Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival to Open 94th Season with Paul Taylor Dance Company
Shamel Pitts | TRIBE will present the Pillow premiere of Touch of Red at the Doris Duke Theatre.
Jacob's Pillow will begin its 94th annual summer season by presenting the renowned modern dance company Paul Taylor Dance Company, performing Esplanade (1975), Brandenburgs (1988), and Company B (1991) Wednesday, June 24 through Sunday, June 28 in the historic Ted Shawn Theatre. A trailblazer of modern dance from the mid-20th century to today, Paul Taylor Dance Company brings a program of work spanning 20 years, emphasizing the signature character and virtuosity of Taylor's repertoire.
The newest performance venue at Jacob's Pillow, the reimagined Doris Duke Theatre, will feature Shamel Pitts | TRIBE during Festival Week 1. In their Pillow debut, the company will perform Touch of RED, a work developed in part during the Pillow Lab,on Wednesday, June 24 through Sunday, June 28. A duet inspired by the rapid-fire footwork of boxing, the African American jazz dance style Lindy Hop, Gaga movement language, and nightlife culture, Touch of RED examines the way Black men are perceived and perceive themselves in contemporary society.
On Thursday, June 25 from 6-7pm at the lawn in front of the Doris Duke Theatre, Jacob's Pillow will proudly present Shamel Pitts with the 2026 Jacob's Pillow Men Dancers Award. The Jacob's Pillow Men Dancers Award is presented biennially to a choreographer of any gender who has created an innovative work danced by men dancers at Jacob's Pillow. Intended to honor the spirit of Jacob's Pillow founder Ted Shawn and his groundbreaking company, Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers, this $25,000 award is given to choreographers of exceptional vision and achievement in this category. Audiences are invited to attend the award ceremony.
The outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage will feature the U.S. debut of Denmark-based Uppercut Dance Theater, presenting their striking and energetic work BENCHED Thursday, June 25 through Friday, June 26. Featuring five dancers, BENCHED navigates a set of moving benches while merging dance with capoeira, acrobatics, and physical theater. The following evening, The School at Jacob's Pillow Contemporary Ballet Performance Ensemble will premiere new works by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Claudia Schreier on Saturday, June 27 at 5:30pm.
Audiences are invited to attend the summer's first PillowTalk, featuring guest Shamel Pitts, on Saturday, June 27th at 4pm in Blake's Barn. Attendees will hear directly from Pitts in conversation with Scholar-in-Residence Melanie George, giving an inside look into the background of his work as well as his inspirations in his own words. This event is free of charge, open to any visitor.
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