Ella Baff

Camille A. Brown Wins the 2016 Jacob's Pillow Dance Award

The 2016 Jacob's Pillow Dance Award, a prestigious honor that carries a $25,000 cash prize, will be presented to contemporary choreographer, dancer, and artistic director Camille A. Brown in acknowledgement of her vision and outstanding contributions to the dance field. Regularly garnering acclaim for her 'vividness and versatility' (Alastair Macaulay, The New York Times), Brown holds a New York Dance and Performance ('Bessie') Award, two Princess Grace Awards, a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, and her work has toured nationally and internationally. The Jacob's Pillow Dance Award was established in 2007 and, in honor of its 10th anniversary, the Pillow has broadened the scope of this honor with a commitment to the artist's growth and future work. In addition to the unrestricted cash prize, this Award also includes a committed engagement for the 2017 Festival and a Creative Development Residency at Jacob's Pillow. Previous recipients of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Award include the legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham; MacArthur Fellows Michelle Dorrance and Kyle Abraham; and John Heginbotham of Dance Heginbotham, among others.

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival Names New Executive Director

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival announces today that esteemed arts leader Pamela Tatge will join the organization as Executive Director in April of 2016. Following a record-breaking 2015 season, Jacob's Pillow, a National Historic Landmark, National Medal of Arts recipient, and home to America's longest running dance festival, launched a national search for its next leader. For the past 16 years, Tatge has served as the Director of the Center for the Arts at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, overseeing robust programming and acclaimed artistic initiatives for dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts. At Jacob's Pillow, Tatge will set the artistic vision and strategic goals for all aspects of the organization, including Festival programming, education, preservation, audience engagement, residency programming and artist support, long-term planning, collaborative programming, fundraising, marketing, and more.

Jacob's Pillow Sets 2016 Festival Lineup

Following the critical acclaim and record-breaking ticket sales and attendance of Festival 2015, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival announces a new season of exciting programming featuring international artists, world premieres, and an impressive number of live music engagements. This season signals an exciting new era in Pillow history, as the Board of Directors plans to name a new Jacob's Pillow Director in early 2016. Former Executive and Artistic Director Ella Baff stepped down from her role in September of 2015, following a successful 17-year tenure.

Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks Receives 22nd Annual Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize

On Monday, November 30, playwright, novelist and songwriter Suzan-Lori Parks was awarded the 22nd annual Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prizeat The Public Theater in New York City.

2015 Bessie Award Winners Announced!

The NY Dance and Performance Awards, The Bessies, New York City's premier dance awards honoring outstanding creative work in the field, announced the complete list of 2015 award recipients tonight at the 31st Annual Bessie Awards ceremony. Produced in partnership with Dance/NYC, The Bessies were held at the legendary Apollo Theater at 7:30pm. The full list of Bessie Award recipients follows!

Jock Soto & Carmelita Tropicana to Host 31st Annual Bessie Awards

The NY Dance and Performance Awards, The Bessies, New York City's premier dance awards honoring outstanding creative work in the field, announce the lineup of special guests for the 2015 ceremony. Acclaimed former New York City Ballet principal Jock Soto and performance artist and playwright Carmelita Tropicana will host the event. The 31st Annual Bessie Awards will be held on Monday, October 19, at 7:30pm, at the legendary Apollo Theater in New York City. Doors open at 6:30pm for red carpet and pre-show celebrations.

Martha Graham Dance Company to Return to Jacob's Pillow Through Season Finale, 8/30

The legendary Martha Graham Dance Company (MGDC) will kick off its 90th Anniversary year in a seven-show engagement at Jacob's Pillow's historic Ted Shawn Theatre, August 26-30. Celebrating the company's pioneering past and trail-blazing reputation, MGDC's program features a diverse set of works including Graham's dramatic classic Embattled Garden, the world premiere of AXE by eminent choreographer Mats Ek, the powerful Depak Ine by Nacho Duato, and Echo by Greek choreographer Adonis Foniadakis.

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival Presents Liz Gerring Dance Company in GLACIER, August 19-23

Liz Gerring, the 2015 Jacob's Pillow Dance Award winner and artistic director of Liz Gerring Dance Company, returns to Jacob's Pillow for her company's performances of glacier, August 19-23 in the Doris Duke Theatre. Gerring has garnered praise by dance enthusiasts and critics alike for her abstract choreographic style and keen use of musical and visual elements.

World Premiere of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO Set for Jacob's Pillow, Now thru 7/26

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival presents the highly-anticipated world premiere of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO, featuring the remarkable talent of eight American Ballet Theatre (ABT) stars and guest artist Céline Cassone of Les Ballet Jazz de Montréal in the intimate Ted Shawn Theatre, today, July 22, through July 26.

World Premiere of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO Set for Jacob's Pillow, 7/22-26

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival presents the highly-anticipated world premiere of Daniil Simkin's INTENSIO, featuring the remarkable talent of eight American Ballet Theatre (ABT) stars and guest artist Céline Cassone of Les Ballet Jazz de Montréal in the intimate Ted Shawn Theatre, July 22-26. INTENSIO, co-produced, directed by, and starring ABT principal dancer Daniil Simkin, features four world premiere contemporary dance works by top-notch international choreographers including Alexander Ekman of Sweden, American dancemaker Gregory Dolbashian, resident Boston Ballet choreographer Jorma Elo of Finland, and Colombo-Belgian artist Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, currently based in Amsterdam.

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Welcomes Ella Baff

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival announces today that Ella Baff, Executive and Artistic Director of Jacob's Pillow, has accepted a new position as Senior Program Officer for Arts and Cultural Heritage at The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in New York. An esteemed leader in the arts and cultural field, Baff has been at the helm of Jacob's Pillow, a National Historic Landmark, National Medal of Arts recipient, and home to America's longest running dance festival, for the past 17 years.

Jacob's Pillow Presents New York Theatre Ballet's CINDERELLA This Week

Returning to Jacob's Pillow after back-to-back appearances in the Inside/Out performance series in 2007 and 2008, New York Theatre Ballet performs the quintessential, family-friendly story ballet Cinderella in the Doris Duke Theatre this week, June 24-28.

Canada's Ballet BC Opens Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival 2015 Today

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival opens its 83rd season with Canada's premier contemporary ballet company, Ballet BC, presenting a diverse program in the Ted Shawn Theatre, today, June 24, through June 28.

Jacob's Pillow to Present New York Theatre Ballet's CINDERELLA, 6/24-28

Returning to Jacob's Pillow after back-to-back appearances in the Inside/Out performance series in 2007 and 2008, New York Theatre Ballet performs the quintessential, family-friendly story ballet Cinderella in the Doris Duke Theatre June 24-28. This timeless, enchanting production, performed by the outstanding dancers of New York Theatre Ballet, is a delight for the entire family. With winning choreography by Donald Mahler, a jubilant score composed by Sergei Prokofiev, and beloved characters, this hour-long adaptation of the treasured classic is the perfect way to introduce a new generation of audience-goers to the art of dance.

Canada's Ballet BC to Open Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival 2015, 6/24-28

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival opens its 83rd season with Canada's premier contemporary ballet company, Ballet BC, presenting a diverse program in the Ted Shawn Theatre, June 24-28.

Ira Glass Set for Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival This Weekend

This month, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival presents Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host, a special pre-Festival performance starring Ira Glass, the host and executive producer of the famed public radio program This American Life. 'The Tina Fey of dance' (Sarah Kaufman, The Washington Post) Monica Bill Barnes and fellow dancer and collaborator Anna Bass perform with Glass, bringing the unlikely art forms of talk radio and dance together for a production that is 'unapologetically human and refreshingly relatable' (Brian Schaefer, The New York Times). This limited engagement will be presented in the Ted Shawn Theatre for two performances only, tonight, June 13 at 8pm and tomorrow, June 14 at 2pm.

Jacob's Pillow Completes Archives Expansion, Celebrates Norton Owen's 40th Anniversary

On June 23 at 5pm, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival will celebrate the grand re-opening of Blake's Barn, home of its extensive dance Archives, with a ribbon cutting ceremony and exclusive performance of Antony Tudor's Trio Con Brio by New York Theatre Ballet.

Jacob's Pillow Executive & Artistic Director Ella Baff Receive Honorary Doctorate Today

Bryan A. Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) in Montgomery, Alabama, will receive an honorary degree from the College of the Holy Cross and address this year's graduates during the College's Commencement ceremonies today, May 22 at 10:30 a.m. on the campus.

Adam H. Weinert Stages Work of Jacob's Pillow Founder at the Tate Modern This Week

Dancer and choreographer Adam H. Weinert, an alumnus of The School at Jacob's Pillow, previous Pillow Research Fellow, and Festival artist, brings the works of legendary modern dance pioneer and Jacob's Pillow founder Ted Shawn to the Tate Modern museum in London, this week, May 13-16.

Ira Glass Set for Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, 6/13-14

This June, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival presents Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host, a special pre-Festival performance starring Ira Glass, the host and executive producer of the famed public radio program This American Life. 'The Tina Fey of dance' (Sarah Kaufman, The Washington Post) Monica Bill Barnes and fellow dancer and collaborator Anna Bass perform with Glass, bringing the unlikely art forms of talk radio and dance together for a production that is 'unapologetically human and refreshingly relatable' (Brian Schaefer, The New York Times). This limited engagement will be presented in the Ted Shawn Theatre for two performances only, June 13 at 8pm and June 14 at 2pm.