Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival Closes With Stars Of American Ballet & ODC/Dance
By: A.A. Cristi Aug. 14, 2018
Bringing together some of today's most remarkable ballet talents, Daniel Ulbricht's Stars of American Ballet returns to Jacob's Pillow, appearing in the Ted Shawn Theatre August 22-26. A principal dancer with New York City Ballet since 2007, Ulbricht is lauded as "one of the best male ballet dancers in New York" (Dance Magazine). As Artistic Director, curator, and performer, Ulbricht brings a unique vision and perspective to performance. With a cast highlighting 14 powerhouse dancers of New York City Ballet, this collective celebrates the legacy of choreographic legend Jerome Robbins with a program of his masterpieces on the occasion of his centennial, augmented by two Robbins-related PillowTalks.
In 2018, the world comes together to celebrate the centennial of Jerome Robbins (1918-1998) through performances, screenings, events, exhibitions, and discussions. A prolific figure in American cultural history, Robbins is regarded as a creative genius who impacted dance and theater through his genre-blurring ballets and work as a director and choreographer of theater, movies, and television. Alastair Macaulay of The New York Times praises his influence, "Theater does not consist of words alone. And much of what can be sublime in theater goes beyond words...nobody has demonstrated this point more substantially than Jerome Robbins." Throughout his lifetime, Robbins created more than 60 ballets and his Broadway credits include On the Town, West Side Story, The King and I, Gypsy, Peter Pan, Fiddler on the Roof, and more.
The program is curated by Artistic Director Daniel Ulbricht with a cast of 14 dancers from New York City Ballet, one of the foremost dance companies in the world. The Stars of American Ballet cast includes principal dancers Ulbricht, Anthony Huxley, Teresa Reichlen, and Gonzalo Garcia; soloists Sara Adams, Unity Phelan, and Indiana Woodward; and corps de ballet members Devin Alberda, Daniel Applebaum, Lars Nelson, Andrew Scordata, Kristen Segin, Sebastian Villarini-Velez, and Peter Walker.
The performance begins with Robbins' Andantino, an intimate duet with a sense of sweetness and unforced drama set to the lilting second movement of Tschaikovsky's "Piano Concerto No. 1." Following, Teresa Reichlen, Daniel Applebaum, and Andrew Scordata perform Robbins' Concertino accompanied by early Stravinsky music. Performed with an onstage cellist, Stars of American Ballet also presents A Suite of Dances, a witty yet introspective solo for a male dancer. Performed by Ulbricht, Robbins' choreography in A Suite of Dances combines classical ballet movements with Broadway-inspired steps-effortless pirouettes and sweeping extensions blend with forward rolls and cartwheels. The ensemble also presents Chopin Dances, a male duet by Robbins. Performed by Ulbricht and Huxley, Chopin Dances is a collection of solos originally from Robbins' Dances at a Gathering and Other Dances. This performance offers a rare opportunity to experience Robbins' mastery in one of his lesser-known works.
The entire cast of Stars of American Ballet closes the performance with Interplay, a lively ballet with a 1940s-inspired jazz score by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Morton Gould. Performed by the entire collective, this ensemble piece is a playful ballet with clear influences from Robbins' Broadway style. Throughout the piece, the dancers take part in a lighthearted competition and revel in the swingtime rhythms. At the heart of Interplay is a bluesy pas de deux that contrasts the competitive atmosphere of the dance. Robbins' choreography in Interplay "warmly gleams with his innovative mix of ballet and pop dance, jazzy and yet crammed with fiendish technical demands" (Chicago Tribune).
In addition to the performances, Jacob's Pillow will present a free film screening of NY Export: Opus Jazz on Friday, August 24 at 5pm and a free Robbins-related panel discussion on Saturday, August 25 at 4pm. These events coincide with The Boston Symphony Orchestra's Bernstein Centennial Summer at Tanglewood, celebrating the 100th Birthday of American composer Leonard Bernstein, a long-time collaborator with Robbins.
Jacob's Pillow Connections
Stars of American Ballet last performed at Jacob's Pillow as part of the 2015 season. Their first performance at Jacob's Pillow was in 2014.
ABOUT STARS OF AMERICAN BALLET
Stars of American Ballet travels to cities that rarely host ballet performances and offers top-notch choreography with principal and soloist-level dancers from major American companies. Founded and directed by New York City Ballet principal dancer Daniel Ulbricht, Stars also sponsors dance education programs, consisting of master classes, pre-performance lectures, and community outreach projects. Stars seeks to build a better awareness and overall experience with the art form and offers free tickets for underprivileged children. The mission of Stars of American Ballet is to one day see all parts of this country entertained, educated, lifted up, and inspired by the art of ballet and great dancing, delivered to anyone, anywhere who wishes to share this experience.
PERFORMANCE & TICKET DETAILS
Stars of American Ballet at Jacob's Pillow
Ted Shawn Theatre, August 22-26
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 8pm
Thursday, Saturday, Sunday at 2pm
$100, $78, $65, $45
Saturday evening Finale | $100, $75
A limited number of special Under 35 discounted tickets are available for each performance for patrons ages 18-35. Tickets are $35 in the Ted Shawn Theatre. One ticket per person; each guest must show valid I.D. when picking up tickets at Will Call.
Tickets are on sale now; online at jacobspillow.org, via phone 413.243.0745, and at the Jacob's Pillow Box Office at 358 George Carter Road, Becket, MA, 01223.
ALSO THIS WEEK
ODC/Dance
Doris Duke Theatre, August 22-26
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 8:15pm
Saturday & Sunday at 2:15pm
Saturday evening Finale | $75, $50
With four female resident choreographers-Brenda Way, KT Nelson, Kimi Okada, and Kate Weare-this contemporary dance company is widely recognized for its rigorous technique, full-throttle partnering, interdisciplinary collaboration, and musical commissions. San Francisco-based ODC/Dance began as a collective at Oberlin College in 1971 and has since transformed and relocated to become one of the most active centers for dance on the west coast. "Full-bodied and expansive without being showy or brawny" (The New Yorker), ODC/Dance returns to the Pillow for the first time since 1994, featuring KT Nelson's Dead Reckoning, set to original music by celebrated Kronos Quartet cellist Joan Jeanrenaud and performed amidst a mesmerizing sea of green confetti. Tickets start at $25.
Inside/Out Performance Series: Felipe Galganni & Company
Wednesday, August 22 at 6:15pm
FREE; LIVE MUSIC
Felipe Galganni is a tap dancer, teacher, and choreographer known for his unique style and versatility in blending the American art form of tap dance with his Brazilian roots. Felipe Galganni & Company present excerpts from the concert TAP&TOM, which premiered at The Players Theatre in New York. Under the musical direction of award-winning Brazilian Maestro Carlos Bauzys, the performance blends Galganni's original tap choreography with the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim's bossa nova.
Inside/Out Performance Series: American College Dance Association Gala Highlights
Thursday, August 23 at 6:15pm
FREE
For the third consecutive year, American College Dance Association (ACDA) presents highlights from its regional festivals, supporting and promoting the wealth of talent and creativity from college and university dance departments. Each spring, regional conferences are hosted around the country with performances, workshops, panels, and master classes. At each conference, a panel of expert adjudicators select works in an anonymous process to be performed at a gala performance which concludes the conference. The dances are choreographed by undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and guest artists. Selected works from each region go on to be presented at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts before highlights are selected for the Inside/Out stage.
PillowTalk: NY Export: Opus Jazz
Friday, August 24 at 5pm
Blake's Barn
FREE
Shot on location with an ensemble of New York City Ballet dancers, this film adaptation of Jerome Robbins's 1958 "ballet in sneakers" is screened and discussed.
Inside/Out Performance Series: Saung Budaya Dance
Friday, August 24 at 6:15pm
FREE; LIVE MUSIC
Saung Budaya Dance was established in 2005 by Amalia Suryani to introduce new audiences to Indonesian culture through dance and music. As a vital part of the Indonesian community in New York, Saung Budaya repertoire includes various dances from all over Indonesian archipelago. They have performed at Lincoln Center, Asia Society, American Museum of Natural History, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Saung Budaya presents two pieces showcasing the beauty and diversity of Indonesia with an interactive teaching component. Leleng will takes audiences deep into the jungles of Borneo, home to the Dayak Tribe, where a young girl lost is saved by the hornbill birds. Naiak Piring portrays the daily lives of women who balance baskets on their heads in the rice fields through farmers' daily activities and harvest celebrations in West Sumatra. This dance comprises several quick movements with plates that create a throbbing atmosphere throughout the work.
PillowTalk: Robbins Reconsidered
Saturday, August 25 at 4pm
Blake's Barn
FREE
In the centennial year of Jerome Robbins, new attention is focused on this groundbreaking choreographer through many lenses including two represented here: Julia Foulkes, curator of an upcoming Robbins exhibit at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, and Hiie Saumaa, who has been studying Robbins' own writings.
Inside/Out Performance Series: Subject:Matter
Saturday, August 25 at 6:15pm
FREE
Closing this year's Inside/Out Performance Series is Boston-based tap dance company Subject:Matter. They present From the Top, an evening-length work that promises to keep audiences intrigued with its twists and turns through a wide variety of music-from funk and jazz, to afro-beat and oldie pop. Each section of the performance presents a unique world to be investigated. Subject:Matter is led by Ian Berg, an alumnus of the Tap Program at The School at Jacob's Pillow. Berg also performed as part of TIRELESS: A Tap Dance Experience, curated by Michelle Dorrance in 2017.
Alumni Day
Saturday, August 25
Alumni of The School at Jacob's Pillow and Intern Program are invited to reconnect at the Pillow with specially-priced tickets and surprises.
Festival Finale
Saturday, August 25
The ultimate end-of-summer celebration! After evening performances of Stars of American Ballet and ODC/Dance, dance the night away with desserts, drinks, and a dance party on the Pillow's Great Lawn. Tickets start at $50 including performance; $40 party-only tickets are available.
Sunday Master Class: ODC/Dance
Sunday, August 26 at 10am
Doris Duke Theatre
Artists of ODC/Dance will teach a 90-minute master class open to all intermediate and advanced dancers ages 16 and over. Quiet observation is welcome; $15 per class or $80 for a 6-class card. Participants younger than 18 will require a parent/guardian's signature on a liability waiver. Pre-registration is required at jacobspillow.org.
FESTIVAL 2018 EXHIBITS & ARCHIVES-ONGOING
Gotta Dance, Too!
Blake's Barn, June 20-August 26
Open Wed-Sat noon to final curtain (approx. 10pm) and Sun-Tues noon to 5pm; FREE
This select group of original movie posters follows up on the hugely popular 2014 Gotta Dance exhibit with a different set of rarities from the collection of award-winning design director Mike Kaplan. More than 75 vintage posters feature classic films and stars like Fred Astaire, Josephine Baker, Gene Kelly, and other screen legends, excitingly illustrated in vibrant color.
Dance of the Ages
Ted Shawn Theatre Lobby, June 20-August 26
Open 60 minutes prior to every performance
FREE
Commemorating the 80th anniversary of Dance of the Ages, a culminating achievement by Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers, this exhibit also highlights a full reconstruction of the work to be performed by Adam H. Weinert at Jacob's Pillow, September 21-23. The exhibit features images, memorabilia, and costumes from the original 1938 production, many on view for the first time.
Paramodernities/Revelations
Doris Duke Theatre Lobby, June 20-August 26
Open 60 minutes prior to every performance
FREE
Netta Yerushalmy has created a new performance work entitled
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