Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival to Present Stephen Petronio Company's Final Bow

As a highlight of the 93rd Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the world-renowned Stephen Petronio Company—one of the biggest names in the postmodern dance scene—will conclude their 40-year run with a highly anticipated program in the Ted Shawn Theatre, July 23-27. These capstone performances will feature a collection of Petronio's favorite works, including MiddleSexGorge (1990) and American Landscapes (2019). The company will sunset its accomplished and boundary-pushing run as Petronio moves into his next creative endeavor: Petronio Projects. 

Also in Festival Week 5, Jacob's Pillow will welcome Elle Sofe Company. Making their U.S. debut from Norway, the company will perform vástádus eana – the answer is land from July 23-27.<> The piece is inspired by political demonstrations, Sámi spiritual practices, and formation dance, and combines dance with yoik, a traditional singing style of the Sámi people who are Indigenous to the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. 

On the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage, the week will begin with a performance by classical Cambodian dance company Angkor Dance Troupe on Wednesday, July 23 at 5:30pm. Orlando Hernández & The Knee-Heart Connection, a tap dance theater project, will perform on Thursday, July 24 at 5:30pm. H.T. Chen & Dancers, an innovative modern dance company that embodies its Asian American heritage, will perform on Friday, July 25 at 5:30pm. Closing out the week of performances on the outdoor stage is BOCA TUYA—a New York-based movement collective rooted in the rhythms, storytelling traditions, and cultural heritage of Puerto Rico—performing on Saturday, July 26 at 5:30pm.

In a PillowTalk on Saturday, July 26 at 4pm, guest curator Wendy Perron will join longtime colleague and friend Norton Owen, the Pillow's Director of Preservation, to celebrate and discuss Owen's 50th anniversary at the Pillow and the 2025 exhibit Connecting through Time: 50 Seasons with Norton Owen. The exhibit is open and available to the public Tuesdays through Sundays, noon through final curtain, in Blake's Barn. On Saturday evening, The School's Creating in Jazz dancers and musicians will offer a Pause in the Process showing from 8:30-9:15pm. And on Sunday, July 27 from 11am-12pm, families are invited to Dance to the African Drums: A Family Experience. 

“What an honor it will be to host the incredible Stephen Petronio Company for their final program of performances,” said Pamela Tatge, Executive and Artistic Director at Jacob's Pillow. “As Petronio begins a new journey with Petronio Projects, we couldn't be more thrilled that he accepted Jacob's Pillow's invitation to close out such a memorable chapter of American contemporary dance history here. And with Elle Sofe Company traveling all the way from Norway to give their powerful performances of dance and yoik, we are excited to give our audiences an experience many of them have never seen before, in a work that will showcase the indoor/outdoor capabilities of the new Duke. With such a range of performances on the Leir stage this week—from Angkor Dance Troupe's Cambodian classical dance to H.T. Chen & Dancers' embodiment of Chinese culture in the Americas—there is something for everyone to enjoy at the Pillow.”

All performances are now on sale. Tickets to Stephen Petronio Company begin at $65. Tickets to Elle Sofe Company begin at $85. Tickets to all four outdoor engagements this week are Choose What You Pay, allowing ticket buyers to set the price of their purchase. Rain or Shine tickets, priced at $40 each, allow outdoor ticket holders access to an indoor venue at Jacob's Pillow, which will host outdoor performances in the event of inclement weather.