK 6, JULY 31-AUG. 4 —

Camille A. Brown and Dancers

July 31-Aug. 4, Wed., Thurs. and Sat. at 8pm; Fri.-Sun. at 2pm

Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65

Recipient of the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award in 2016, three-time Tony Award-nominated director and choreographer Camille A. Brown continues her meteoric rise creating new work on stage, TV, and film as the founder of Camille A. Brown & Dancers.

Brown is a “prodigious” (VOGUE) Bessie Award-winning choreographer and director. She made history as the first Black director at the Metropolitan Opera to direct a mainstage production when she co-directed Fire Shut Up In My Bones (2021). With the Broadway revival of for colored girls… (2022), she became the first Black woman to direct and choreograph a Broadway play since Katherine Dunham in 1955.

Following her work this spring as the choreographer of the new Alicia Keys musical Hell’s Kitchen, opening in April 2024, Brown returns to the roots of her own dance company, presenting the world premiere of I AM in the Ted Shawn Theatre, developed in part through a Pillow Lab residency in 2023. Inspired by the “I AM” episode of the HBO series Lovecraft Country, this exciting and uplifting work is accompanied by a live band and features the dances and gestures of the African diaspora to celebrate the past, and boldly push into the future.

Lead commissioning support for I AM has been provided by Jacob’s Pillow’s Joan B. Hunter New Work Commission, The Joyce Theater, the Meany Center for the Performing Arts, and the Apollo.

Related content on Jacob’s Pillow On Demand:

Inside the Pillow Lab: Camille A. Brown, 2023

https://watch.jacobspillow.org/detail/videos/inside-the-pillow-lab-film-series/video/6342088517112?autoStart=true

Snakehips in our DNA

July 31 – August 4, Wed.-Sun., 1-6pm

Sommers Studio | FREE

A Dance & Technology Event

Snakehips in our DNA is a free, open-gallery experience where visitors can explore the trajectory of dance from the Harlem Renaissance to the present through a stunning video installation of Black movement artists. This choreographic media collage is commissioned by the Apollo Theatre in New York City and conceived by director/dramaturg Talvin Wilks in collaboration with new media artist LaJuné McMillian.

Produced by SOZO, with an original score by Dominique Luis, sound design by Kwamina “Binnie” Biney of DreamWolf Projects, and co-commissioning support by Jacob’s Pillow, Snakehips In Our DNA utilizes new media technology such as motion capture animation, and features interview footage of dancers including Mickey Davidson, Drew Dollaz, Bernard Dove, Roobi Gaskins, Rocka Jamez, Chanon Judson, Michela Marino Lerman, and Maleek Washington, as they respond to the soul and spirit of the legendary Harlem Renaissance-era dancer, Earl ‘Snakehips’ Tucker.

This is a tribute and timely meditation on the Harlem Renaissance’s permanence in today’s contemporary culture, coming to Jacob’s Pillow this summer following a two-week appearance in the Apollo’s Victoria Theater in April 2024. This event is free and unticketed; entry and re-entry are permitted at any time between 1pm and 6pm from July 31 through August 4.

Emma Cianchi

Wed., July 31 at 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

Based in Naples, Italy, Emma Cianchi is the leading force of ArtGarage, and curator of dance at the Teatro Bellini. Cianchi’s company, in its United States and Pillow debut, will present the world premiere of Il mare che ci unisce (translation: the sea that unites us). The work explores the subtle connections that despite distances unite people across time and space. As if from a bas-relief, ancestral figures of the culture and history of the Mediterranean land appear in a work with music composed by the Neapolitan violinist Lino Cannavacciuolo who uses instruments typical of the musical culture of southern Italy in a new contemporary form. The presentation at Jacob’s Pillow is supported by the Italian Ministry of Culture and American Dance Abroad.

Related content on Jacob’s Pillow On Demand:

Inside the Pillow Lab: Emma Cianchi, 2022:

https://watch.jacobspillow.org/detail/videos/inside-the-pillow-lab-film-series/video/6309252210112/inside-the-pillow-lab:-emma-cianchi?autoStart=true&page=1

Acrobuffos

Thurs., Aug. 1, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage I Choose What You Pay; No Rain or Shine Option

Acrobuffos are not your typical clowns: their highly-visual performances, loved by families and audiences of all ages, are colorful and comedic works of physical theater, mixed with miming and game playing. Founders Seth Bloom and Christina Gelsone met at a circus in Afghanistan, and in the two decades since, they have competed in international circus festivals, performed in over 25 countries, and headlined at the Big Apple Circus.

At the Pillow this summer, this New York City-based power duo will perform Waterbombs!, a “comic water balloon gladiator show” that combines dramatic opera music scores with 100 flying water balloons and ridiculous physical comedy. It all adds up to a “warm-hearted, wordless and lovely” act (The Press, New Zealand) that showcases two performers at the top of their game, straddling circus and dance, all while “making magic out of thin air” (The New York Times).

This performance by Acrobuffos is the only Leir Stage performance this summer that is “Shine Only.” In the event of inclement weather, this performance will be canceled, rather than moved to an indoor venue, and all ticket purchases will be refunded or put on account to be used for a future booking, based on your preference.

House of Jit & A Lady In The House Company

Fri., Aug. 2, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $35

This shared program offers a thrilling peek into the world of Jit, a regional social dance from Detroit marked by acrobatic flips and kicks, drops and spins, and feet that hit the air at high speed. House of Jit, making its Pillow debut, is a collective whose founder, Mike Manson, was featured on the television show So You Think You Can Dance, and who has performed around the world. For New England audiences, this is a rare opportunity to enjoy House of Jit’s unmatched style live, as the group works to spread the Detroit Jit culture into the mainstream.

Ticket buyers will also see a program by A Lady In The House’s founder Nubian Néné, a legendary dancer in waacking and house dance styles. Born in Montréal, Nubian Néné is a powerful artist who wears many hats: host, judge, performer, director, choreographer, community builder, and more. She teaches, judges and performs nationally and internationally, and has appeared on stages including the New Victory Theater, Gramercy Theater, and at Lincoln Center. She is the founder of Waack Bazaar Festival as well as A Lady In The House Dance Co., and was a CUNY Dance Initiative 2022-23 Artist in Residence. At Jacob’s Pillow, she hosted last summer’s All Styles Dance Battle, and also performed on the Leir Stage with Passion Fruit in 2022 as well as with the collective Nefer Global Movement in 2023.

All Styles Dance Battle

Fri., Aug. 2, 8:30pm

Perles Family Studio

Join us for our All Styles Dance Battle as dancers representing a wide range of styles—including Festival artists, dancers of The School at Jacob’s Pillow, regional artists, and more—compete in this lively battle. More details to be announced later this spring.

Eastern Woodlands Homesite

Sat., Aug. 3, 12-1:30pm

FREE with online registration encouraged

PillowTalk: Snakehips in our DNA

Sun., Aug. 3, 4pm

Blake’s Barn

FREE

Inspired by Harlem Renaissance-era dancer Earl ‘Snakehips’ Tucker, this work by director/dramaturg Talvin Wilks and new media artist LaJuné McMillian will be discussed while it's on view in Sommers Studio.

David Dorfman Dance

Sat., Aug. 3 at 6pm; Sun., Aug 4 at 12 pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Tickets from $40

For almost 40 years, David Dorfman has been on a mission “to get the whole world dancing” by delivering audiences a provocative mix of visceral dance, music, and text, in performances that offer post-modern dance as something inviting, accessible, and interactive. Dorfman “has never shied away from open-hearted explorations of self and society, channeling big ideas into raw hyper-athletic movement that calls for go-for-broke dancers” (The New York Times.) At the Pillow, the company will perform (A)Way Out of My Body, a collective story of searching for personal “truths” among fantastical sensations. The piece features live music by singer/songwriter Lizzy de Lise and music director/composer Sam Crawford.

David Dorfman Dance has toured nationally and internationally from Turkey to Tajikistan, and has performed at major New York City venues including The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), The Joyce Theater, The Kitchen, Danspace Project/St. Mark’s Church, La Mama Theater, The Duke on 42nd Street, The Met Breuer, and the 92nd St. “Y”/Harkness Dance Festival. Dorfman and the company’s dancers and artistic collaborators have been honored with eight New York Dance and Performance (Bessie) Awards. Company alumni include Kyle Abraham, Raja Feather Kelly, Jennifer Nugent, and Kendra Portier.

Related content on Jacob’s Pillow Interactive:

David Dorfman, 1997:

https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/david-dorfman-dance/season-athletes-project/

David Dorfman, 2011:
https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/david-dorfman-dance/prophets-of-funk/

Workshop with Festival Artists: Camille A. Brown & Dancers

Sun., August 4, 10-11:30am

Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+

Experience the choreography from the 2022 Broadway revival of Ntozake Shange’s choreopoem for colored girls who considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, a work directed and choreographed by Camille A. Brown. Rehearsal Director and Assistant Choreographer on the production Mora-Amina Parker and CABD dancer Starla Edwards will facilitate this workshop in the spirit of community and celebration of Ntozake Shange’s work. Comfortable clothing and socks recommended.

— WEEK 7, AUG. 7-11 —

Parsons Dance

Aug. 7-11, Wed., Thurs. and Sat. at 8pm; Fri.-Sun. at 2pm

Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65

This summer marks 25 years since the last Pillow appearance by Parsons Dance, the internationally-touring contemporary dance company based in New York City and led by David Parsons, “one of the great movers of modern dance” (The New York Times). Beloved for their high-energy and athletic ensemble work, Parsons dancers have wowed audiences in more than 30 countries, performing selections from a repertory of more than 75 works created by David Parsons, as well as established choreographers like Jamar Roberts and Rena Butler.

The return to the Pillow is a celebration of the company’s roots and staying power, the go-for-broke energy that Parsons dancers are known for and the vision of David Parsons: “to bring life-affirming performances and joy to audiences worldwide.” The program at the Pillow will feature signature works including Caught (1982), choreographed by David Parsons, and Takedeme (1999), choreographed by Robert Battle.

Related content on Jacob’s Pillow Interactive:

Parsons Dance, 1995:

https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/parsons-dance-company/sleep-study/

Gibney Company

Aug. 7-11, Wed.-Sat. at 6pm; Sunday at 12pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Tickets from $40

The creators of “sharp and satisfying” contemporary dance (The New York Times), Gibney Company lives at “the intersection of art and social action.” While Gina Gibney Dance performed three times at the Pillow from 1999 to 2001, Gibney completely rebuilt her company in 2020. This will be the reimagined group’s Pillow debut.

Founded in New York City since 1991 as a dance and social justice organization, Gibney has transformed dramatically over the past decade, and now tours with an “engaging” (Boston Globe) performance company that recently doubled in size, performing works by some of New York’s and the world’s most renowned choreographers. Gibney Company made their Joyce Theater debut in November 2021, and were featured in New York City Center’s Fall for Dance festival in 2022 and 2023. Following recent tour stops in Ontario, British Columbia, and The Hague, the company comes to Jacob’s Pillow as one of only two companies performing for a full week on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage. At the Pillow, Gibney Company will perform Johan Inger’s breathtaking Bliss as well as Twyla Tharp’s The Fugue and Bach Duet.

PillowTalk: Margaret Craske and Her Teachings

Sat., Aug. 10 at 4pm

Blake’s Barn

FREE

The British ballet teacher Margaret Craske (1892-1990) was a core member of the Pillow’s faculty for more than 20 years, and disciple Diana Byer here unveils an exciting new initiative to document Craske’s teachings in partnership with Dancio.

Workshop with Festival Artists: Parsons Dance

Sun., August 11, 10-11:30am

Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+

The popular Parsons Style is known worldwide for its strength, high-spirited athleticism, unique shapes, dynamics, endurance, and humor. This American Modern-Contemporary class includes a Parsons warm-up followed by across the floor combinations. Participants will then learn choreographed phrases from the company’s touring repertory. Experience first-hand knowledge of the Parsons Style! Barefoot, socks, or jazz shoes recommended.

PillowTalk: John Lindquist: As of Today

Sun., Aug. 11 at 4pm

Blake’s Barn

FREE

Kicking off with documentary excerpts on photographer John Lindquist’s Pillow career, this event also features Lindquist protégé Stephan Driscoll with behind-the-scenes stories.

— WEEK 8, AUG. 14-18 —

Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca

Aug. 14-18, Wed., Thurs. and Sat. at 8pm; Fri.-Sun. at 2pm

Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65

Bessie Award-winning dancer and choreographer Soledad Barrio and her husband, artistic director and choreographer Martín Santangelo, formed Noche Flamenca in 1993 in Madrid, Spain. Alistair Macaulay has written for The New York Times that “there has been no company I have been so glad to discover as Noche Flamenca and, above all, its lead dancer, Soledad Barrio. I can think of no current ballet star in the world as marvelous as she.”

Flamenco is rooted in dance, song, and music traditions from Sephardic Jews, North African, and Roma people, from Andalusia. It is a form that is, in the company’s words, “born of ancestral cultural repression and racial expulsion.” Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca’s mission combines onstage performance with educational outreach and residencies to educate people of all backgrounds “and to evoke in them the vivid and expansive sea of passion and emotion that is flamenco.”

After two back-to-back Pillow seasons in 2000 and 2001, this marks the company’s long-awaited return. The program will include an excerpt of their newest work, Searching for Goya (2023), inspired by the transformative art of Francisco de Goya, as it references the prolific Spanish artist’s response to the turbulent social and political changes occurring in the world around him, its relevance to our present times, and its revelations of human nature.

Hailed by critics around the world, Noche Flamenca performs regular seasons in New York City, including at Lincoln Center, The Joyce Theater, Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, and at its home base at the West Park Presbyterian Church. The company has received awards from the National Dance Project, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Bessies, and Dance Magazine, among many others.

Related content on Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive:

Noche Flamenca, 2000:

https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/noche-flemenca/20420/

KanKouran West African Dance Company

Wed., Aug. 14, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $35

A beloved home for West African dance in Washington, D.C., KanKouran comes to Jacob’s Pillow this summer after celebrating their 40th anniversary last year. The company—whose members are from the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean—is dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional West African culture.

KanKouran was formed by Artistic Director Assane Konte and former Director of Music, Abdou Kounta, who grew up together in Dakar, Senegal. The company’s wide-ranging appeal and sense of community ownership has made it a creative cornerstone for generations of dancers, students, and musicians who have studied and come out of its ranks over the decades. While KanKouran has performed at venues including the Kennedy Center, National Symphony Orchestra, Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and myriad universities, this will be their Jacob’s Pillow debut, celebrating 40-plus years of tradition.

kNonAme Artist/Roderick George

Thurs., Aug. 15, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $35
Founded in Berlin and now based in New York, kNonAme Artist is the company created by Roderick George, an accomplished American dancer and choreographer who has performed with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, and abroad with Basel Ballet/Theater Basel in Switzerland, GöteborgsOperans Danskompani in Sweden, and The Forsythe Company in Frankfurt, Germany.

At the Pillow, George will present an excerpt of The Missing Fruit and Venom (short version adapted for the outdoor stage). Venom is a work inspired by the lasting impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the present events of the erasure of the LGBTQIA+ community, exposing how the queer community faced silencing, isolation, being forced into hiding, and death through fear, media, and ‘God’s reckoning,’ while at the same time finding ways to uplift each other using the underground nightlife as a sanctuary. The Missing Fruit explores how the manifestation of racial and public health violence affects Black Americans and other Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities through an interdisciplinary artistic production rooted in contemporary dance.

George is the recipient of the inaugural Jacob’s Pillow Men Dancers Award given to a choreographer of any gender expression who creates an innovative work danced by male or male-identifying dancers to be performed at Jacob’s Pillow in honor of the spirit of our founder Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers.

Community Day

Fri., Aug. 16, 3-6pm

FREE
Everyone is invited to this kid-friendly, all-ages Friday afternoon, featuring movement classes as well as dance-themed children’s activities and tours. At 6pm, the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage will present Berkshire-region dance artists. Additional details to be announced.

Artists of the Berkshires

Fri., Aug. 16 at 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage I FREE

The outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage hosts Berkshire Regional Artists for a special one-day-only performance on August 16, as part of Jacob’s Pillow’s annual Community Day. Tickets to this performance and all Community Day programs are free. Additional details to be announced.

PillowTalk: Searching for Goya

Sat., Aug. 17, 4pm

Blake’s Barn

FREE

Noche Flamenca's Martín Santangelo consulted with prominent art curators in conceptualizing the company's Searching for Goya, and this discussion focuses on the synergy between art and dance.

The School at Jacob’s Pillow Musical Theatre Performance Ensemble

Sat., Aug. 17, 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage I Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $35

Performances by The School at Jacob’s Pillow Performance Ensembles provide an inside look at The School experience and feature repertoire created on the dancers by leading choreographers who serve as program faculty. This performance is a culmination of the 2024 Musical Theatre Program, led by Choreographer/Directors Sekou McMiller, Luis Salgado, and Karla Puno Garcia.

Workshop with Festival Artists: Noche Flamenca

Sun., August 18, 10-11:30am

Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+

Join Soledad Barrio in this workshop focused on corporal and footwork technique, followed by a choreographed sequence. Wear comfortable clothing and hard soled shoes or sneakers; no bare feet, please.

— WEEK 9, AUG. 21-25 —

Dance Theatre of Harlem

Aug. 21-25, Wed., Thurs. and Sat. at 8pm; Fri.-Sun. at 2pm

Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65

Dance Theatre of Harlem was founded by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook in 1969 to create a new vision of ballet, as well as an opportunity where none had existed before. With previous Pillow appearances spanning from 1970 (in their very first performances) to 2019, Dance Theatre of Harlem has used their singular artistry to challenge expectations, provide a platform for new voices, and break down barriers for more than 50 years.

Along with treasured classics, this beloved and multi-ethnic company presents innovative, culturally inclusive works that propel ballet into the future with “earnest and potent” performances (Los Angeles Times). Dance Theatre of Harlem returns to the Pillow for its 55th Anniversary Season celebrating both newly-named Artistic Director, former principal dancer, and longtime company choreographer Robert Garland, as well as the 90th birthday of the Company’s legendary late founder Arthur Mitchell. The program includes William Forsythe’s exhilarating Blake Works IV (The Barre Project), set to music by James Blake, and a work by George Balanchine to be announced.

Related content on Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive:

Dance Theatre of Harlem, 2019:

https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/dance-theatre-of-harlem/come-sunday/

Dance Theatre of Harlem, 2023:

https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/dance-theatre-of-harlem/this-bitter-earth/

Christopher Unpezverde Núñez

Wed., Aug. 21 at 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

Núñez is a visually impaired choreographer whose work celebrates immigrant and disabled narratives. As a Costa Rican born of Mískito descent, his inspiration comes from experiences of displacement, migratory journey, medicinal botany, indigeneity, and mythology. He embraces Audio Description, an access tool for Visually Impaired communities, as a form of resistance, preservation, cultural continuity, and perseverance. His movement practice titled Vortex explores mechanisms and concepts such as velocity distribution, vorticity (curvature), and circulation in relation to proprioception, anatomy planes (sagittal, transverse, frontal) and axes of movement.

South Chicago Dance Theatre

Thursday, Aug. 22 at 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

Founded by Kia S. Smith in 2017, South Chicago Dance Theatre (SCDT) is firmly rooted in the vibrant arts community and rich heritage of Chicago’s south side. Since its launch in 2017, the company has toured regionally, nationally, and internationally, and commissioned the choreographic work of renowned artists. Its collaborative initiatives have included music ensembles, television, opera, art museums, and public schools.

The Chicago Tribune lauds SCDT as “the next big thing to hit Chicago’s dance scene.” Smith was recently named a Rising Star in 2023 by Chicago Magazine, and one of 25 to Watch in 2024 by Dance Magazine, which praised Smith’s choreographic voice: “note-by-note precision, fluid torso movement, unexpected gesture, powerful unison.” Smith is a 2021 alum of the The Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship at The School at Jacob’s Pillow.

DaEun Jung

Friday, Aug. 23 at 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

Based in Los Angeles, choreographer/dancer DaEun Jung makes contemporary dance that is informed by ancestral dance practices of Korean classical and folk dance. In her Pillow debut, DaEun will perform NORRI, a group dance project inspired by the principle, form, and mode of Korean folk dance as a communal performance practice. In NORRI, meaning “play” in Korean, classical Korean dance vocabulary—originating from simple steps and gestures—is re-stylized by dancers of different cultural and movement backgrounds. Spontaneous Pansori (traditional Korean folk opera) phrases and continuous pulse of electronic sound guide or challenge dancers’ complex and playful pattern explorations.

Public Tours of Jacob’s Garden

Sat, Aug. 24, 12:30pm

Free with registration

Princess Lockerooo & The Fabulous Waack Dancers

Sat, Aug. 24 at 6pm

Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

Audiences who have caught Princess Lockerooo performing at recent Jacob’s Pillow parties and events know one thing for sure: that she is “a whirling force with a singular focus: spreading the gospel of Waacking.” (The New York Times). A legend in the New York scene, Lockerooo and a group of remarkable dancers will take the Leir Stage with a performance called The Big Show, which touches on jazz, disco, soul, R&B, pop music, and the blues, while pulling in theatrical choreography, elements of comedy and drag, and incredible costumes. This all-ages show explores the evolution and origin of waacking—a street dance style created in gay clubs of the ‘70s disco era—in utterly delightful ways.

PillowTalk: Leading Dance Theatre of Harlem

Sat., Aug. 24, 4pm

Blake’s Barn

FREE

Following in the footsteps of Arthur Mitchell and Virginia Johnson, choreographer Robert Garland became the third director of Dance Theatre of Harlem in 2023, a trajectory he discusses here with Theresa Ruth Howard.

Workshop with Festival Artists: Dance Theatre of Harlem

Sun., August 25, 10-11:30am

Level TBD, ages 16+

Taught by Artistic Director Robert Garland, this workshop emphasizes focus, discipline, and classical technique as practiced at Dance Theatre of Harlem. Comfortable clothing, ballet flats or socks recommended.

ABOUT JACOB’S PILLOW

Jacob’s Pillow is a National Historic Landmark, recipient of the National Medal of Arts, and home to America's longest-running international dance festival, which celebrates its 92nd season in Summer 2024. Jacob’s Pillow acknowledges that it rests on the ancestral homelands of the Muh-he-con-ne-ok or Mohican people. We pay honor and respect to their ancestors and elders past and present as we commit to building a more inclusive and equitable space for all. In addition, we acknowledge the Nipmuc, the Wampanoag and other tribal nations who also made their homes in what is now known as Massachusetts.

Founded by Ted Shawn in 1933, each Festival includes national and international dance companies and free and ticketed performances, talks, tours, classes, exhibits, events, and community programs. The School at Jacob’s Pillow, a prestigious professional dance training center, advances the careers of the upcoming generation of performers and choreographers; during the Festival, 100 international dancers evolve as artists in ballet, choreography, contemporary, musical theatre, tap, and other genres, and year round, artist faculty and accomplished alumni nurture younger dancers in a series of Jacob’s Pillow 360 workshops and intensives offered in partnership with leading dance institutions worldwide. The Pillow also provides professional advancement opportunities across disciplines of arts administration, design, video, and production through seasonal internships and a year-round Administrative Fellows program. Through its community engagement programs, the Pillow serves as a partner and active citizen in its local community. The Pillow’s extensive Archives, open year-round to the public and highlighted online at danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org, chronicle more than a century of dance in photographs, programs, books, costumes, audiotapes, and videos.

Notable artists who have created or premiered dances at the Pillow include choreographers Antony Tudor, Agnes de Mille, Alvin Ailey, Donald McKayle, Kevin McKenzie, Twyla Tharp, Ralph Lemon, Susan Marshall, Trisha Brown, Ronald K. Brown, Wally Cardona, Andrea Miller, and Trey McIntyre; performed by artists such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Carmen de Lavallade, Mark Morris, Dame Margot Fonteyn, Edward Villella, Rasta Thomas, and hundreds of others. On March 2, 2011, President Barack Obama honored Jacob’s Pillow with a National Medal of Arts, the highest arts award given by the United States Government, making the Pillow the first dance presenting organization to receive this prestigious award. The Pillow’s Executive and Artistic Director since 2016 is Pamela Tatge. For more information, visit www.jacobspillow.org.

MAJOR INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT FOR JACOB’S PILLOW IS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY: Arison Arts Foundation, Barr Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Doris Duke Foundation, Ford Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, Mellon Foundation, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education. As of April 10, 2024.

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