Limón Dance Company Celebrates Its 75th Anniversary During The Fifth Week Of Festival 2022

Limón Dance Company will celebrate part of its 75th anniversary season at the Pillow in the fifth week of Festival 2022 from July 20-24. The program will feature works by Limón, Doris Humphrey, and Olivier Taparga. In addition, Music From The Sole will perform tap's afro-diasporic roots on the Henry J. Leir stage from Wednesday through Sunday.

Alongside these live performances, Blake's Barn will host two PillowTalks this week free of charge. On Saturday, July 23, Artistic Director Dante Puleio will discuss Limón Dance Company's rich history in a program of film clips called "Limón Onscreen." Additionally, on Sunday, Curriculum in Motion co-founder Celeste Miller will discuss the program's presence at the Pillow, as well as dance in childhood education in a presentation called "Dancing in the Core Curriculum."

Likewise, free Curriculum in Motion Institute presentations will be offered Monday and Tuesday from 4-5pm. The public is invited to join Institute artists as they discuss dance beyond its typical lens, and engage in a Q&A session shortly after.

Finishing off the week, Music From The Sole will host a family-friendly workshop on Sunday morning. With this percussive experience and cultural lesson, Artistic Directors Leonardo Sandoval and Gregory Richardson will dive deep into tap's unique art form. Anyone ages 5+ are welcome and no experience is required.

"The history of the Limón Dance Company is deeply entwined with the history of Jacob's Pillow. We have put together a program that celebrates our shared past while at the same time showcasing the work of its new Artistic Director, Dante Puleio, and his ambitious dreams for the company moving forward," said Jacob's Pillow Executive and Artistic Director, Pamela Tatge.

Founded in 1946, Limón Dance Company is a thriving legacy of its founder José Limón and his mentors, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman, whose innovative works revolutionized dance in America. The celebratory program will feature the new work Only One Will Rise by choreographer/dancer/musician Olivier Taparga, originally from Burkina Faso, commissioned by the Pillow for the 90th Anniversary, thanks to the Joan B. Hunter New Work Commission.

In addition, Music From The Sole, co-founded by Leonardo Sandoval and Gregory Richardson, will perform I Didn't Come to Stay on the Henry J. Leir stage. The piece was originally developed in a Pillow Lab residency and in a 2020 bubble residency facilitated by Works & Process at the Guggenheim.

As part of its mission to bring tap dance - America's original vernacular dance form - to new audiences, the company appears at both music and dance venues. Sandoval, an alum of The School at Jacob's Pillow, is well known to Pillow audiences as a performer in Dorrance Dance, where Richardson also serves as Musical Director.

The Pillow's Curriculum in Motion Institute, founded in 2020, will be in residence, welcoming choreographers to campus for their final module of this year-long professional training program under the direction of Artist Faculty Celeste Miller, Kimberli Boyd, and Michael Richter. Artists will present their research to the public in a hybrid presentation of their application of the Jacob's Pillow Curriculum in Motion methods, in sites from public schools to parks; hospitals to retreat centers. A Q&A will follow the presentations.

ABOUT LIMÓN DANCE COMPANY

Considered "one of the world's greatest dance companies," Limón Dance Company celebrates and honors José Limón's legacy. The company centers on technical excellence, dramatic performance, and unparalleled movements, while simultaneously existing to extend this artistic approach to future generations everywhere.

Born in 1908 in Culiacán, México, José Limón held great prominence in the world of modern dance. At the age of 20, he became intrigued by dance and was quickly recognized as the greatest male dancer of his time. In 1946, Limón created his own dance group into what is now said to be the vanguard of American modern dance. Throughout his artistic career, Limón became known for a breadth of masterpieces including his most famous work, The Moor's Pavane, inspired by Shakespeare's Othello, while also creating 74 other works in his lifetime. Limón was the first Cultural Ambassador for the United States and 36 years after his death in 1972, he was honored with the White House's 2008 National Medal of Arts for its decades of achievement.

Today, José Limón's legacy remains strong through the José Limón Dance Foundation, which supports two entities: the Limón Dance Company, an international touring repertory company, and the Limón Institute, an educational and archival resource organization. Since its founding, an underlying mission has always been to support underrepresented communities through dance, especially with Limón being a marginalized, hispanic artist himself.

ABOUT MUSIC FROM THE SOLE

Music From The Sole is a music and dance group that pays tribute to tap's afro-diasporic roots, particularly by focusing within the Afro-Brazilian genre. In an effort to publicize America's vernacular dance form, the company performs at various venues, with some notable credits including the Lincoln Center, Kaatsbaan, The Yard, and Battery Dance Festival. With its deep commitment to converge both dance and music, the company has also collaborated with the National Dance Institute and Lincoln Center Education to enforce social impact and engagement even further.

Alongside these venues and collaborations, Music From The Sole can also be found performing at schools, hospitals, prisons, and elsewhere. In 2018, the company ran its first-ever workshop, and has since taught in a number of areas to introduce dance and music to all bodies.

ABOUT CURRICULUM IN MOTION

"Dance for every body" is at the heart of the Curriculum in Motion program. Founded in 1993 by Celeste Miller and "J.R." Glover, the program embraces dance as an accessible, complex system of physical, mental, emotional, creative, and spiritual processes rooted in body-based intelligence. Additionally, It is an artist-driven methodology that uses the topic of dance to build an even greater equitable world.

During the school year, the nationally recognized arts-integrated curricular approach connects Berkshire County K-12 students, classroom teachers, and administrators to the intellectual, inspirational, and physical world of dance, co-taught by prominent Jacob's Pillow Artist Educators in collaboration with classroom teachers. With its roots in close to 30 years of application with community partners, Curriculum in Motion artists have partnered with K-12 schools, museums, after-school programs, non-profits, medical groups, businesses, and civic planners.

Jacob's Pillow Connections

José Limón first performed at the Pillow in 1946 with Lament for Ignacio Sánchez Mejías choreographed by Doris Humphrey. His solos from Lament were filmed on Pillow grounds just two weeks after. Following his initial performances, Limón's masterpiece The Moor's Pavane appeared at the Pillow in 1951. Orfeo, a piece dedicated to Limón's late wife, premiered in 1997. Most recently, Limón Dance Company performed Corvidae at the 2018 festival, which is a work inspired by ravens and crows.

Music From The Sole co-founder Leonardo Sandoval is an alum of The School at Jacob's Pillow and is well-known to Pillow audiences for performing in Dorrance Dance. In May 2021, his company appeared virtually in the Inside the Pillow Lab series, a film project that captures behind-the-scenes moments of artists living through COVID-19. Within this residency, Sandoval and his company formulated I Didn't Come to Stay, the work premiering on the Henry J. Leir stage in this fifth week.

PERFORMANCE & TICKET DETAILS

WEEK 5, JULY 13-17

Limón Dance Company

July 20-24, Wed.-Sat. at 8pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2pm

Ted Shawn Theatre

Tickets starting at $65

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

Music From The Sole

July 20-24, Wed.-Sat. At 6pm, Sunday at 12pm

Henry J. Leir Stage

Tickets starting at $35

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

ALSO THIS WEEK

PillowTalk: Limón Onscreen

Sun., July 23, 4pm

Blake's Barn

FREE

In honor of the Limón Company's 75th anniversary, film excerpts from throughout the company's rich history will be screened and discussed with Artistic Director Dante Puleio and others.

Workshop with Festival Artists: Music From The Sole

Sun., July 24, 10-11:30am

Open to ages 5+. Family-friendly. No experience needed.

Music From The Sole Artistic Directors Leonardo Sandoval and Gregory Richardson lead a body percussion workshop, digging into the unique convergence of movement and music that makes tap dance such an exciting art form. They will draw from the Afro-Brazilian and African-American influences that inspire Music From The Sole's work, ranging from jazz to samba and house. No tap shoes or previous experience needed!

PillowTalk: Dancing the Core Curriculum

Sun., July 24, 4pm

Blake's Barn

FREE

As co-founder of the Pillow's venerable Curriculum in Motion program, Celeste Miller reflects on how dance can be a meaningful part of every child's education.

Curriculum in Motion Institute Presentations

Mon., July 25 & Tues., July 26, 4-5pm

FREE

Meet the 2021-22 Jacob's Pillow Curriculum in Motion Institute artists in lively, interactive presentations that lift up the power of dance beyond the stage. Dance artists take you inside their application of the Jacob's Pillow Curriculum in Motion methods, in sites from public schools to parks; hospitals to retreat centers. A Q&A will follow the presentations.

FESTIVAL 2022 EXHIBITS & ARCHIVES-ONGOING

Now & Then: Evocative Dance Portraits by Christopher Duggan

Blake's Barn

Tuesday-Sunday, noon through final curtain

FREE

Photography has been an integral part of Jacob's Pillow throughout its 90 seasons, and Festival Photographer Christopher Duggan has often mined this tradition for inspiration, culminating in these pairings of vintage and contemporary images.

The Ted Shawn Theatre: An Evolving Landmark

Ted Shawn Theatre Lobby

Open daily, noon through final curtain

FREE

While the unveiling of an entirely new stage house takes the focus in 2022, this landmark structure has been a "work in progress" ever since its opening in 1942. Through vintage imagery and artifacts on display, the rich history of America's first dance theater comes into view.

Jacob's Pillow Archives/Norton Owen Reading Room

Blake's Barn

Tuesday-Sunday, noon through final curtain

FREE

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 Norton Owen Reading Room and new Special Collections Room also feature recent donations and more archival treasures from the Stephan Driscoll Collection.

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.

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, currently celebrating its 90th Anniversary Season. Jacob's Pillow acknowledges that it rests on the unceded lands of the Muh-he-con-ne-ok, and recognizes the Agawam, Nipmuc, and Pocumtuc who also made their homes in Western Massachusetts. We honor their Elders past, present, and future. 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, one of the field's most prestigious professional dance training centers, encompasses the diverse disciplines of Contemporary Ballet, Contemporary, Tap, Photography, Choreography, and an annual rotating program. 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.

With growing 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 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.

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