Ice Theatre of New York

Thursday, August 7 at 5:30pm | Henry J. Leir Stage 
Pillow Debut | World Premiere

Ice Theatre of New York is the first non-profit ice dance company in the nation, blending artistry and athleticism to elevate skating as a performing art. This one-night performance will allow Berkshire audiences a rare opportunity to enjoy ice skating in the summer, with dancers performing in skates atop a special flooring.

Founded in 1984 by Moira North, Ice Theatre of New York has presented over 125 original works from acclaimed skating, ballet, and modern dance choreographers. The company presents dozens of free public performances each season at iconic New York locations, including Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park, and Central Park’s Wollman Rink. With a diverse ensemble of skaters and a commitment to innovation, Ice Theatre of New York is a unique gem of New York’s cultural scene, creating mesmerizing performances that merge dance, ice, and storytelling.

BOCA TUYA

Saturday, July 26 at 5:30pm | Henry J. Leir Stage
Pillow Debut

BOCA TUYA is a New York-based movement collective rooted in the rhythms, storytelling traditions, and cultural heritage of Puerto Rico. Founded in 2018 by choreographer Omar Román de Jesús—a member of the inaugural Jacob’s Pillow Hicks Choreography Fellowship Program, Princess Grace choreography awardee, Dance Magazine Harkness Promise awardee, inaugural Baryshnikov Arts Center Fellow at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, and current resident at 92NY—the company crafts immersive dreamscapes that blend vibrant cadence, surrealist narratives, and unforgettable characters.

Through global tours, educational outreach, and choreographic commissions, BOCA TUYA empowers artists and cultivates authenticity, equity, and innovation with a distinct Boricua heartbeat, making work that is “full of sensual vulnerability; the effect is hypnotic.” (Fjord Review). Honoring traditions and the ancestors who came before, the company connects past and present, while championing the excellence of New York’s top contemporary dance artists.

Djapo: Marie Basse-Wiles and Omari Wiles

Friday, June 27 at 5:30pm | Henry J. Leir Stage
Pillow Debut

Omari Wiles—a force in New York’s ballroom and dance scenes—joins his mother, Marie Basse-Wiles, a revered figure in African diasporic dance, for Djapo, a vibrant new work commissioned by Works & Process, bringing together their companies Les Ballet Afrik and Maimouna Keita School of African Dance.

Rooted in the rhythms of Senegal and Mali, this electrifying performance blends traditional West African dance with contemporary African club culture, Afrobeats, and live percussion, shaped through the duo’s intergenerational collaboration. Company dancers come together for an in-process performance of Djapo, exploring the evolution of movement, music, and community, celebrating the deep ties between past and present while amplifying the visibility of African cultural traditions in today’s global dance landscape.

Djapo’s development is supported by Works & Process LaunchPAD residencies at Bethany Arts Community, Watermill Center, Pocantico Center, and Prior Performing Arts Center at the College of the Holy Cross. Music commission made possible by the Charles and Joan Gross Family Foundation. Additional support provided by the New York State Council on the Arts.

 

KanKouran West African Dance Company

Friday and Saturday, July 4-5 at 5:30pm | Henry J. Leir Stage
Live Music

KanKouran, a beloved pillar of West African dance in Washington, D.C., returns to Jacob’s Pillow this summer after a thrilling Festival 2024 performance. Founded by Artistic Director Assane Konte and the late Abdou Kounta, the company brings together artists from the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean to preserve and promote traditional West African culture.

For over 40 years, KanKouran has been a cornerstone for generations of dancers, students, and musicians, fostering a deep sense of community and artistic excellence. The company has performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and beyond. They now return to the Pillow for two nights to captivate audiences with their powerful rhythms, vibrant movement, and rich cultural heritage.

American College Dance Association

Wednesday, August 6 at 5:30pm | Henry J. Leir Stage

Jacob’s Pillow proudly hosts a night of performances by college and university dance programs from around the country, all selected from their American College Dance Association regional conference. Details on the selected ensembles will be announced in June.

The American College Dance Association (ACDA) supports and promotes a wealth of talent and creativity from college and university dance departments. Each spring, ACDA organizes eleven regional conferences at various member colleges and universities around the country, featuring performances, workshops, panels, and classes. These regional conferences provide the opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and guest artists to have their dance works adjudicated by a panel of nationally recognized dance professionals in an anonymous and constructive setting. Adjudicators select works for the Gala Concert, a culminating event of the conference, and for the ACDA National College Dance Festival. Jacob’s Pillow will select work from the National College Dance Festival to present on the Leir Stage.

Brother(hood) Dance!

Wednesday, July 16 at 5:30pm | Henry J. Leir Stage

Those who attended the opening of Jacob’s Garden in 2021 will remember Brother(hood) Dance!, a dynamic dance company that uses movement, agriculture, and technology to challenge norms and inspire social change. At the Pillow this summer, Brother(hood) Dance! will perform Black on Earth, a project that illuminates Black farmers’ resilience, wisdom, and cultural heritage while addressing the urgent issues of food justice and sustainable farming practices.

Founded by Orlando Zane Hunter Jr. and Ricarrdo Valentine, the company’s innovative work fuses the rhythms of the African diaspora with their research into sustainable agricultural practices, creating transformative experiences that connect people to the land, each other, and their shared histories. Their bold approach has earned them recognition as Bessie Award honorees in 2020.

H.T. Chen & Dancers

Friday, July 25 at 5:30pm | Henry J. Leir Stage 
Pillow Debut

Under the direction of Artistic Director Dian Dong, H.T. Chen & Dancers is an innovative modern dance company that embodies its Asian American heritage. The company’s repertory is distinguished by authenticity and groundbreaking works celebrating Chinese culture in the Americas. This summer at the Pillow, the company will present two signature works: Opening the Gate (described by The New York Times as “a throbbing, swirling spectacle”) and Mott Street, which celebrates the resilience and collective spirit of the Chinatown community.

Since its founding in 1978, the multicultural company has earned critical acclaim for New York performances, national and international tours, and award-winning educational programming. Founder Hsueh-Tung Chen, a pioneering Asian American artist, was a choreographer, performer, and arts advocate for six decades. The New York Times wrote of him: “[he] has long been one of New York dance’s most persuasive storytellers, addressing issues of acculturation well before they become fashionable in dance.”

New York Swings

Thursday, July 3 at 5:30pm | Henry J. Leir Stage
Pillow Debut

Veteran Lindy Hop dancer Gaby Cook returns to Jacob’s Pillow this summer with her signature blend of swing dance and vernacular jazz to the outdoor stage. A prominent voice of the global Lindy Hop community, Cook shares dynamic performances centered in historical knowledge. Cook is a principal dancer in SW!NG OUT, which gave a show-stopping performance in the Ted Shawn Theatre in 2022.

Cook’s previous companies include Wild Rhythm Dance Company, which performed at the Pillow in 2018 and 2019, as well as Jazz as Movement (performances with Works & Process at the Guggenheim) and Gatsby Entertainment (performances in the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center).

kNoname Artist/Roderick George

This performance took place on August 15, 2024.

Pillow Debut

The outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage hosted the dance company kNoname Artist for a special one-night-only performance on August 15. This performance included a “Choose What You Pay” ticketing option, with a suggested ticket price of $25.

Founded in Berlin and now based in New York, kNoname Artist is the company created by Roderick George, an accomplished American dancer and choreographer who has performed with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, and abroad with Basel Ballet/ Theater Basel in Switzerland, Goteborg Operan DansKompani in Sweden, and The Forsythe Company in Frankfurt, Germany.

At the Pillow, George presented an excerpt of The Missing Fruit and Venom (short versions adapted for the outdoor stage). 

Venom is a work inspired by the lasting impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the present events of the erasure of the LGBTQIA+ community, exposing how the queer community faced silencing, isolation, being forced into hiding, and death through fear, media, and ‘God’s reckoning,’ while at the same time finding ways to uplift each other using the underground nightlife as a sanctuary. As a queer Black man from Houston, Texas, George recognizes that his existence lies on the backs of these individuals and pays homage to the power and grace of his community. 

The Missing Fruit explores how the manifestation of racial and public health violence affects Black Americans and other Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)communities through an interdisciplinary artistic production rooted in contemporary dance. First conceptualized during the most recent #BLM protests, The Missing Fruit examines the experiences of BIPOC communities, particularly addressing their struggles to combat oppression and death, financial insecurity, and health vulnerabilities while making space for Black joy to thrive.

George is the recipient of the inaugural Jacob’s Pillow Men Dancers Award given to a choreographer of any gender who creates an innovative work danced by men dancers to be performed at Jacob’s Pillow in honor of the spirit of our founder Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers. Read more about George and this honor in the Jacob’s Pillow Men Dancers Award press release.

Please note: This performance includes references to adult themes and features a gunshot sound effect near the end.

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Generous underwriting support for the presentation of kNoname Artist/Roderick George was provided by Brian T. Fitzpatrick.
The presentation of kNoname Artist/Roderick George was made possible in part by YoungArts, The National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists.

KanKouran West African Dance Company

This performance took place on August 14, 2024.

Pillow Debut | Live Music

The outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage hosted KanKouran West African Dance Company for a special one-night-only performance on August 14. This performance included a “Choose What You Pay” ticketing option, with a suggested ticket price of $25.

A beloved home for West African dance in Washington, D.C., KanKouran came to Jacob’s Pillow after celebrating their 40th anniversary. The company—whose members are from the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean—is dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional West African culture.

KanKouran was formed by Artistic Director Assane Konte and former Director of Music, Abdou Kounta, who grew up together in Dakar, Senegal. The company’s wide-ranging appeal and sense of community ownership has made it a creative cornerstone for generations of dancers, students, and musicians who have studied and come out of its ranks over the decades. While KanKouran has performed at venues including the Kennedy Center, National Symphony Orchestra, Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and myriad universities, this will be their Jacob’s Pillow debut, celebrating 40-plus years of tradition.