Hubbard Street Dance Ends 2010 Jacob's Pillow Fest With 2 Alejandro Cerrudo Works

Popular with both critics and audiences, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago returns to Jacob's Pillow August 25-29 in a stirring Festival 2010 finale. Hubbard Street is recognized as one of the nation's leading contemporary dance companies, with the Chicago Sun-Times stating, "The troupe's power has to do with far more than bravura technique; flawless dancing is simply a given at Hubbard Street. Rather, it is about mood-spinning and emotional intensity-about the preoccupations of the choreographers this company chooses to work with, and about the ability of the dancers to interpret these artists' fever dreams."

In the company's thirteenth appearance at Jacob's Pillow in 27 years, Hubbard Street presents four diverse works by three choreographers: Batsheva Dance Company director Ohad Naharin, acclaimed contemporary choreographer Aszure Barton, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago's resident choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo. The company's program for Jacob's Pillow includes two premieres by Cerrudo. An extra performance has been added on Thursday, August 26 at 2pm to accommodate the high demand for tickets.

Ohad Naharin's Tabula Rasa opens the program with swirling, fluid movement and gestural hand-work to a dramatic score by Arvo Pärt. Tabula Rasa means "blank slate" in Latin, and refers to the philosophical theory that individuals are only the sum of their experiences and environment. "Ohad Naharin's choreography is notable for its movement quality-especially for its smoothness within technical difficulty," says Anna Kisselgoff of The New York Times. "But there is also an undercurrent of feeling that makes itself evident at all times." Artistic Director of Israel's Batsheva Dance Company since 1990, Naharin's talent has been recognized by numerous organizations and countries; he was awarded the "Chevalier de l'Ordres des Arts et des Lettres" by the French government (1998), the Israel Prize for Dance (2005), and the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement in Dance (2009).

HSDC's resident choreographer, Alejandro Cerrudo, has choreographed two new works in the company's program for Jacob's Pillow. Originally from Madrid, Spain, Cerrudo is known for his fluid, loose-limbed style as both a choreographer and a dancer for the company. Blanco is a world premiere set to music by Felix Mendelssohn and Charles Valentin Alkan. This abstract work for four women is the companion piece to Cerrudo's Deep Down Dos, which is also being presented at the company's Jacob's Pillow engagement.

Deep Down Dos enjoyed its orchestral premiere earlier this year with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Jacob's Pillow audiences will be the first to see the work in its full theatrical setting. Clean and architectural in aesthetic, the work is set to a multi-layered score by electronica and classical composer Mason Bates. When the dance was previewed as part of an orchestral concert, John von Rheinwrote in the Chicago Tribune, "Much of the score is driven by twitching techno-rhythms that periodically morph into quirky aural surprises-piano, harp and celesta sparkling like a city of diamonds, double basses shuddering like the shock waves from a temblor deep on the ocean floor. The kinetic activity packed into Bates' music calls to mind sleek bodies hurling themselves through space, and that's the dynamic energy Cerrudo has infused in his dancers...This breathless new ballet is another winner for the gifted Cerrudo."

The evening is concluded by Aszure Barton's work Untouched; a dramatically-lit work for twelve dancers. The work is set to a layered score by an array of musicians Russian-born, New York City-based violist Ljova, Toronto-based pianist and composer Njo Kong Kie, and New York City-based sound designer, saxophonist and producer Curtis Macdonald. "Barton builds a world of bodily language suggesting rapidly-shifting power structures lightly dusted with the folkloric. The ambiguity of the work's title echoes in your head as you watch: they're immaculate... It features beautiful ideas about how and when dancers can enter and exit the stage. Its closing duet is spellbinding." (Time Out NY). Aszure Barton's own company has appeared at the Pillow on the Inside/Out stage in 2004, and the Doris Duke Theatre in 2005 and 2006. She has choreographed new works for many prestigious individuals and companies worldwide including Mikhail Baryshnikov, Fang-Yi Sheu, The National Ballet of Canada, American Ballet Theatre, Sydney Dance Company, The Juilliard School, and The Martha Graham Dance Company.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago was founded in 1977 by dancer/choreographer Lou Conte who, for the next 23 years, served as Artistic Director. Originally the company's sole choreographer, he developed relationships with emerging and world-renowned choreographers as the company began to grow, adding works by a variety of artists such as Lynne Taylor-Corbett, Margo Sappington, Daniel Ezralow, and Twyla Tharp, as well as international choreographers Jirí Kylián, Nacho Duato, and Ohad Naharin.

Current Artistic Director Glenn Edgerton joined HSDC in 2009 after an international career as a dancer and director. He began his dancing career at The Joffrey Ballet where, mentored by Robert Joffrey, he performed leading roles in the company's contemporary and classical repertoire for 11 years. In 1989, Edgerton joined the acclaimed Nederlands Dans Theater, and after dancing for five years retired from performing to become artistic director of the main company, leading NDT1 for a decade and presenting the works of Jirí Kylián, Hans van Manen, William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, Mats Ek, Nacho Duato, Jorma Elo, Johan Inger, Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon, among others.

Pillow audiences will have a chance to hear Edgerton speak about Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in a free PillowTalk discussion on Thursday, August 26 at 5pm.

Performance and Ticket Information
Wednesday, August 25 through Saturday, August 28 at 8pm
Thursday, August 26, Saturday, August 28 and Sunday, August 29 at 2pm
Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob's Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered in Blake's Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
A free Post-Show Talk will take place in Blake's Barn on Thursday, August 26 directly after the performance.
Tickets range from $58.50-$69.50
Tickets on sale now online jacobspillow.org, via phone at 413.243.0745, or in person at Jacob's Pillow.
Jacob's Pillow is located at 358 George Carter Road in Becket, MA, 01223 (10 minutes east on Route 20 from Mass Pike Exit 2). The Jacob's Pillow campus and theaters are handicapped-accessible.

Free Events at the Pillow August 25-29
Free "Inside/Out" Performance - Chavasse Dance & Performance
NEW TIME Wednesday, August 25, 6:15pm
Inside/Out
Artistic Director Amy Chavasse creates dance-theatre works using outrageous movement to comment on current events and social issues.

Free "PillowTalk" - Hubbard Street's New Directions
NEW DAY Thursday, August 26, 5pm
Blake's Barn
With performing credentials from the Joffrey Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater, Glenn Edgerton joins Hubbard Street as Artistic Director after more than a decade leading NDT. He looks back on the company's illustrious past while also discussing his own background and what's ahead.

Free "Inside/Out" Performance - Purchase Dance Corps
NEW TIME Thursday, August 26, 6:15pm
Inside/Out
This ensemble from SUNY Purchase College's Conservatory of Dance performs a diverse and challenging repertory from contemporary and classical to reconstructions and new works. These young dancers-in-training exude youth and possibilities as they prepare for their professional dance careers.

Free "Inside/Out" Performance -Flamenco Revolución!
NEW TIME Friday, August 27, 6:15pm
Inside/Out
Artistic Director Maya de Silva brings an ensemble of scintillating dancers, singers, and musicians to perform classic flamenco works with a contemporary flair. Originally from the Andalusian region of Spain, flamenco celebrates the passion, fervor, and grace of Spanish culture.

Free "PillowTalk" - Hippo in a Tutu
Saturday, August 28, 4pm
Blake's Barn
In her new book on dancing in Disney animation, author Mindy Aloff cites examples from the glory years of animated features. The book includes an interview with Fantasia and Snow White model Marge Champion, who joins Aloff here in screening sample clips and signing books.

Free "Inside/Out" Showing - Thodos Dance Chicago
NEW TIME Saturday, August 28, 6:15pm
Inside/Out
Thodos Dance Chicago returns to present their critically acclaimed contemporary style. These well-rounded artists perform works by emerging and established choreographers including the work of founder and Artistic Director Melissa Thodos.

The 2010 Gallery Exhibits
All exhibits are free and open to the public through August 29.

Lois Greenfield: Imagined Moments
Blake's Barn
Open Tues-Sun, noon-after the show
With a recognizable style that is frequently emulated, Lois Greenfield has been at the forefront of dance photography for more than three decades. She collaborates with dancers to create photographic moments that are improvised and often risky, capturing bodies in mid-air. This new exhibition, the most extensive of the 2010 offerings, features Greenfield's unique body of photography, and is exclusive to the Pillow. Featured dance artists include legendary Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater artist Carmen de Lavallade, Martha Graham dancer and LAFA & Artists co-founder Fang-Yi Sheu, choreographer Shen Wei, American Butoh artist Maureen Fleming, Invisible Wings creator Joanna Haigood, and Festival 2010 artist Bill T. Jones.

Arnie Zane on Bill T. Jones
Ted Shawn Theatre Lobby
Open 30 minutes prior to Ted Shawn Theatre performances
The early career of choreographer Bill T. Jones was shaped by his relationship with dancer, choreographer, and company co-founder Arnie Zane (1948-1988). Zane was also a provocative photographer, whose works were exhibited in prominent venues in the 1970s and collected in a posthumous catalog and retrospective exhibit which debuted in 1999. Some of Zane's early photos of Jones are on display in this exhibit.

Pilates at the Pillow
Doris Duke Theatre Lobby
Open 30 minutes prior to Doris Duke Theatre performances
Joseph Pilates is widely recognized as originating one of the world's most popular forms of exercise, but his connection with dance and the Berkshires is not well known. He taught at the Pillow in the 1940s and 50s, and for many years owned a house nearby in Becket. Debuting this season is an exhibit of rare evidence of his pioneering work at the Pillow, including correspondence, class schedules, and photographs of Pilates himself demonstrating his signature technique.

Another Dance to Jules Feiffer
Blake's Barn
Open Tues-Sun, noon-after the show
The ground-breaking exhibition of dance imagery by the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist and writer Jules Feiffer, which debuted last summer, receives an encore in this collection of original watercolors and drawings. Feiffer's memorable solo dancer in a black leotard returns along with new art works.

John Van Lund
Bakalar Studio
Open Tues-Sun, whenever classes are not in session
As Festival photographer at the Pillow beginning in the late 1940s, John Van Lund (1916-2009) captured generations of important dancers on film. As a memorial tribute to his many years of faithful service and the donation of his complete collection of negatives and prints to the Jacob's Pillow Archives, highlights of his vast output are on view in Bakalar Studio, where founder Ted Shawn's Men Dancers performed for the first Pillow audiences.

Other Activities at Jacob's Pillow
The Archives are open to the public and allow impromptu visitors to view videos, browse through books, access the Pillow's computer catalog, or peruse Permanent Collections of Pillow programs and photographs. Pillow Interactive, a popular touch-screen kiosk, provides instant interlinked access to rare film clips ranging from the present day back to the 1930s.
Patrons are invited to explore the historic grounds to discover all the reasons why the Pillow was named a National Historic Landmark, with Guided Tours leaving from the Welcome Center every Friday and Saturday at 5:30pm. Self-guided tour maps are always available as well.
Visitors can also relax in the historic Tea Garden, where Ted Shawn's Men Dancers welcomed the first Pillow audiences in the 1930s, as they peek into the Bakalar Studio to watch rehearsals; picnic on the grounds, or stroll through several ecological zones on the Wetlands Trail, created as part of the Pillow's responsible stewardship of its 163 acres of rural environment.

Dance Opportunities
Morning Jumpstart Classes offered in Pilates, Ballet, Modern, and Arab-American Fusion, Mondays through Thursdays at 8am. All experience levels, 16 and older, fees apply. Ruth St. Denis Studio. Call the Education Hotline at 413.243.9919 x5.
Weekly Master Classes are led by Festival artists on Sundays from 10-11:30am for intermediate and advanced dancers, $15 fee applies. Pre-registration is required. Call the Education Hotline at 413.243.9919 x5.
The School at Jacob's Pillow featuring world renowned faculty is open to walk-in public observation Tuesdays through Saturdays, 9am-5pm, at no charge. Groups of four or more should confirm space availability by calling 413.243.9919 x5.

Dining

The Pillow Café offers fine dining and full bar on The Great Lawn. Wednesdays through Saturdays, dinner is served 5-7pm. Reservations are required, call 413.243.2455.

The Pillow Pub offers casual family fare, takeout for picnics, and full bar service. Wednesdays through Fridays 5pm-midnight, Saturdays noon-midnight, and Sundays noon-5pm.

The Coffee Bar and Ice Cream Bar are open pre-performance and during intermissions.

Sample menus for each dining venue are available at www.jacobspillow.org. Pillow Patrons are also invited to bring picnics and relax at one of many picnic areas on the Pillow grounds.

Funding
Jacob's Pillow's presentation of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is funded, in part, by the National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and additional funding from the Ford Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Community Connections Fund of the MetLife Foundation.
As of July 2010, major support for Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival has been provided by: Asian Cultural Council; The Cricket Foundation; The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation; Frances Alexander Family Fund; The Howard Gilman Foundation; The Harkness Foundation for Dance; The Geoffrey C. Hughes Foundation, Inc.; The Leir Charitable Foundations, In Memory of Henry J. Leir; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Mertz Gilmore Foundation; New England Foundation for the Arts; Leading for the Future Initiative, a program of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation; Bessie Pappas Charitable Foundation, Inc.; The Prospect Hill Foundation; The Roxe Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc.; The Spingold Foundation, Inc.; The Walbridge Fund, Ltd.; Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency; MassDevelopment; National Endowment for the Arts; National Endowment for the Arts as part of American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; Save America's Treasures; CEC ArtsLink and the Open World Leadership Center; ALEX®; Capezio/Ballet Makers Dance Foundation; Greylock Federal Credit Union; The Legacy Banks Foundation; Quality Inn; Rodeway Inn; The Pillow Business Alliance; and Jacob's Pillow Members.
Major endowment support is provided by The Barrington Foundation, Inc.; The William Randolph Hearst Foundation; The Leir Charitable Foundations, In Memory of Henry J. Leir; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Onota Foundation; The Prospect Hill Foundation; Talented Students in the Arts Initiative, a collaboration of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Surdna Foundation; and Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.