Fourth of July Goes Global at 2013 Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival

On July 4, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, a National Historic Landmark, home to America's longest-running dance festival, and recipient of the National Medal of Arts, will offer an international fusion of events for the whole family.

Pillow grounds are open throughout the day and evening for picnicking and leisure, offering a picturesque setting for the holiday. The dance Archives and exhibits open at noon and festivities begin at 5pm with the Fourth of July Kids Corner, a free community event, which offers a variety of dance games and activities for all ages, including the young at heart. The opportunity to observe classes at The School at Jacob's Pillow is also available throughout the day.

If you're new to the Pillow or interested in learning more about the Pillow's history, a guided tour of our buildings and grounds will be offered at 5:30pm. Leaving from the Welcome Center, the tour will provide a unique look into the contributions to American culture made by Jacob's Pillow, which is lauded as "one of America's most precious cultural assets" by world renowned dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov. A special "kids friendly" tour will also depart at 5:30pm from the same location.

At 6:15pm, Armenian folk dance troupe Sayat Nova Dance Company will perform as part of our free Inside/Out performance series on the open-air Henry J. Leir Stage, described by The New Yorker as "a breathtaking outdoor stage overlooking the lush Berkshire hills."

New York-based Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet will take the stage of the historic Ted Shawn Theatre at 8pm, preceded by a pre-show talk by Pillow Scholar Maura Keefe at 7:30pm in Blake's Barn. These fiercely talented performers present Tuplet by Nederlands Dans Theater's Alexander Ekman; Grace Engine by 2011 Jacob's Pillow Dance Award winner and Artistic Director of Kidd Pivot, Crystal Pite; and Norwegian choreographer Jo Strømgren's Necessity, Again.

In the Doris Duke Theatre at 8:15pm, classical Indian dance master Shantala Shivalingappa will present her new work Akasha, featuring live music. Born in India and raised in Paris, Shantala Shivalingappa "erases cultural boundaries with her lightness, wit, and musicality" (The New Yorker). She has worked with some of the greatest artists of our time, including choreographer and opera director Maurice Béjart, English theatre and film director Peter Brook, and the legendary dancemaker Pina Bausch.

Picnicking is welcome and the Pillow Pub and Café open at 5pm.

It all takes place on Thursday, July 4 at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Becket, MA. All community events are free, open to the public, and do not need reservations.

Tickets for the performances in the Ted Shawn and Doris Duke Theatres are on sale online at jacobspillow.org, via phone at 413.243.0745, or in person at the Jacob's Pillow Box Office. 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 theatres are handicapped-accessible. Box Office Hours: Sunday through Tuesday, 11am-5pm and Wednesday through Saturday 11am-8pm

Jacob's Pillow, marking its 81st Festival in 2013, is a National Historic Landmark, recipient of the National Medal of Arts, and home to America's longest running international dance festival. The Festival includes more than 50 national and international dance companies and 350 free and ticketed performances, talks, tours, classes, exhibits, and events. The School at Jacob's Pillow, one of the most prestigious professional dance training centers in the U.S., encompasses the diverse disciplines of Ballet, Cultural Traditions, Contemporary, and Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance, as well as an Intern Program in various disciplines of arts administration, design, video, and production. The Pillow's extensive Archives, open year-round to the public, chronicle more than 80 years of dance in photographs, programs, books, costumes, audiotapes, and video. Year-round Community Programs enrich the lives of children and adults through public classes, residencies in area schools, and more than 200 free public events. Through Jacob's Pillow Curriculum in Motion, a nationally-recognized program, artist-educators work with Berkshire County teachers and students grades K-12, transforming curricula such as biology, literature, and history into kinesthetic and creative learning experiences. Creative Development Residencies, in which dance companies are invited to live and work at the Pillow and enjoy unlimited studio time; choreography commissions; and the annual $25,000Jacob's Pillow Dance Award all support visionary dance artists and choreographers. Virtual Pillow is aimed at expanding global audiences for dance and offers the opportunity to experience dance and Jacob's Pillow from anywhere in the world via online interactive exhibits, global video networks, and social media. As part of the Virtual Pillow initiative, Jacob's Pillow Dance Interactive is a curated online video collection of dance highlights from 1936 to today. On March 2, 2011, President Obama honored Jacob's Pillow with a National Medal of Arts, the highest arts award given by the United States Government. Jacob's Pillow is the first dance presenting organization to receive this prestigious award. For more information, visit www.jacobspillow.org.