PILOBOLUS Comes to The Joyce Next Month

The Joyce Theater Foundation will present Pilobolus next month. Featuring a collection of repertory and new works, the company begins their brand-new world tour—Other Worlds—with a three-week summer engagement, including two NYC premieres, at The Joyce Theater from June 24 to July 13. 

This summer at The Joyce Theater, journey into the astonishing universe of Pilobolus's Other Worlds, traversing the landscape of the human experience with heart-stopping grace, acrobatic power, and breathtaking artistry. The collection features works created with visionary collaborators, the return of one of the most physically astounding pieces in the company's canon, and two New York City premieres—all serving as the springboard for the company's most ambitious world tour yet. Anchoring Program A is the NYC premiere of Pilobolus's interpretation of Martha Graham's Lamentation. Created in celebration of GRAHAM100—the centennial of the Martha Graham Dance Company, America's oldest and most storied dance company—Pilobolus's interpretation is part of the worldwide Lamentation Variations Project, staging Graham's iconic solo through the lens of today's dance creators. Also on the program's bill are Tales from the Underworld, a tale of love and loss inspired by the timeless story of Eurydice and Orpheus; the eternal cycle of love, connection, and movement as told through the unbounded relationships in Awaken Heart; and the classic Sweet Purgatory, a dance in response to the haunting and stunning music of Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 8 in C minor.

The company's second program is highlighted by the New York City premiere of Flight, inspired by original Pilobolus member and pilot Lee Harris and set to music by longtime collaborator Paul Sullivan. Particle Zoo opens Program B with an explosion of acrobatic and artistic capabilities that have become the hallmark of the dynamic company, followed by Bloodlines, a women's duet that captures gratitude and grief, defiance and love through life's evolving roles and everlasting cycles. Rounding out the program is Rushes, a collaboration with world-renowned dance-theater makers Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak that explores the range and intensity of deep collaboration. In these two spellbinding programs, Pilobolus explores the multitudes of the human condition, fusing sensuality, humor, and extraordinary physical prowess—all at The Joyce before it's seen anywhere else.

Pilobolus is a rebellious dance company. Since 1971, Pilobolus has tested the limits of human physicality to explore the beauty and the power of connected bodies. Pilobolus continues to bring this tradition to global audiences through collaborations with some of the greatest influencers, thinkers, and creators in the world. Now, in our digitally driven and increasingly mediated landscape, Pilobolus reaches beyond performance to teach people how to connect through designed live experiences. The Company brings decades of expertise telling stories with the human form to show diverse communities, brands, and organizations how to maximize group creativity, solve problems, create surprise, and generate joy through the power of nonverbal communication. 

Pilobolus has created and toured over 120 pieces of repertoire to more than 65 countries. Over the years Pilobolus has performed for millions of people across the U.S. and around the world. Pilobolus has been featured on CBS This Morning, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NBC's TODAY Show, MTV's Video Music Awards, The Harry Connick Show, ABC's The Chew, and the CW Network's Penn & Teller: Fool Us. Pilobolus has been recognized with many prestigious honors, including a TED Fellowship, a 2012 Grammy Award Nomination, a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cultural Programming, and several Cannes Lion Awards at the International Festival of Creativity. In 2015, Pilobolus was named one of Dance Heritage Coalition's “Irreplaceable Dance Treasures”.  Pilobolus has collaborated with more than 75 brands and organizations in finance, retail, media, fashion, sports, and more to create bespoke performances for television, film, and live events.

In 2024, the first book capturing the legacy of Pilobolus was written by author Robert Pranzatelli and published by the University Press of Florida. Pilobolus: A Story of Dance and Life tracks the company from its counterculture origins through its pop-culture triumphs and contemporary global acclaim.