PillowVoices: Dance Through Time brings listeners closer to notable dance artists connected with Jacob's Pillow, from 1933 to today. Each piece exemplifies Jacob's Pillow's mission to 'support dance creation, presentation, education, and preservation; and to engage and deepen public appreciation and support for dance' by utilizing archival recordings brought to life in the personal stories and narration of current thought-leaders and scholars. Jacob's Pillow, lauded by The New York Times as ...
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A Conversation with Choreographer and Visual Artist, Yin Mei
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36:59
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In this episode of PillowVoices, we bring you an interview with choreographer Yin Mei. PillowScholar Suzanne Carbonneau sat down with Yin Mei to discuss her work titled Empty Traditions / City of Peonies in August, 1999. In a 1999 interview with Pillow Scholar Suzanne Carbonneau, Yin Mei talks about growing up in China during the Cultural Revolutio…
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Representation, Identity, Diaspora, Through the Lens of Mimulus Dance Company
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29:37
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In this episode, professor and choreographer Silvana Cardell contextualizes the work of the Mimulus Dance Company through the lens of adjacent histories and influences: Cardell from Argentina and Mimulus from Brazil. Watch a clip of Por Um Fio: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/mimulus-dance-company/por-um-fio/ Insights and influences, Silv…
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Jacques d’Amboise, Dancer; National Dance Institute Founder
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33:27
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Jennifer Edwards hosts this episode honoring the life and legacy of former New York City Ballet dancer, Jacques d'Amboise, in his own words. Recorded during his only Pillow appearance in 2008, d'Amboise reflects on his beginnings as a dancer and his efforts to welcome more young people into his beloved art form.…
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Lisa Niedermeyer hosts this episode exploring the connections between puppetry in contemporary dance and emerging technologies such as augmented reality, artificial intelligence and spatial computing. The episode focuses on a piece titled "Underground River" which was conceived and directed by Jane Comfort and developed in residency at Jacob’s Pill…
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Susan Marshall and Ralph Lemon: A Compelling Conversation
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19:50
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Jacob's Pillow Associate Archivist Patsy Gay hosts this episode featuring excerpts of a 1998 PillowTalk. In this conversation between choreographers Ralph Lemon and Susan Marshall, we hear insights about their own beginnings in dance along with their individual ways of creating work.By Susan Marshall, Ralph Lemon, Patsy Gay, Maura Keefe
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Poet and dance writer Karen Hildebrand hosts this episode focusing on how text and spoken word are used in dance. Included are examples from works by Liz Lerman, Joe Goode, and Carmen de Lavallade. Hildebrand is the former editorial director for Dance Magazine, and a past editor in chief of Dance Teacher magazine. *Of note: the music that underlies…
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The Dance Between Choreography & Technology
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23:46
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Christy Bolingbroke, Executive / Artistic Director of the National Center for Choreography - Akron, hosts this episode focused on the the relationships of choreographic practice and various technologies. Referenced in this episode are works by David Parsons, David Rousseve, Compagnie Kafig, Rennie Harris/Puremovement American Street Dance Theater, …
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Jennifer Edwards hosts this episode honoring Gus Solomons jr, the celebrated choreographer, writer, and teacher. As the first Black dancer in the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Solomons was both a trailblazer and a trendsetter, forming his own company and making more than 150 works before his death in August 2023 at the age of 84. In this episode:…
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Trisha Brown: Choreographer and Visual Artist
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36:17
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Jennifer Edwards hosts this episode focused on Trisha Brown, one of the most celebrated choreographers to emerge from Judson Dance Theater and the postmodern era. Brown is in conversation with Deborah Jowitt, the influential choreographer, scholar, dance critic, and educator. We also hear from art historian and Brown specialist Susan Rosenberg. Ess…
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Many choreographers draw inspiration from their ancestors, nature, and the spiritual world, and Teena Marie Custer explores some examples with help from Sandra Laronde, Christopher K. Morgan, Ananya Chatterjea, Michelle N. Gibson, and others.By Teena Marie Custer, Christopher K. Morgan, Maria Torres, Ananya Chatterjea, Alexis Arimina Renee, Michelle N. Gibson, Nana Sula Sprit, Neyda Colón-DiMaria, Nicole Marie Machado, Joelle Santiago, Sandra Laronde
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Umfundalai Technique with Dr. Kemal Nance, Part 2
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In this second part of a 2-episode series, Dr. C. Kemal Nance examines the movements, meaning, and structure of the contemporary African dance technique known as Umfundalai. https://www.umfundalai.netBy Dr. C Kemal Nance, Monique Newton Walker, Dr. Kariamu Welsh, Melanie George
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Kariamu Welsh, Founder of Umfundalai, with Dr. Kemal Nance, Part1
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18:13
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Dr. C. Kemal Nance hosts this episode honoring Dr. Kariamu Welsh and celebrating the dance technique that she developed called Umfundalai. https://www.umfundalai.netBy Dr. Kemal Nance, Dr. Kariamu Welsh, Melanie George
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Jennifer Edwards hosts this episode honoring the life and legacy of teacher and choreographic mentor, Bessie Schönberg. Included are excerpts of D.A. Pennebaker's documentary film entitled, "Bessie: A Portrait of Bessie Schönberg," with remembrances from Merce Cunningham, Jerome Robbins, Meredith Monk and from Schönberg herself. Schönberg speaking …
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With the help of his colleague Elise Bernhardt, Stephan Koplowitz traces his early years at Jacob's Pillow, where ideas were planted that led to a fruitful, life-long career and his book entitled “On Site: Methods for Site-Specific Performance Creation.” Featured are inside looks at Dancing In The Streets and Grand Central Dances, as well as Joanna…
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Poet and dance writer Karen Hildebrand hosts this two-part podcast, focusing on dramaturgy and dance. In this second part, Hildebrand explores how dramaturgs have worked with choreographers at the Pillow, focusing on works by Bebe Miller, Jane Comfort, and Rennie Harris. Hildebrand is the former editorial director for Dance Magazine, and a past edi…
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Poet and dance writer Karen Hildebrand hosts this two-part podcast focusing on dramaturgy and dance. In this first part, Hildebrand defines the role of a dramaturg, drawing extensively upon a 2014 PillowTalk with dramaturg Anne Davison and Scholar-in-Residence Maura Keefe.By Karen Hildebrand, Anne Davison, Maura Keefe
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Black Joy & Milton Myers with Dr. Iquail Shaheed
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28:53
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Dr. Iquail Shaheed offers a personal reflection on the life, work, and profound impact of his teacher and mentor, Milton Myers. Shaheed frames this exploration with thinking from his recent doctoral dissertation on Myers, a mainstay of The School at Jacob’s Pillow since 1985.By Dr. Iquail Shaheed, Milton Myers, Robert Battle, Maura Keefe, Bill T. Jones
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'Studio/Theater' at MoMA with Yve Laris Cohen
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41:41
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Visual artist Yve Laris Cohen reflects on his exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art entitled 'Studio/Theater' with Jacob's Pillow Director of Preservation Norton Owen. The exhibition featured remnants of the Pillow's Doris Duke Theatre, which was destroyed by fire in November 2020. This is a sequel to Episode 44 with MoMA curator Martha Joseph and…
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Dance and Belonging with Crystal U. Davis
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33:44
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Crystal U. Davis, dancer, movement analyst, scholar, and author of Dance and Belonging: Implicit Bias and Inclusion in Dance Education, unpacks implicit and explicit bias as it relates to the relationship between audiences, dance-makers, and styles of dance.By Crystal U. Davis, Rennie Harris, LaTasha Barnes, Melanie George, Lionel Popkin, Shobana Jeyasingh, Ella Baff
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The remains of the Pillow's Doris Duke Theatre were memorialized in an exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art by visual artist Yve Laris Cohen. In conversation are exhibition curator Martha Joseph and two participants in related performance events, former Pillow Director Liz Thompson and Preservation Director Norton Owen.…
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Artistic Directorship: Lourdes Lopez with Theresa Ruth Howard
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In this episode, we join Pillow Scholar Theresa Ruth Howard in conversation with Lourdes Lopez on the occasion of her tenth anniversary as artistic director of Miami City Ballet. The entire talk can be experienced here: PillowTalk: Celebrating Lourdes Lopez *This episode was produced by Lisa Niedermeyer.…
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The ‘Secret’ Gay History of Jacob’s Pillow
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18:20
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Hosted by Brian Schaefer, this episode is an exploration of how gay history is intertwined with the Pillow’s very beginnings, often hiding in plain sight. Related episodes of PillowVoices: https://pillowvoices.org/episodes/barton-mumaw-a-cornerstone-of-the-pillow https://pillowvoices.org/episodes/ted-shawn-jacobs-pillow-founder-in-his-own-words *Th…
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A recording of a conversation that took place in 2002, moderated by Reginald Yates. We hear the voices of Donald McKayle, Cleo Parker Robinson, and Julie Belafonte in addition to insights and reflections from Katherine Dunham herself.By Reginald Yates, Cleo Parker Robinson, Julie Belafonte, Katherine Dunham, Donald McKayle
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Dance scholar Cynthia Williams guides a deep dive into two different political works made by choreographer Jane Comfort in the 1990s, revealing the striking connections to American social injustices escalating today. *This episode was directed by Lisa Niedermeyer.By Nancy Alfaro, Cynthia Williams, Jane Comfort, Bob Dornan, Newt Gingrich, Anita Hill, Stephanie McKay, Randall Terry, Clarence Thomas, Joseph Ritsch, Pat Robertson, Klimchak
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Ellen Chenoweth hosts this exploration into the work of influential dance artist Liz Lerman, including the voices of Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, James Frazier, and Pamela Tatge, as well as numerous passages in Lerman's own words.By Vincent Thomas, James Frazier, Celeste Brace, Ellen Chenoweth, Paloma McGregor, Pamela Tatge, Liz Lerman, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar
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In this episode, hosted by dance and costume historian Caroline Hamilton, we learn about the summer of 1941 and the events that led to the incorporation of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and the building of the Ted Shawn Theatre.By Caroline Hamilton, Frederic Franklin, Ann Hutchinson Guest
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Barton Mumaw: A Cornerstone of the Pillow
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14:58
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As a founding presence at Jacob's Pillow from 1931 to 2001, Barton Mumaw embodied much of the institution's history, brought into the light by episode host Lisa Niedermeyer with Mumaw's own words.By Lisa Niedermeyer, Barton Mumaw
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Pillow Scholar Jennifer Edwards considers the imprint left by Martha Graham at Jacob's Pillow, with reflections from those she impacted, the work of Richard Move, and the words of Graham herself.By Martha Graham, Richard Move, Paul Taylor, Jennifer Edwards, Ted Shawn, Janet Eilber, Liz Thompson, Kitty Dukakis, Maura Keefe, Suzanne Carbonneau, Debra Cash
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Regional Ballet: Pacific Northwest Ballet, Boston Ballet, Houston Ballet
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27:54
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Pillow Scholar Nancy Wozny explores the history of regional ballet in America through conversations and stories of three distinct ballet companies. Featured are artists with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Houston Ballet - three companies who came together here in 2021 for a program called 'Ballet Coast to Coast.' Additional Resources:…
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Lisa Niedermeyer Revisits Doug Elkins’ Fräulein Maria
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24:02
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As an artist, technologist, and former dancer with Doug Elkins and Friends, Lisa Niedermeyer reflects on her time with the company and her embodied memories of performing in Fräulein Maria, the uproarious and joyful dance based on The Sound of Music. We also hear from Elkins himself, recorded during two different Pillow engagements. https://dancein…
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Dancerly Creativity and Technological Innovation
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16:09
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Hosted by Jacob's Pillow Associate Archivist Patsy Gay, this episode explores the intersection of dance and technology, diving into both history and current practice. Through the voices and perspectives of Marjani Forté-Saunders, Sydney Skybetter, Brian Brooks, Lily Baldwin, and Ilya Vidrin, we hear how technology can both hinder and enforce a danc…
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Remembering Blondell Cummings, with Paloma McGregor
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18:58
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Paloma McGregor remembers the life, work, and legacy of Blondell Cummings. McGregor frames this exploration through Cummings' dance work titled "Chicken Soup", designated as an American Masterpiece by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2006. https://www.dancemagazine.com/remembering-blondell-cummings-1944-2015/ https://danceinteractive.jacobspi…
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PillowVoices composer and audio engineer Ellis Rovin ruminates on some of the ways that dance has been seen on film, drawing upon a PillowTalk by David Gere and considering examples from Fred Astaire to Merce Cunningham. Special thanks to New England Public Media, for their support of this episode of PillowVoices.…
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Focus the Lights: On Dance and the Field, with Adrian Madison Cario
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24:10
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Adrian Madison Cario hosts this episode on the relationship between lighting design and dance, featuring some of the 20th century's most prominent designers—Tom Skelton, Beverly Emmons, Jennifer Tipton, and Mark Stanley. Now the CEO of San Francisco's Minnesota Street Project, Cario draws upon their beginnings in lighting design to illuminate diffe…
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CONTRA-TIEMPO: A Talk with Ana Maria Alvarez and Maura Keefe
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We join Pillow Scholar Maura Keefe in conversation with award-winning Ana Maria Alvarez, the founder of CONTRA-TIEMPO, a multilingual Los-Angeles-based activist performing company dedicated to transforming the world through dance. This is a recast of a PillowTalk presented live on July 11, 2021. Special thanks to New England Public Media, for their…
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The History of Jazz Dance: Melanie George and LaTasha Barnes
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46:15
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In this episode we share a PillowTalk that took place at Jacob's Pillow on August 15, 2021. Pillow Scholar and Associate Curator Melanie George hosts this conversation with a foremost tradition-bearer of Black American social dance, LaTasha Barnes. Through her work, The Jazz Continuum, Barnes places jazz dance in the context of House, Hip-Hop, Waac…
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In this episode hosted by Jennifer Edwards, we celebrate the life, work, and impact of Anna Halprin (1920-2021). A visionary force in both dance and healing, Halprin played a crucial role in the evolution of post-modern dance and developing ethical social practice through art. We learn about Halprin's work from scholars Ninotchka Bennahum and Wendy…
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Wendy Perron on Grand Union: Democracy or Anarchy?
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25:43
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Dance writer Wendy Perron, a former associate director of Jacob's Pillow, explores Grand Union, a maverick 1970s improvisation group based in downtown New York. Perron tells their story through the voices of four key members: Yvonne Rainer, Steve Paxton, Trisha Brown, and David Gordon. Special thanks to New England Public Media, for their support o…
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The Complexities of Indian Dance at The Pillow
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36:26
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Professor of dance at UCLA and Pillow Scholar, Lionel Popkin explores the complicated history and relationship between Indian dance, American modern dance, and Jacob's Pillow. Posing pointed questions about the 'use' of Indian dance movement and esthetics in the work of The Denishawn Company, the curatorial lens applied to Indian dance over time, a…
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Choreographing the Social Consciousness: Part 3, Making Sense of the World
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Into Sunlight trailer: https://vimeo.com/131009698 STILL: https://vimeo.com/476315913/3a7f9258bbBy Cristina Barretta, Arturo O’Farrill, Francesca Harper, Patrick Gamble, David Maraniss, Ron Honsa, Robin Becker, Alexander Haquia, Arcell Cabuag, Annique Roberts, Ronald K Brown, Jennifer Edwards, Maura Keefe, Pamela Tatge
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Native Contemporary Dance: No Longer in Sepia Tones
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31:09
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Explore Artists Mentioned in This Episode: Christopher K Morgan and Artists Daystar Rosalie Jones Lemi Ponifasio Neil Ieremia Moss Patterson Santee Smith Red Sky Performance Rosy Simas Emily Johnson Maura Garcia Brooke Smiley Dakota Camacho Anthony Hudson Timothy White Eagle AKU-MATU Alison Akootchook Warden Deeper dive: Code Switch Episode, "The H…
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As mentioned in this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NckTgsBsrKE Author Mindy Aloff shares stories from her book Hippo in a Tutu: Dancing in Disney Animation along with screening brief film excerpts that illustrate the evolution of dance used in Disney animation from the 1930s to 1950s. Joined by Marge Champion, who is interviewed for Hipp…
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Choreographing the Social Consciousness: Part 2, The Body Politic(al)
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In part 2 of this several-part series, we explore how dancers and choreographers have embodied and confronted social constraints and constructs. Highlighing conversations between Pillow Scholar Maura Keefe and Carmen de Lavallade, Tere O'Connor and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, we discover personal, artistic, and political perspectives on age, culture an…
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Choreographing the Social Consciousness: Part 1, Governmental Affairs
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35:05
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In part 1 of this several-part series, we explore how some artists and thought leaders position the role and influence of governmental programs and political figures on the arts, as well as how artists excavate politics and socio-political content for creative inspiration. Drawing from the work of Liz Lerman and Mark Dendy, we explore how some arti…
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Celebrating Jess Meeker: Pioneering Pillow Composer
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24:53
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PillowVoices composer and engineer Ellis Rovin takes inspiration from the Pillow's earliest composer-accompanist, Jess Meeker, with rare interviews shedding light on dance in the 1930s and the early days of Jacob's Pillow.By Jess Meeker, Ellis Rovin
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Mic-check on Garth Fagan, Modern Dance, and Jacob's Pillow
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Dance writer Gregory King explores the work of Garth Fagan from his own perspective as a scholar and former cast member of Disney's Broadway hit, The Lion King, which Fagan choreographed. Topics range from what it means to be a Black dancer / choreographer for a (mostly) white audience, being Jamaican in a Eurocentric dance ecosystem, and the power…
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Honoring one of his heroes, Director of Preservation Norton Owen focuses on pioneering Black dance historian Joe Nash, including the voices of Chuck Davis and Donald McKayle along with Nash himself.By Chuck Davis, Donald McKayle, Joe Nash, Norton Owen
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The Origins and Value of Contact Improvisation in the Words of Steve Paxton
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In this episode hosted by Jennifer Edwards, the history, practice, and importance of Contact Improvisation is explored through a revelatory 1998 conversation with the movement's founder, Steve Paxton.By Maura Keefe, Jennifer Edwards, Steve Paxton
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The Value of Residencies to Choreographers and Their Creative Processes
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14:23
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Associate Archivist Patsy Gay hosts this exploration of Pillow residencies and their value to choreographers and their creative processes. Existing side-by-side, hear the voices and experiences of two choreographers, Trisha Brown and Ephrat Asherie, even though their residencies at the Pillow were 32 years apart.…
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Ruminations on Pillow History, Ted Shawn, and Adam Weinert
26:41
26:41
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Dance Scholar Sydney Skybetter hosts this conversation with Norton Owen, Jacob's Pillow's Director of Preservation. Together they explore the intersections of choreographer Adam Weinert’s work with the history of both Jacob's Pillow and Ted Shawn.By Norton Owen, Sydney Skybetter
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