Elaborate regalia, intricately carved masks, dramatic dance, and captivating narrative marked the Jacob’s Pillow debut by Dancers of Damelahamid in Festival 2024 — the first artists from the Northwest Coast of British Columbia to perform at the Festival. This company embodies the richness of Indigenous tradition of the Pacific Northwest. From November 1-22, 2024, this captivating full-length performance streams for free on Jacob’s Pillow Live, giving audiences a chance to experience Dancers of Damelahamid from anywhere in the world.
In recognition of National Native American Heritage month, the Pillow is committed to uplifting the artistry of Indigenous dancers and seeks to share the stories and performances of Indigenous Peoples in North America. Read on to discover more about the relationship between Indigenous artists and the Pillow throughout the history of the Festival.
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Jacob’s Pillow has a rich history of presenting Indigenous dance of the Americas in the Festival, reaching back decades. This playlist on Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive highlights a number of these performances, ranging from Tom Two Arrows’ performance of Iroquois dance in 1949 to Red Sky Performance, Canada’s leading contemporary Indigenous company, in the Doris Duke Theatre in 2019.
Tom Two Arrows, Iroquois Indian Dance, 1949
“When we saw the Archives…It really opened our eyes to how much it’s evolved from Native culture,”
In October 2021, Jacob’s Pillow welcomed back Indigenous Enterprise to the Pillow Lab for a 10-day long generative artistic residency on the Pillow’s campus. A Native American dance troupe consisting of champion dancers from what is currently called Canada and the United States, Indigenous Enterprise shares the culture of Indigenous people and increases understanding of Native identity through film, fashion, and dance. Indigenous Enterprise made their Pillow debut in 2019 during “The Land on Which We Dance,” a week-long celebration of Indigenous dance.
“When we saw the Archives…It really opened our eyes to how much it’s evolved from Native culture,” founder and Champion Fancy Dancer Kenneth Shirley said in the Inside the Pillow Lab documentary of their residency. “Now, fast forwarding to 2021, it’s beautiful to see what Jacob’s Pillow is doing and uplifting Native voices…”