April 10, 2025 (BECKET, Mass.)—Jacob’s Pillow is pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for the full schedule of programming at this summer’s 93rd annual Dance Festival (June 25 through August 24), which will offer nine weeks of performances by world-class artists on indoor and outdoor stages, along with free and paid family-friendly events.
A special week-long celebration in the third week of the Festival will open the new Doris Duke Theatre, built to become one of the most technologically advanced theaters in the world dedicated to dance. In addition to featuring local and regional artists, the festival will include dance companies traveling from across the United States and from Canada, the United Kingdom, Norway, Indonesia, Korea, Taiwan, and beyond. Tickets are available for purchase at jacobspillow.org/festival.
Events will be held at Jacob’s Pillow’s National Historic Landmark site in the town of Becket in western Massachusetts on the ancestral homelands of the Muh-he-con-ne-ok or Mohican people—located ten minutes from the Mass Turnpike, with free parking and onsite dining and picnicking options—with select in-community events in Berkshire County. Visitors to Jacob’s Pillow are invited to take morning classes, participate in community arts events and workshops led by Festival artists, learn from discussions led by Pillow scholars, attend dance parties, and explore exciting new intersections between dance and technology. Visitors also enjoy free entry to the multimedia Archives and exhibition spaces. Unless marked otherwise, all free and paid offerings are open to all ages.
Jacob’s Pillow will once again offer an array of livestreams, films, and virtual events for dance fans around the world to experience the Festival at home. Digital offerings this year will include a free one-night-only livestream of the Season Opening Gala on June 21, the opening program of the Doris Duke Theatre on July 9, and two digital-first works by Andrew Schneider and Shamel Pitts, as well as a series of free livestreams to be announced later this spring.
The Festival is curated by Jacob’s Pillow Executive and Artistic Director Pamela Tatge, Associate Artistic Director Kim Chan, and Associate Curator Melanie George, supported by International Advisor Cathy Levy and Producing Director Holly Jones.
“Jacob’s Pillow is alive with a feeling of renewal and growth,” said Tatge. “With summer just around the corner, we are thrilled to welcome audiences from around the world to celebrate artists who honor tradition, push creative boundaries, and invite us to see the world in new ways. When our newly-reimagined Doris Duke Theatre opens its doors in early July, it will mark the first time since 2019 that we are at our full presenting capacity, reuniting our three core performance spaces and offering visitors an extraordinary range of dance forms and experiences on any given day.”
The following Festival 2025 events are announced in this release:
- Opening Week Celebration: A Reimagined Doris Duke Theatre
- Talks (Pre-Show Talks, Post-Show Talks, PillowTalks)
- Special Events (Pillow Pride Weekend, Fourth Annual Du Bois Forum Roundtable & Celebration, Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion™ Institute Public Presentations, Pillow Fight: All Styles Dance Battle, Community Day)
- Exhibits (Doris Duke Theatre Gallery, Blake’s Barn, Ted Shawn Theatre Lobby)
- Public Tours (Campus Tours, Jacob’s Garden tours, activation of the Eastern Woodlands Homesite)
- Onsite Classes and Workshops (Morning Classes, Sunday Workshops with Festival Artists, Family Music and Dance, In Studio Observation in The School, In Studio Pause-in-the-Process Showings by The School)
- Community Residency in Pittsfield with Sekou McMiller & Friends
A summary of recent announcements—including the recipient of the 2025 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award, and a list of all companies performing in the Ted Shawn Theatre, Doris Duke Theatre, and outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage in Festival 2025—appears at the bottom of this release.
OPENING WEEK CELEBRATION: A REIMAGINED DORIS DUKE THEATRE
The Doris Duke Theatre will open in the third week of Festival 2025, with celebratory events from July 6-13. The new theater is a living lab, built to provide a space for cutting-edge artists to combine dance and creative technologies into unforgettable works. With a series of world premieres and U.S. debuts, there is something new and immersive to see, hear, and feel each day. Featuring special appearances and works by Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Annie-B Parson, Shamel Pitts | TRIBE, Eiko Otake, Unwired Dance Theatre, Kinetic Light, Andrew Schneider, Katherine Helen Fisher, Alexander Whitley, and more, the Opening Week Celebration will offer dance lovers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the space before anyone else.
SUNDAY, JULY 6
Open House, 1-4:30pm
This first look at the new Doris Duke Theatre will feature free events and tours of the building, the opening of the inaugural exhibition, and more. Tours will run every half hour.
- Beginning at 1pm, Jacob’s Pillow will launch a new commissioned digital work from Andrew Schneider: an immersive sound experience that crossfades with reality. Audiences will access this experience using their own devices and headphones as they navigate the world around them. This self-guided audio walking tour will be available throughout the Festival.
- At 1:30pm, celebrations continue with a community-sourced pop-up performance of Optimistic! choreographed by Camille A. Brown. Those interested in participating should contact community@jacobspillow.org (all ages and experience levels are welcome).
- At 2:30pm, visitors may gather in the Jameson Family Lobby for the opening of two exhibits, with brief remarks by the artists and curators:
- The unveiling of To Touch a Wide Span, a work by Cherokee artist Brenda Mallory created for the new Doris Duke Theatre, commissioned by Jacob’s Pillow.
- Free entry into Dancing the Algorithm, an exhibit curated by Katherine Helen Fisher for the new Doris Duke Theatre Gallery, featuring artists whose works illuminate how the dancing body doesn’t just adapt to technology, but shapes it, challenges it, and celebrates the new possibilities it creates. The exhibit includes Lamentation: Dancing the Archive, an installation inviting audiences to engage with a 360° film of Martha Graham’s iconic solo, created by Xin Ying with Katherine Helen Fisher, Alan Winslow, and Kate Ladenheim. The exhibit features works by Memo Akten, Lauren Bedal, Shimmy Boyle, Mingyong Cheng, Kianí Del Valle, Nora Gibson, Hamill Industries (Pablo Barquin and Anna Diaz), David Wallace Haskins, Katie Peyton Hofstadter, KAMBARA+ (Yayoi Kambara), Armon Naeini, Operator (Ania Catherine and Dejha Ti), Daniel Sierra, and others to be announced. The exhibit will remain open until 4:30pm on this day. For a full description, see page 11.
TUESDAY, JULY 8
Nature Walk, 1-2pm
- Misty Cook and Kathi Arnold, enrolled members of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans, will walk the Jacob’s Pillow campus and explain how they gather medicines and plants through practices that have been passed down to them. They will discuss gathering, drying, preservation, and usage and the practice of offering tobacco. Participants are invited to gather plants from the campus to contribute to the new garden at the Doris Duke Theatre. Advance registration for this event will be available soon.
- This nature walk will be followed by an Indigenous Garden and Fire Pit Activation with Cook; Arnold; Shawn L. Stevens, enrolled member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans; and Andre StrongBearHeart Gaines, Jr., Nipmuc citizen; from 6-9pm that is by invitation only. For more information, please contact community@jacobspillow.org.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9
Opening Program, 7pm-10pm
- The exhibition Dancing the Algorithm will open at 12pm in the Doris Duke Theatre Gallery (see above), and remain open through 11pm.
- Beginning at 7pm, the world is welcome—both in-person and online—to the opening program in the new Doris Duke Theatre, beginning with a historic ribbon-cutting on the veranda, which is free and open to the public.
- At 8pm, a special on-campus watch party will begin in the Ted Shawn Theatre, where ticket holders from the general public can enjoy a live screening of the opening program, performed for an invited audience in the Doris Duke Theatre by a thrilling range of artists. Ticketed seats in the Ted Shawn Theatre for this one-night-only event are $75. Additionally, the program will be offered in real-time to audiences around the world as a livestream, free and open to the public. Tickets to the Ted Shawn Theatre watch party are now available.
- The inaugural program in the Doris Duke Theatre will unite the past, present, and future. Following an honor song performed by Shawn L. Stevens and Friends of the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans from Bowler, Wisconsin, the program will feature:
- A movement score by Annie-B Parson, performed by 12 renowned artists associated with the original Doris Duke Theatre: Bebe Miller, Susan Marshall, Brian Brooks, Eiko Otake, Irene Rodríguez, David Thomson, Liz Lerman, David Dorfman, Dianne McIntyre, Dormeshia, Doug Elkins, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar.
- An excerpt performed by Shamel Pitts | TRIBE of the evening-length Touch of RED, a work developed during the last Pillow Lab residency held in the original Duke before it burned in 2020.
- The U.S. premiere of an excerpt of OTMO Live, a groundbreaking duet by the UK’s Alexander Whitley Dance Company, where motion-capture technology connects a dancer in the Doris Duke Theatre with a dancer in the Ted Shawn Theatre—performing together in real time, even while apart.
- An excerpt from the film Superradiance by Memo Akten and Katie Peyton Hofstadter, which interweaves dance, poetry, music, and AI generative imagery.
- A performance by body percussionist and Guggenheim Fellow Ryan Johnson, Artistic Director of SOLE Defined.
- The program will culminate in a dance party featuring iconic musician JD Samson, best known as a member of the bands Le Tigre and MEN, performing two DJ sets. The dance party will be animated by Scuuulpt, an interactive augmented reality piece by Katherine Helen Fisher and Armon Naeini<> that employs immersive camera work and dynamic projections to engage with performers and audience alike.
THURSDAY, JULY 10
- The exhibition Dancing the Algorithm will open at 12pm in the Doris Duke Theatre Gallery (see above), and remain open through 7:30pm.
- At 4pm, acclaimed interdisciplinary artist Eiko Otake will give a world-premiere site-specific performance, titled Shadows and Stones, which will take audiences around the site of the new Doris Duke Theatre, grounding us in all that came before. Tickets are $45, and are now available. Arrive at the Jameson Family Lobby of the Doris Duke Theatre 30 minutes in advance of the performance to enjoy a free Pre-Show Talk about the artist’s work.
- Eiko Otake came to the Pillow with her partner Koma for the first time in 1993, soon after the original Doris Duke Theatre was built. She has returned many times since, including in 2017 when she created a solo, A Body at the Pillow, that took audiences across the campus, from boulder to boulder. In 2020, a month after the original Duke burned to the ground, Eiko returned to crawl in the snow over the fallen beams to create the short film rock is broken (2021). Her body holds over three decades of Pillow history on the site, and her performance will evoke the power of memory and resilience.
FRIDAY, JULY 11
- The exhibition Dancing the Algorithm will open at 12pm in the Doris Duke Theatre Gallery (see above), and remain open through 7:30pm.
- At 1pm and at 4pm, Eiko Otake will continue performances of Shadows and Stones. Arrive at the Jameson Family Lobby 30 minutes in advance of each performance to enjoy a free Pre-Show Talk about the artist’s work.
SATURDAY, JULY 12
- Beginning at 9:30am and running through 7:40pm, an Extended Reality Salon will run in the Forest Studio, free and open to the public. The Salon will feature two experiences:
- The internationally-recognized disability arts ensemble Kinetic Light will present territory, an immersive virtual reality experience centered in a futuristic post-apocalyptic disabled world created by Double Eye Studios. The first aesthetically accessible VR headset experience of its kind, territory explores how the technology of barbed wire (dis)connects humans (from)/to their environment and each other. Utopic and dystopic all at once, territory surrounds the user in movement, light, vibration, and sound. This installation is not ticketed, and is available free to the public as a walk-up experience that begins every 20 minutes.
- Aoi + Esteban will present the U.S. premiere of 0AR (zero AR), a collection of short dance works in augmented reality (AR) suitable for all ages, presented on iPads provided to each audience member. Commissioned by Sadler’s Wells in London and co-produced by Biennale de la Danse de Lyon in 2018, 0AR is based on the 2005 groundbreaking production zero degrees, a collaboration between Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Akram Khan, and Nitin Sawney, with sculptor Antony Gormley.
- In a series of short performances beginning at 10:30am in the Duke’s main theater, the UK/France’s Unwired Dance Theatre will make its U.S. debut with Where We Meet, an audio-based dance installation where audiences can experience the inner thoughts of a dancer. Performances of Where We Meet are ticketed in advance for a limited-size audience, and will run at 10:30am, 12:15pm, 1:00pm, 1:45pm, and 2:30pm. Tickets are $35, and are now available.
- In this interactive and immersive dance theater performance, the spectator is in control to reveal the hidden stories behind each character. The piece is a joyful and shared experience exposing how we are more alike than we are different, reimagining what community really means in a modern age. Unwired Dance Theatre is based both in London, England and Bordeaux, France, with collaborators all around the world.
- From 11:15am to 3:30pm, preeminent choreographers working at the intersection of dance and technology will gather in the Jameson Family Lobby for FUTURE FIGURES: Dance and Emerging Technologies, a series of artist talks that are free and open to the public. This special summit will be facilitated by Sydney Skybetter, Faculty Director at Brown University’s Art Institute. FUTURE FIGURES is presented in partnership with Onassis ONX, and made possible in part with support provided by the Doris Duke Foundation and YoungArts.
- Catalyzed by concern for disruptive technologies’ reshaping of the cultural landscape, this gathering hopes to foster discussion about the wonder and possibility of partnering with new technologies to creatively advance the field and provide enhanced access to art.
- The exhibition Dancing the Algorithm will open at 12pm in the Doris Duke Theatre Gallery (see above), and remain open through 11pm.
- At 4pm, the Doris Duke Theatre will host a free PillowTalk with Aoi Nakamura and Esteban Lecoq, the founders and Co-Artistic Directors of AΦE (AE). Nakamura and Lecoq have danced with companies including Jasmin Vardimon and Punchdrunk, and are known for using technology to reinvent the audience’s experience. In this performative lecture, they reveal how the technologies of AI and extended reality were necessary to tell the story of Lilith, the youngest cryogenically frozen person, using motion capture, machine learning, and Unreal Engine to redefine immersive storytelling.
- From 9-11pm, join the Pillow Pride Dance Party! Experience the new Doris Duke Theatre transformed into an immersive club experience, with beats provided by self-proclaimed “Afro-Electro-Disco-Space-Punks” and DJ/musical duo The Illustrious Blacks. This indoor party will feature projected visuals sourced from the Pillow’s rich, queer archival history. This event is part of Pillow Pride Weekend, running July 11-13. Tickets to the Dance Party are $20 and are now available.
SUNDAY, JULY 13
- From 11am to 2pm, Kinetic Light will continue to present territory in the Forest Studio.
- The exhibition Dancing the Algorithm will open at 12pm in the Doris Duke Theatre Gallery (see above), and remain open through 2pm.
PRE-SHOW AND POST-SHOW TALKS
For all nine weeks of the Festival, a free 15-minute Pre-Show Talk led by Pillow Scholars-in-Residence will precede all performances in the Ted Shawn Theatre, all performances in the Doris Duke Theatre, and select additional performances this summer. Ted Shawn Theatre Pre-Show Talks will be held 30 minutes before showtime in Blake’s Barn (at 1:30pm and 7pm). Doris Duke Theatre Pre-Show Talks will be held 30 minutes before showtime in the Duke’s Jameson Family Lobby (at 2pm and 7:30pm). Additionally, a free Post-Show Talk with the artists will follow every Thursday evening performance in the Doris Duke Theatre, every Friday matinee performance in the Ted Shawn Theatre, and every performance on the Henry J. Leir Stage.
PILLOWTALKS
PillowTalks are a free curated series of engaging and informative discussions with choreographers, writers, and cultural leaders. Moderated by Pillow Scholars, PillowTalks provide an opportunity to gain insights into the social, cultural, and historical influence that shape the artists’ work. The Festival 2025 PillowTalks are as follows:
PillowTalk: The Center Will Not Hold
Sat., June 28, 4pm | Blake’s Barn
In this behind-the-scenes conversation, Ephrat Asherie, Michelle Dorrance, and collaborators share the inspirations, practices, and lineages informing The Center Will Not Hold, including tap dance, hip-hop, breaking, house, Chicago footwork, Detroit jit, litefeet, Memphis jookin’, and body percussion.
PillowTalk: Camille A. Brown
Sat., July 5, 4pm | Blake’s Barn
Following the triumphant world premiere of I AM at the Pillow last summer, the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award winner discusses her life leading Camille A. Brown and Dancers while building a robust career in theater, opera, and television, including two current shows on Broadway: Hell’s Kitchen and Gypsy.
PillowTalk: Aoi Nakamura and Esteban Lecoq
Sat., July 12, 4pm | Doris Duke Theatre
As the founders of AΦE (AE), Co-Artistic Directors Aoi Nakamura and Esteban Lecoq have danced with companies including Jasmin Vardimon and Punchdrunk, and are known for using technology to reinvent the audience’s experience. In this performative lecture, they reveal how the technologies of AI and extended reality were necessary to tell the story of Lilith, the youngest cryogenically frozen person using motion capture, machine learning, and Unreal Engine to redefine immersive storytelling.
PillowTalk: Iain Webb
Sat., July 19, 4pm | Blake’s Barn
Under Iain Webb’s leadership as artistic director, the Sarasota Ballet has performed over 185 ballets including 55 world premieres and 13 American premieres featuring choreographers such as Sir Frederick Ashton, Jessica Lang, Christopher Wheeldon, and Twyla Tharp. In this PillowTalk, Webb will share his thoughts and inspirations for animating ballet today.
PillowTalk: Wendy Perron and Norton Owen
Sat., July 26, 4pm | Blake’s Barn
Longtime colleagues at Jacob’s Pillow and beyond, guest curator Wendy Perron and the Pillow’s Director of Preservation Norton Owen share stories and highlights celebrating Owen’s 50th anniversary at the Pillow and the 2025 exhibit Connecting through Time: 50 Seasons with Norton Owen.
PillowTalk: Vicky Holt Takamine
Sat., August 2, 4pm | Blake’s Barn
Vicky Holt Takamine is a renowned kumu hula (master teacher of Hawaiian dance) and advocate for native Hawaiian culture and rights. She is also the 2024 recipient of the Gish Prize which is given annually to an individual who has “made an outstanding contribution to the beauty of the world and to mankind’s enjoyment and understanding of life.”
PillowTalk: Bill T. Jones
Sat., August 9, 4pm | Blake’s Barn
Bill T. Jones is one of the dance world’s foremost trailblazers and a recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Award, two Tony Awards for Best Choreography, and the Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award. Jones’ dances are invitations to celebrate humanity, beauty, and justice. This PillowTalk is a rare opportunity to hear him speak firsthand about art and life.
PillowTalk: Medhi Walerski
Sat., August 16, 4pm | Blake’s Barn
This marks Ballet BC’s first Pillow engagement since Medhi Walerski was appointed Artistic Director in July 2020. His leadership has been highlighted by an artist-centred approach and deep commitment to creation and innovation. Walerski has worked closely with many renowned choreographers, creating alongside and performing works by Jiří Kylián, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Crystal Pite, Johan Inger, and Wayne McGregor among others.
PillowTalk: Alicia Graf Mack
Sat., August 23, 4pm | Blake’s Barn
In her first season as the Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Alicia Graf Mack will share her ideas about the Ailey Company’s present and future and its legacy. In addition to her distinguished career leading the Dance Division at Juilliard, she has been a leading dancer for the Ailey company, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Pillow Pride Weekend
Fri.-Sat., July 11-13
This year’s Pride Weekend at Jacob’s Pillow will include a Pillow Pride Dance Party in the new Doris Duke Theatre on Saturday night, featuring The Illustrious Blacks, a free Pillow Pride tour of the historic campus on Sunday, and a weekend brunch option. Full Pride Weekend details will be announced soon.
Fourth Annual Du Bois Forum Roundtable & Celebration
Fri., July 18, 4pm
At this fourth-annual gathering of the Du Bois Forum at Jacob’s Pillow, leading writers and artists will reflect upon the intellectual and artistic traditions that W.E.B. Du Bois shaped and the urgency of this work in our current historical moment. This event includes a roundtable discussion, an evening performance by Red Clay Dance Company on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage, as well as a private dinner designed by James Beard award-winning chef Bryant Terry, author of Black Food. For more information, please contact duboisforum@tufts.edu.
Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion™ Institute Public Presentations
Sat.-Sun., July 26-27, 10:30am-12:30pm
Jameson Family Lobby, Doris Duke Theatre
In this public gathering, Institute participants will share inspiring stories of how dance fosters community building and creative dialogue. Visitors will hear how Curriculum in Motion™ Institute dance educators use dance to explore questions, challenges, and themes in partnership with K-12 classrooms, museums, after-school programs, medical providers, businesses, and civic and cultural organizations in Berkshire County and beyond. These projects demonstrate the power of dance-making as a tool for connection, reflection, and change. Free with online registration encouraged.
All Styles Dance Battle
Fri., August 1, 9pm
The Perles Family Studio will host the beloved annual All Styles Dance Battle, as dancers representing a wide range of styles—including Festival artists, dancers of The School at Jacob’s Pillow, regional artists, and more—compete in this lively battle for first place. Featuring acclaimed guest judges and cash prizes for first and second place. Tickets to the Dance Battle are $75 and are now available.
Community Day
Fri., Aug. 15, 2:30-5:30pm
Everyone is invited to this free, kid-friendly, all-ages Friday afternoon, featuring movement classes as well as dance-themed children’s activities and tours. At 5:30pm, the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage will present Berkshire-region dance artists. Additional details and an open call for performing artists to be announced. Lead support for Community Day is provided by Berkshire Health Systems.
EXHIBITS AND ARCHIVES
Connecting Through Time: 50 Seasons with Norton Owen
Curated by Wendy Perron
Blake’s Barn and the Norton Owen Reading Room
This exhibit celebrates Norton Owen, who for fifty seasons has delved into the past to highlight the present and look toward the future. As Director of Preservation at Jacob’s Pillow since 1990, Owen has developed entry points into the vast Archives, all infused with a sense of discovery: exhibitions in Blake’s Barn; online at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive; and through monthly Playlists, multimedia essays, and the PillowVoices podcast. Owen is a leader in the dance field nationwide, inspiring a new generation of archivists. The exhibit is curated by Pillow alum Wendy Perron, American dancer and choreographer, dance historian, and former Editor-in-Chief of Dance Magazine. The exhibit also features costumes curated by Pillow Costume Curator Caroline Hamilton and behind-the-scenes contributions from Pillow Archivist Patsy Gay and exhibit designer Laura DiRado. Opening reception for the general public, Saturday June 14 at 2pm. Open Tue-Sun. beginning June 25, noon through final curtain.
Dancing the Algorithm
Curated by Katherine Helen Fisher
Doris Duke Theatre Gallery
Dancing the Algorithm is an exhibition that invites you to move, play, and explore the emerging ways technology shapes our experience of embodiment. We don’t just use technology—we wear it, speak to it, and even dance with it. It anticipates our desires, blurring the line between tool and companion. But what if, instead of seeing technology as something that controls us, we embrace it as a space for joy, resistance, and transformation? Through immersive, interactive installations, this exhibition reimagines movement in the algorithmic age, dissolving the boundaries between physical and virtual, human and machine, performer and spectator. Here, the dancing body doesn’t just adapt to technology—it shapes it, challenges it, and celebrates the new possibilities it creates. The exhibit includes Lamentation: Dancing the Archive, an installation inviting audiences to engage with a 360° film of Martha Graham’s iconic solo, created by Xin Ying with Katherine Helen Fisher, Alan Winslow, and Kate Ladenheim. The exhibit features works by Memo Akten, Lauren Bedal, Shimmy Boyle, Mingyong Cheng, Kianí Del Valle, Nora Gibson, Hamill Industries (Pablo Barquin and Anna Diaz), David Wallace Haskins, Katie Peyton Hofstadter, KAMBARA+ (Yayoi Kambara), Armon Naeini, Operator (Ania Catherine and Dejha Ti), Daniel Sierra, and others to be announced. Opening Reception: Sunday, July 6, 2:30pm. Open Tue.-Sun. beginning July 8, noon through final curtain. For adjusted hours the week of July 6, please see section “Opening Week Celebration: A Reimagined Doris Duke Theatre.”
Ailey Connections
Curated by Norton Owen
Ted Shawn Theatre Lobby
With connections spanning more than seven decades, the Pillow and Alvin Ailey have been aligned in spirit since two of Ailey’s earliest works were performed here in 1954. Encompassing such Ailey icons as Carmen de Lavallade, James Truitte, and Judith Jamison, this exhibition highlights some of the remarkable history that these two landmark dance institutions have shared. Open Tue-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.
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 recently-added Special Collections Room also feature recent donations and more archival treasures from the Stephan Driscoll Collection. Blake’s Barn; open Tue.-Sun., noon through final curtain.
WELCOME CENTER AND TOURS
The Warren Davis Welcome Center stands next to the Ted Shawn Theatre at the center of the Jacob’s Pillow campus, and is open daily throughout the summer as a meeting point and community resource for individuals and groups visiting Jacob’s Pillow’s historic site. The Welcome Center was renamed in 2021 in honor of Warren Davis, the African-American craftsman and businessman born in 1884 who selected and hand-hewed the huge spruce and pine timber trusses spanning the interior of the Ted Shawn Theatre.
Public Tours of Campus
June 27 – August 22; Fridays, 4:30pm
Visitors can learn about the history and legends of Jacob’s Pillow on a free 30-minute guided tour of the National Historic Landmark grounds. Guided walking tours, led by Jacob’s Pillow staff and interns, start from Blake’s Barn. Tours are free and no registration is required.
Public Tours of Jacob’s Garden
Sun., July 20 & Sat., August 23, 12-1pm | Free with suggested donation of $10-20 per person
Jacob’s Pillow inaugurated the 1.5-acre Jacob’s Garden in 2021 as a place to grow fruits, vegetables, native flowers, and herbs, while connecting to the land’s multiple histories. Drawing direct inspiration from Ted Shawn’s original 1931 “friendship garden,” the garden serves as a living tribute to connection and cultivation.
- July 20: A guided tour of the garden beds, apiary, rainwater harvesting system, and pollinator meadow will educate visitors on the plantings, practices, and stories that shape the space. Visitors can take part in a brief stretch and movement meditation led by Adam Weinert, and contribute to the garden’s health by turning the compost heap. Please wear comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes appropriate for dirt paths, grass, and uneven terrain. Meet at the Welcome Center before walking along George Carter Road.
- August 23: In this hands-on bouquet-making workshop, using flowers and herbs grown at Jacob’s Garden, participants will create their own seasonal bouquet to take home while learning about the plantings, growing practices, and the stories behind the garden. No experience necessary; come ready to connect with nature and creativity. Please wear comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes appropriate for dirt paths, grass, and uneven terrain. Meet at the Welcome Center before walking along George Carter Road.
Eastern Woodlands Homesite
Saturday, August 2; 11am-12:30pm | Free with registration
Join Andre StrongBearHeart Gaines Jr., Creative Director of NO LOOSE BRAIDS, with Tracy Ramos, William SmallEarCoyote Connors, Miguel WanderingTurtle Garate, and Nazario TallHairRedDeer Garate to learn about Eastern Woodlands culture, land use, and living presence through exploration of a traditional Nipmuc homesite, located outdoors next to Jacob’s Garden. Please wear sturdy shoes appropriate for dirt paths, grass, and uneven terrain. Meet at the Welcome Center before walking along George Carter Road.
Day at The Pillow Visits
Enjoy a tailored experience with your community group at Jacob’s Pillow. Go on a guided tour, observe class at The School, see a performance, visit the Pillow Archives, or take a dance class. A nominal fee is charged for private classes and special experiences. To plan a visit, contact community@jacobspillow.org.
Live in Berkshire County and have questions about transportation to the Pillow?
Contact community@jacobspillow.org
ONSITE CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
Morning Classes
June 24 – August 22; Tuesdays through Fridays, 9-10am
A variety of in-person dance and movement classes open to participants of all experience levels, including beginners, ages 16+ (sorry, no exceptions). $15 per class; $60 for 5 classes. Pay via online pre-registration or cash/card at the door.
Workshops with Festival Artists
Sundays, June 29 – August 24, 10-11:30am
Workshops with Festival Artists offer unique experiences for movers to explore repertory, genres, and techniques from leading dance artists. $25/class or $20/class for dance educators with I.D. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged online or by calling 413.243.0745. Walk-ups and quiet observation welcome, pending capacity. Pay via online pre-registration or cash/card at the door. Visit jacobspillow.org/festival for workshop descriptions and age guidelines.
- June 29: Club Culture & Freestyle with Ephrat Asherie
- July 6: BODYTRAFFIC
- July 13: Trinity Irish Dance Company
- July 20: The Sarasota Ballet
- July 27: Elle Sofe Company
- August 3: Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company
- August 10: Tap Dance with Derick K. Grant
- August 17: Ballet BC
- August 24: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Family Music and Dance
Select Sundays: July 6, 20 & August 3, 17, 11am-12pm
Join Sandy Russell, a cherished teacher with over 20 years of experience in the Berkshires, for a taste of the Music Together® program. Her classes ignite children’s natural passion for music and movement. With active participation from parents and caregivers, regardless of musical expertise, everyone has fun. Through playful engagement in a stress-free environment, this class fosters music and movement connections between adults and children, aiming to infuse everyday family life with the joy of music-making. $25 per class, per family. Recommended for ages 6 and under. Class size will be limited to 12 families per event. Registration will open later this spring.
Dance to the African Drums: A Family Experience
Select Sundays: June 29, July 13, 27 & August 10, 24, 11am-12pm
Join artist Noel Staples-Freeman for a joyful West African dance class for families! Explore the vibrant rhythms and movement of West African culture while connecting with each other through dance. This fun and playful class invites creativity, learning through play, celebrates family bonds, and offers a unique opportunity to experience the joy of movement together. We’ll also explore the roots of traditional movement and the stories they tell, deepening our connection to the culture. $30 per class, per family. Recommended for all ages. Class size will be limited to 12 families per event. Registration will open later this spring.
In Studio Observation in The School
Tuesday through Friday, June 24 – August 15, 10:45am – 12:15pm and 2:30-4pm
Quiet observation of classes and rehearsals inside the Perles Family Studio will be open on a first come, first served basis. In the case of inclement weather, School observation hours will not be held.
In Studio Pause in the Process Showings by The School
Select Saturdays: July 5, July 12, August 2, August 9 from 1-1:45pm; July 26 from 8:30-9:15pm
Join Artist Faculty and School dancers for informal sharings of their work in the studio together. Seating is limited in the Perles Family Studio; priority entry given to visitors who pre-register online. Registration will open later this spring. Walk-ups are also welcome. Additional dates may be announced. To view select showings on Instagram Live, follow Jacob’s Pillow on Instagram at @jacobspillow.
COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS IN PITTSFIELD
Community members of all ages are invited to join artists in movement and conversation. Workshops are held in Pittsfield and are free to attend. All ages and experience levels are welcome. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged online or by calling 413.243.0745. Tickets will be available at the door, pending availability. Details to be announced. Questions about accessibility accommodations? Please contact community@jacobspillow.org
Afro Latin Jazz and Soul Experience – Community Residency with Sekou McMiller & Friends
June 12-15 | Free
Jacob’s Pillow welcomes Sekou McMiller’s Afro Latin Jazz and Soul Experience to Pittsfield for a multi-day community residency. This dynamic series of movement workshops, listening sessions, and dance parties, led by Sekou and his collaborators, will immerse participants in themes from his upcoming premiere Urban Love Suite, which will be performed during Week 6 of the Festival. The residency will explore the joy of celebration, parades, and rituals across cultures, from Mardi Gras in New Orleans to Carnival in Trinidad and other global festivities. Participants of all ages are invited to join in the fun, learn, and celebrate through movement and sound. Details to be announced.
FESTIVAL 2025 TICKETED PERFORMANCES AND RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
All programming, casting, and pricing is subject to change; visit jacobspillow.org for updates.
Jacob’s Pillow will hold its Season Opening Gala on Saturday, June 21, which will feature the presentation of the 2025 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award to Norton Owen, the organization’s Director of Preservation and a longstanding leader in the dance field. Onstage performances at this year’s Gala will include The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Ballet Performance Ensemble performing a world premiere by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, a performance of Talley Beatty’s Mourner’s Bench by New York City Ballet principal Taylor Stanley, and more. Further program announcements for the Gala will be made online as the event approaches. Leadership support for the 2025 Season Opening Gala is provided by Sylvia T. Pope.
- To learn more about Norton Owen and the 2025 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award, click here to read the March 27 press release. For full information on the Season Opening Gala, please visit jacobspillow.org/gala.
The nine companies to perform for one week each in the Ted Shawn Theatre for Festival 2025 are, in chronological order: The Center Will Not Hold (A Dorrance Dance Production), led by fan favorites and close collaborators Michelle Dorrance and Ephrat Asherie; the Los Angeles-based contemporary company BODYTRAFFIC; the Chicago-based Trinity Irish Dance Company in their Jacob’s Pillow debut; the return after ten years of The Sarasota Ballet; Stephen Petronio Company in their 40th anniversary and final performances; the Afro-Latin dance sensation Sekou McMiller & Friends; the beloved Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company in their first Jacob’s Pillow appearance since 2012; the dynamic contemporary company Ballet BC from Vancouver; and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, in their first Jacob’s Pillow appearance as a full company since 1963.
- For full information about this summer’s Ted Shawn Theatre artists, please visit jacobspillow.org/festival, or click here to read the February 12 press release.
The first group of dance and technology makers invited to present work at the new Doris Duke
Theatre this summer are: interactive-electronics dance and theater artist Andrew Schneider, innovative Korean choreographer Eun-Me Ahn, 2020 Pillow Lab resident company Shamel Pitts | TRIBE, and the Jacob’s Pillow debut of Taiwanese dancer/choreographer and robotics inventor Huang Yi. Other companies in the inaugural season are 2022 Pillow Lab resident Faye Driscoll and the Indigenous Sámi Elle Sofe Company from northern Norway, making their U.S. debut.
- For full information about this summer’s Doris Duke Theatre artists, please visit jacobspillow.org/festival, or click here to read the February 12 press release.
The outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage will present one-night and multi-night performances by companies dancing Afro-Caribbean, contemporary, swing, tap, ballet, jazz, Indigenous, modern, West African, and more. Companies to perform on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage will include, in chronological order: Prehistoric Body Theater; Djapo: Marie Basse-Wiles and Omari Wiles; Almanac Dance Circus Theatre; New York Swings; KanKouran West African Dance Company; Indigenous Enterprise; Calpulli Mexican Dance Company; Sydnie L. Mosley Dances; Brother(hood) Dance!; VTDance; Red Clay Dance Company; Angkor Dance Troupe; Orlando Hernández; H.T. Chen & Dancers; BOCA TUYA; Bulareyaung Dance Company; Kara Jenelle & KaJe Movement Collective; Pua Ali’i ‘Ilima o Nūioka; American College Dance Association; Ice Theatre of New York; Michela Marino Lerman; Benjamin Akio Kimitch; New York Theatre Ballet; Yusha-Marie Sorzano; Matthew Rushing’s Sacred Songs, featuring dancers from the Ailey Extension program; and HopeBoykinDance; as well as local and regional artists performing on Jacob’s Pillow’s annual Community Day and performance ensembles from The School at Jacob’s Pillow summer programs in Contemporary Ballet, Contemporary, and Tap Dance.
- For full information about this summer’s Henry J. Leir Stage artists, please visit jacobspillow.org/festival, or click here to read the February 27 press release.
CHANGES TO SHOWTIMES: In a notable change from previous years, outdoor programming will begin 30 minutes earlier, meaning that all Leir Stage performances will begin at 5:30pm. Ted Shawn Theatre matinees will begin at 2pm, followed by Doris Duke Theatre matinees at 2:30pm. Ted Shawn Theatre evening performances will begin at 7:30pm, followed by Doris Duke Theatre performances at 8pm.
TICKET PROGRAMS: Jacob’s Pillow will once again offer flexible pricing for the one-night-only performances on the Henry J. Leir Stage through the Choose What You Pay ticket program, designed to increase the accessibility of tickets by allowing individuals to determine the amount they would like to pay to attend each performance.
Jacob’s Pillow will also continue the Rain or Shine ticket program this year. When purchasing tickets for the Henry J. Leir Stage, ticket buyers may purchase a Rain or Shine ticket to ensure access to the performance’s indoor venue in the event of inclement weather. A limited number of Rain or Shine tickets will be available for each outdoor performance, and may sell out sooner than other ticket types. Only ticket holders who have purchased a Rain or Shine ticket will be guaranteed access to the indoor venue.
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, which celebrates its 93rd season in Summer 2025. Jacob’s Pillow acknowledges that it rests on the ancestral homelands of the Muh-he-con-ne-ok or Mohican people. We pay honor and respect to their ancestors and elders past and present as we commit to building a more inclusive and equitable space for all. In addition, we acknowledge the Nipmuc, the Wampanoag and other tribal nations who also made their homes in what is now known as Massachusetts.
Founded by Ted Shawn in 1933, 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, a prestigious professional dance training center, advances the careers of the upcoming generation of performers and choreographers; during the Festival, 100 international dancers evolve as artists in ballet, choreography, contemporary, musical theatre, tap, and other genres, and year round, artist faculty and accomplished alumni nurture younger dancers in a series of Jacob’s Pillow 360 workshops and intensives offered in partnership with leading dance institutions worldwide. 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. Through its 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 highlighted 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. For more information, visit www.jacobspillow.org.
MAJOR INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT FOR JACOB’S PILLOW IS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY: Arison Arts Foundation, Barr Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Doris Duke Foundation, Ford Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund, and The Shubert Foundation. As of March 31, 2025.