Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival Reveals Week 9 Programming

Jacob's Pillow will present the innovative ballet company Dance Theatre of Harlem as the final indoor engagement in the 92nd annual Festival season. In their first appearance at Jacob's Pillow since 2019, Dance Theatre of Harlem is celebrating their 55th Anniversary, as well as the 90th birthday of their legendary founder Arthur Mitchell (1934-2018). Dance Theatre of Harlem will perform newer works, along with beloved classics, on the Ted Shawn Theatre stage from Wednesday, August 21 through Sunday, August 25. The program will include groundbreaking works from Artistic Director and former principal dancer Robert Garland, Robert Bondara, George Balanchine, and William Forsythe. Tickets are on sale and start at $65. 

During this Week 9 of the Festival, Jacob's Pillow will also offer one-night-only performances on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage. On Wednesday, August 21, audiences will see the Jacob's Pillow debut of Christopher Unpezverde Núñez, a visually-impaired choreographer whose work nurtures spaces for immigrant and disabled ancestry to be celebrated, as he shares Yo Obsolete and The Circle or Prophetic Dreamt. On Thursday, August 22, South Chicago Dance Theatre will also make their Jacob's Pillow debut on the outdoor stage, fusing classical and contemporary styles (Jacob's Pillow welcomes back the founder of the company, Kia S. Smith, a 2021 alum of The Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellows Program at The School at Jacob's Pillow). On Friday, August 23, DaEun Jung, a choreographer and dancer based in Los Angeles, will perform NORRI, a work inspired by Korean folk dance as a communal practice. DaEun re-stylizes this traditional dance by infusing contemporary phrases and a pulsating electronic soundscore. And on Saturday, August 24, Jacob's Pillow will conclude Festival 2024 on the Henry J. Leir Stage with Princess Lockerooo & The Fabulous Waack Dancers performing The Big Show, a work that journeys through the evolution of waacking alongside jazz, disco, soul, R&B, pop music, and the blues. 

All one-night-only performances allow ticket buyers to Choose What You Pay, with Rain or Shine tickets starting at $35. Additionally, the performance by Princess Lockerooo & The Fabulous Waack Dancers will be livestreamed for free, allowing anyone in the world to enjoy this performance from the comfort of home. Pre-registration for livestreams is encouraged.  To learn more about this summer's Jacob's Pillow Live series of livestreams, visit jacobspillow.org/live.

“As an organization dedicated to amplifying new voices, it's gratifying to have a week of Pillow debuts on the Henry J. Leir Stage to close our 92nd annual festival,” said Pamela Tatge, Executive and Artistic Director of Jacob's Pillow. “Witnessing the power of dancers and the stories they tell set against the backdrop of the Berkshire hills is an experience like no other.   I couldn't  ask for a more fitting company than Dance Theatre of Harlem to close the season in the Ted Shawn Theatre. The range of work they're presenting is stunning and their dancers are exquisite.  I can't wait to have them back here!” In Week 9 of the Festival, Jacob's Pillow will also offer a public tour of Jacob's Garden on Saturday, August 24 at 12:30pm. Visitors may explore the 1.5-acre garden inspired by the land's multiple histories, drawing direct inspiration from Ted Shawn's original 1931 “friendship” garden. Then at 4pm on August 24, Dance Theatre of Harlem Artistic Director Robert Garland will take part in a PillowTalk to discuss his journey following in the footsteps of world-renowned artists Arthur Mitchell and Virginia Johnson. Then on Sunday, August 25, Jacob's Pillow will offer a public dance workshop with members of Dance Theatre of Harlem.

ABOUT DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM 

Dance Theatre of Harlem was founded by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook in 1969 to create a new vision of ballet, as well as opportunities for Black dancers 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 Jacob's Pillow during 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 founder Arthur Mitchell (1934-2018). 

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/

ABOUT CHRISTOPHER UNPEZVERDE NÚÑEZ 

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.

ABOUT SOUTH CHICAGO DANCE THEATRE

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 founding 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 Fellows Program at The School at Jacob's Pillow.

ABOUT DAEUN JUNG

Based in Los Angeles, choreographer and dancer DaEun Jung makes contemporary dance that is informed by ancestral dance practices of Korean classical and folk dance. In her Jacob's 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.

ABOUT PRINCESS LOCKEROOO & THE FABULOUS WAACK DANCERS

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.

PERFORMANCE & TICKET DETAILS

Tickets are on sale now; online at jacobspillow.org and via phone at 413.243.0745

Dance Theatre of Harlem

August 21-25; Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8pm; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2pm

Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65

Christopher Unpezverde Núñez

Wednesday, August 21 at 6pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

South Chicago Dance Theatre

Thursday, August 22 at 6pm

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

DaEun Jung

Saturday, August 23 at 6pm

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

Princess Lockerooo & The Fabulous Waack Dancers

Sunday, August 24 at 6pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine Tickets from $35

Also available as a free livestream at jacobspillow.org/live

ADDITIONAL EVENTS

Morning Classes

June 25-28; Tuesday through Friday, 9-10am

Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+. Offered weekly through the summer in Sommers Studio. $12 per class; $50 for 5 class card. Pay via online pre-registration or cash/card at the door.

• Ballet: Tuesdays through August 20

• Contemporary: Wednesdays through August 21

• West African Dance & Spiritual Well-Being: Thursdays through August 22

• Hip-Hop/Street Styles: Fridays through August 23

Public Tour of Jacob's Garden

Saturday August 24 at 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.

PillowTalk: Leading Dance Theatre of Harlem

Saturday, August 24 at 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

Sunday, August 25 from 10-11:30am

Open to all levels of dance experience, however previous dance experience is recommended. 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.

FESTIVAL EXHIBITS & ARCHIVES – ONGOING

JOHN LINDQUIST: 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. This exhibit will be discussed in a free PillowTalk on Sunday, August 11 at 4pm. 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: THROUGH THE EYES OF A DENISHAWN DANCER

Curated by Phil Chan and Caroline Hamilton, this exhibition builds upon last year's initial look at Denishawn's 1925-26 Asian tour. With newly-discovered treasures, this re-examination of the tour focuses on the experiences of three Denishawn dancers: Ernestine Day, Mary Howry, and Jane Sherman. Included are costumes they retained, objects they purchased, and words they wrote—challenging viewers to ponder what it means to share culture with integrity. Co-curator Phil Chan will offer free public tours of this exhibition on Thursday, July 4 and Friday, July 5 at 4:30pm. Blake's Barn; open Tue-Sun, noon through final curtain.

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.

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.

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