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June 2012
Greetings!
As we prepare to open our 80th Anniversary Festival today, it's a timely moment to think back on seasons past, including the unique three-part programs that Ted Shawn routinely presented and which continued in various forms well into the 1980s. Our newest online videos below comprise what could have been one of those classic multi-part programs, encompassing ballet, modern dance, and a variable third component that might feature a world dance form or theatrical element.
Diverse programming is still very much evident at the Pillow today, though it's now spread over three stages rather than co-existing in one performance as in Shawn's era. Moreover, it's now on view 24 hours a day via Dance Interactive. So as we're opening the Festival today, we hope you'll continue enjoying our online offerings all year round.
Norton Owen
Director of Preservation
Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
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 3e �tage
This is a good example of a group that Ted Shawn might have programmed, as in some ways he did! In 1963, the Pillow engaged a group of �toiles from the Paris Op�ra Ballet to make their U.S. debut, just as this contemporary offshoot of the Paris Op�ra Ballet did in 2011. One interesting aspect to the current group is that they perform work by their director, Samuel Murez, in addition to dances credited to Raul Zeummes, which is an alter-ego and acronym for Murez.
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 Lar Lubovitch Dance Company
This is the only company among our three new additions that actually performed at the Pillow during Shawn's tenure, making its debut in 1971. The troupe has returned many times since, though Lar Lubovitch himself only performed during the initial engagement. He returns to a Pillow stage next month in The Men Dancers: From the Horse's Mouth. And in the meantime, you can marvel at this beautiful duet that his dancers presented here in 2011. |
 Big Dance Theater
The very first winners of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Award, collaborators Annie-B Parson and Paul Lazar have been making and presenting work at the Pillow for over a decade now. Their 2011 presentation was a characteristically fascinating and multi-layered retelling of the mythic tale of Alcestis, presented by a versatile group of actors, dancers, and musicians. |
 Maria Tallchief & Michael Maule
At the same time when Alexei Ratmansky's new Firebird for American Ballet Theatre is receiving its New York premiere, you can look back to this classic performance of Balanchine's version with its original star, Maria Tallchief. On the same program were La Meri and Peter diFalco presenting dances of India, Peru, and Spain, and Iva Kitchell in some of her popular comic ballets. |
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 Erick Hawkins Dance Company
When Erick Hawkins himself made his Pillow debut in 1964, he was part of a shared program featuring ballet stars Sonia Arova and Roderick Drew, and Spanish dancers Roberto Ximenez and Manolo Vargas. The performance seen here is from more than 30 years later when the Hawkins company presented a full program of four classic works, at the same time dedicating a tree on the Pillow grounds in honor of Hawkins himself who had died two years earlier. |
 La Meri
An essential component in Pillow programming for more than three decades, La Meri was the stage name of Kentucky-born Russell Meriwether Hughes. The work seen here is a Hindu version of Swan Lake, using the Tchaikovsky score to accompany a retelling of the well-known story through authentic Indian dance movement. La Meri was a mainstay of the faculty at Jacob's Pillow and her influence continues to be felt. |
In Case You Missed It... (Still more diversity in Dance Interactive - click text to view)
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Virtual Pillow Views represents the monthly culmination of many hours of research, curatorial selection, video editing, and writing. If you enjoy this publication, please consider making a donation to help us continue sharing the latest additions to Dance Interactive with you. 
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Header Photo Credits (left to right): Ted Shawn, photo Shapiro Studios; Drew Jacoby, photo Liza Voll; Cynthia Gregory, photo �Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos; Savion Glover, photo Len Irish; Shantala Shivalingappa, photo C.P. Satyajit
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