Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève Returns to Jacob’s Pillow 6/22-26

Switzerland's acclaimed Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève returns to Jacob's Pillow for the first time since its 2007 U.S. debut, June 22-26 in the Ted Shawn Theatre. The company, called "one of the most original and inventive in Europe" by La Presse de Tunisie, was established in 1962 by the Geneva Opera House, and has since worked with artists such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Lucinda Childs, Rudolf Nureyev, Ohad Naharin, and William Forsythe. Ballet Genève will perform the U.S. premiere of French choreographer Joëlle Bouvier's Romeo and Juliet, a re-imagined contemporary ballet that breathes new life into the classic Shakespearean love story.

"Who could say 'no' to one of the great love stories of the world, performed by gorgeous ballet dancers, to one of Prokofiev's most famous and exciting scores?" comments Ella Baff, Executive and Artistic Director of Jacob's Pillow. "Ballet Genève works with some of the best choreographers of today to create new productions that tour throughout Europe and elsewhere, but they're not often seen in the U.S."
Joëlle Bouvier's full-length Romeo and Juliet develops the historically classical tale of star-crossed lovers into a contemporary ballet. The company effortlessly combines intimate, organic movement with the more traditional partnering and narrative associated with Romeo and Juliet, resulting in "one of the most beautiful evenings in choreography in recent times" (Le Nouvel Observateur). The dancing is rich with leaps, turns, and fresh energy, as the familiar story offers storied passionate duels and joyous ensemble scenes. Twenty-two "sleek, skillful dancers" (The Boston Globe) weave a brilliant connection between the classic Sergei Prokofiev score and redesigned sets, creating an accessible and emotion-driven performance. "[Ballet Genève's] director, Philippe Cohen, seems to have a taste for understated choreographic modernists and...unobtrusively individual performers, all of them exceptionally supple ballet-trained dancers" (Jennifer Dunning in The New York Times).

For Bouvier, Romeo and Juliet was an opportunity to contribute her own choreographic voice to the original score from the classic ballet. She was inspired by the timelessness of the plot, explaining the continual relevance of Romeo and Juliet in this way: "How many wars in the world today reflect the tragedy of Shakespeare? This is why I chose not to situate my story in a precise time. For the scenery and costumes, we will remain timeless, because this story takes place, has taken place and has yet to take place everywhere."

Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève was first established in 1962, when the Geneva Opera House reopened after a devastating fire in 1951. Previously, the Geneva Opera House had hosted renowned dancers including Isadora Duncan and Vaslav Nijinsky with the Ballets Russes, yet it did not establish its own ballet company until the reopening of the theatre. Since then, the classically-trained dancers have presented works ranging from neo-classical to contemporary. George Balanchine served as artistic advisor beginning in 1970, and the company is currently under the direction of Philippe Cohen. The company consists of 22 dancers of varying nationalities, presenting both new and repertory works every year.

Joëlle Bouvier, a European contemporary choreographer, has been directing her own company since 1998. Her work has previously been presented at the Pillow in 1989 and 1990 by the company L'Esquisse, for whom she was a dancer and co-director at the time. Bouvier was awarded the Dance Grand Prize of the Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers and in 2000 was honored with the distinction of Officier des Arts et Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture.

A PillowTalk will be held on Thursday, June 23 at 5pm to explore how the story of Romeo and Juliet has been implemented and executed in various dance works. Faculty members of The School at Jacob's Pillow Ballet, Program Director Anna-Marie Holmes and Joffery Ballet Artistic Director Ashley Wheater, will be joined by Ballet Genève's Philippe Cohen to offer their perspectives. PillowTalks are free and open to the public, and offer rare interaction with artists and experts in the field with in-depth discussions, moderated interviews, film screenings, and book signings. See a full list of the week's free events below.

Performance and Ticket Information
Ted Shawn Theatre
Wednesday, June 22 through Saturday, June 25 at 8pm
Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26 at 2pm

Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob's Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered in Blake's Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
Tickets $10-64.50. Now on sale online at jacobspillow.org, via phone at 413.243.0745 or in person at the Jacob's Pillow Box Office. $10 Youth tickets, sponsored by Alex®, are available for the Saturday and Sunday matinees.

Under 35 Fridays: As part of the Pillow's younger audiences initiative: $35 under 35 tickets (for individuals 35 and younger) are available for the Friday evening performance of Ballet Genève. Limit two (2) per person, must show valid I.D. when tickets are picked up. Under 35 ticket holders will also receive a bonus gift from Under 35 Fridays sponsor Blue Q,

Box Office hours April 4-June 17: Monday through Friday 10am-4pm
June 20-August 31: Monday and Tuesday 10am-6pm, Wednesday through Saturday 10am-8pm, and
Sunday 12pm-5:30pm.

Pillow Members receive exclusive benefits. To become a Member call 413.243.9919 x125.

Jacob's Pillow is located at 358 George Carter Road in Becket, MA, 01223 (10 minutes east on Route 20 from Mass Pike Exit 2). The Jacob's Pillow campus and theaters are handicapped-accessible.

Free Events at the Pillow June 22-26

Free Inside/Out Performance - Inside/Out Grand Re-Opening with The Vanaver Caravan
Marcia & Seymour Simon Performance Space
SPECIAL TIME Wednesday, June 22, 5:45pm
Join us to celebrate the opening of the brand new Henry J. Leir stage. Following the ceremony, the popular Vanaver Caravan will perform live music and excerpts of Earthbeat!, featuring dance styles from around the world. The Vanaver Caravan was one of the first companies to dance on the former stage 30 years ago.

Free PillowTalk Discussion - Romeo and Juliet and Ballet
Thursday, June 23, 5pm
For more than two hundred years, choreographers have been creating dance versions of Romeo and Juliet. In this discussion of various approaches, Ballet Genève's Philippe Cohen joins faculty members of The School at Jacob's Pillow: Ballet Program Director Anna-Marie Holmes and Joffrey Ballet Artistic Director Ashley Wheater.

Free Inside/Out Performance - James Hansen Dance
Marcia & Seymour Simon Performance Space
Thursday, June 23, 6:15pm
The music of Frank Sinatra and Cher meet in Lovely, a contemporary dance evoking the drama and humor of relationships. In Switching Yard, dancers combine social dance and techno Latin music to build complex partnering sequences.

Free Inside/Out Performance - Hilary Easton + Company
Marcia & Seymour Simon Performance Space
Friday, June 24, 6:15pm
The dancers in Easton's Light and Shade illustrate the daily negotiations, conflicts, and resolutions that occur in a long-term relationship, through snippets of conversation and precise, intimate movement.

Free PillowTalk Discussion - Barbara Morgan's Modern Classics
Saturday, June 25, 4pm
The images created by photographer Barbara Morgan in the 1930s and 40s have inspired contemporary artists including Annie Leibovitz, and continue to define our image of that seminal time in modern dance history. This exploration of her legacy celebrates the exhibition on view this season in the Doris Duke Theatre lobby.

Free Inside/Out Performance - The School at Jacob's Pillow: Ballet
Marcia & Seymour Simon Performance Space
Saturday, June 25, 6:15pm
To conclude their study in the Ballet Program, dancers present classical ballet variations coached by Program Director Anna-Marie Holmes and Joffrey Ballet Artistic Director Ashley Wheater, plus a new work by Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch.

Free 2011 Gallery Exhibits
All exhibits are free and open to the public June 21-August 28

Annie Leibovitz: DANCE
Blake's Barn
Open Tuesdays-Sundays, noon through final curtain
One of the world's most widely known portrait photographers, Annie Leibovitz has long been interested in capturing the human body, photographing dancers such as Suzanne Farrell, Darci Kistler, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham, and David Parsons. Leibovitz has worked with Mark Morris and his company on numerous occasions, and has conceived this exhibition especially for the Pillow to salute the 30th anniversary of the Mark Morris Dance Group.

If You Couldn't See Trisha Brown
Ted Shawn Theatre Lobby
Open Wednesdays-Sundays, 60 minutes pre-performance
A remarkable 1994 Trisha Brown solo, If You Couldn't See Me, was so titled because she performed it with her back to the audience. This exhibition attempts a similar sleight-of-hand, featuring highlights from her past work as well as some oF Brown's own drawings, with the artist's presence concentrated behind the scenes. Emphasizing a wide-ranging creative output, these materials are presented in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Trisha Brown Dance Company and a Pillow relationship that spans more than three decades.

Modern Classics by Barbara Morgan
Doris Duke Theatre Lobby
Open Wednesdays-Sundays, 60 minutes pre-performance
An inspiration to Annie Leibovitz and generations of photographers and dancers, Barbara Morgan created unforgettable images of Martha Graham and other pioneering modern dancers from the generation that followed Pillow founder Ted Shawn. Morgan's family has donated a collection of her original prints from the 1930s and 40s to the Dance Program of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a selection of these iconic images are gathered to celebrate The Dance Claimed Me, an important new biography of a Morgan subject, Pearl Primus.

Precious Medals
Blake's Barn
Open Tuesdays-Sundays, noon through final curtain
When President Barack Obama presented the National Medal of Arts to Jacob's Pillow at the White House this year, the Pillow became the first dance presenting organization ever to receive this distinction. The medal itself and the signed presidential proclamation are on display here along with some of the other awards received by the Pillow and its founder, Ted Shawn, including the Capezio Award, The Commonwealth Award, Shawn's medal from the King of Denmark, and other treasures.

Anniversary Highlights: The First Forty
Bakalar Studio
Open to the public whenever classes or rehearsals are not in session
Photos from past Pillow seasons traditionally line these walls each summer, and the upcoming 80th anniversary in 2012 offers a special opportunity to look back comprehensively in two forty-year companion exhibits. This first installment includes images from the Pillow's inception in 1933 through 1972, the year of founder Ted Shawn's death. Foreshadowing next season's anniversary, these images recall high points from the Festival's formative eras.

Other Activities at Jacob's Pillow

The Archives
Blake's Barn
Open Tuesdays-Sundays, noon through final curtain
This informal library and reading room allows impromptu visitors to view videos, browse through books, access the Pillow's computer catalog, or peruse Permanent Collections of Pillow programs and photographs. Pillow Interactive, the popular touch-screen kiosk, provides instant access to rare film clips ranging from the present day back to the 1930s, and a preview of the Dance Heritage Coalition's new Secure Media Network features videos from other archives throughout the country.

Free Guided Tours
Welcome Center
Fridays and Saturdays at 5:30pm
During the Festival, free guided tours of the 163-acre campus leave from the Welcome Center and offer visitors a casual, informative look at the extensive history that occurred on the Jacob's Pillow grounds. Everyone is invited to see what makes Jacob's Pillow a National Historic Landmark. Plus, patrons can pick up a self-guided tour map anytime to explore the grounds on their own.

Classes and Observations
Patrons are also welcome to visit The School at Jacob's Pillow and observe renowned artist faculty working with emerging professional dancers, either on a drop-in basis or pre-arranged for groups larger than four. Dance and Pilates classes are offered to the public Mondays through Fridays at 8am and are open to all experience levels (class fee required). Master classes with artists of the Doris Duke Theatre are offered every Sunday at 10am for intermediate to advanced dancers (class fee required). Master classes are also open for public observation, without charge. For Community Class information call 413.243.9919.

Relax
Visitors are encouraged to enjoy the historic Tea Garden, where Ted Shawn's Men Dancers welcomed the first Pillow audiences in the 1930s. They can also picnic on the grounds or stroll through several ecological zones on the Wetlands Trail, created as part of the Pillow's responsible stewardship of its rural environment.

Dining
Jacob's Pillow offers many dining options including the Pillow Café, a full-service open air restaurant on the Great Lawn; the Pillow Pub offering casual fare, ready-to-go picnics, and a full bar; the Coffee & Ice Cream Bars, and catering services for groups and events.

The Pillow Store
Visitors can shop onsite for logo items, clothes, gifts, books, and music; all proceeds benefit Jacob's Pillow.

Jacob's Pillow, celebrating its 79th anniversary in 2011, is a National Historic Landmark and home to America's longest running international dance festival. The Festival includes more than 50 national and international dance companies and 300 free and ticketed performances, talks, tours, exhibits, and events. The School at Jacob's Pillow, one of the most prestigious professional dance training centers in the U.S., encompasses the diverse disciplines of Ballet, Cultural Traditions, Contemporary, and Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance, as well as an Intern Program in various departments of arts administration and production. The Pillow's extensive Archives, open year-round to the public, chronicle more than 80 years of dance in photographs, programs, books, costumes, audiotapes, and video. Year-round Community Programs enrich the lives of children and adults through public classes, residencies in area schools, and more than 200 free public events. Through Jacob's Pillow Curriculum in Motion®, a nationally-recognized program, artist-educators work with Berkshire County teachers and students grades K-12, transforming existing curricula such as biology, literature, and history into kinesthetic and creative learning experiences. Choreography commissions; Creative Development Residencies, in which dance companies are invited to live and work at the Pillow and enjoy unlimited studio time; and the annual $25,000 Jacob's Pillow Dance Award all support visionary choreographers. Virtual Pillow is aimed at expanding global audiences for dance and offers the opportunity to experience dance and Jacob's Pillow from anywhere in the world via online interactive exhibits, global video networks, and mobile social media. As part of the Virtual Pillow initiative, Jacob's Pillow Dance Interactive, an online video collection of dance highlights from 1937 through 2010, is a new resource with a curated selection of videos by artists who have performed at Jacob's Pillow over the past seven decades. On March 2, 2011, President Obama honored Jacob's Pillow with a National Medal of Arts, the highest arts award given by the United States Government. Jacob's Pillow is the first dance presenting organization to receive this prestigious award.

As of May 31, 2011, support for Jacob's Pillow has been provided by: Foundations: The American-Scandinavian Foundation; Arch W. Shaw Foundation; Asian Cultural Council; The Barrington Foundation; Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation through the Berkshire Hills Fund for Excellence and The Central Berkshire Fund; Bessie Pappas Charitable Foundation; Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; Frances Alexander Family Fund; Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation; Harkness Foundation for Dance; Jerome Robbins Foundation; John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; The Kresge Foundation; Leading for the Future Initiative, a program of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; Leir Charitable Foundations, In Memory of Henry J. Leir; The Marshall Frankel Foundation; Mertz Gilmore Foundation; The National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts. NDP is supported by lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, with additional funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Community Connections Fund of the MetLife Foundation, and the Boeing Company Charitable Trust; Neal Rantoul Foundation; The O'Neill Foundation; Princeton University; Prospect Hill Foundation; Québec Delegation to New England; RoBert Wood Johnson Foundation;The Royal Norwegian Consulate General, New York ; and Shubert Foundation, Inc.; Spingold Foundation, Inc; The Thompson Family Foundation; The T. Backer Fund. Government: The Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency; the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund, a Program of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, administered through a collaborative arrangement between MassDevelopment and the Massachusetts Cultural Council; National Endowment for the Arts; and Pittsfield Cultural Council. Corporate: ALEX®; Berkshire Bank; Clark and Green; Cranwell; Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation; Greylock Federal Credit Union; The Legacy Banks Foundation; LEGO Children's Fund; The Pilgrim Inn; Super 8 Motel Lee; The TD Charitable Foundation; and Wheatleigh. Endowment: The Barrington Foundation, Inc.; The William Randolph Hearst Foundation; The Leir Charitable Foundations, In Memory of Henry J. Leir; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Onota Foundation; The Prospect Hill Foundation; Talented Students in the Arts Initiative, a collaboration of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Surdna Foundation; and Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

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