Jason Samuels News

Following the critical acclaim and record-breaking ticket sales and attendance of Festival 2015, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival announces a new season of exciting programming featuring international artists, world premieres, and an impressive number of live music engagements. This season signals an exciting new era in Pillow history, as the Board of Directors plans to name a new Jacob's Pillow Director in early 2016. Former Executive and Artistic Director Ella Baff stepped down from her role in September of 2015, following a successful 17-year tenure.

Assembling a stellar cast of rising stars in the worlds of R&B, funk, soul, jazz and classical, Thelonious Monk Competition Winner and Grammy Award-winning bassist Ben Williams pays tribute to the musical legacy of Prince at Harlem Stage, December 11 and 12. Drawing inspiration from his iconic discography, Dearly Beloved - The Music of Prince will feature newly imagined arrangements and compositions that celebrate the virtuosity of Prince with a wide range of special guests including vocalists Goapele, Frank McComb and Christie Dashiell, tap dancer/choreographer Jason Samuels Smith, poet/emcee/vocalist W. Ellington Felton and additional surprise guests. A guest DJ will spin for the pre-performance mixer and after-party. As a preview to the December 12 performance of Dearly Beloved - The Music of Prince, Harlem Stage will present an intimate conversation with Ben Williams. He'll share his creative process forDearly Beloved and discuss the art of re-imagining and arranging works of famous artists.

Assembling a stellar cast of rising stars in the worlds of R&B, funk, soul, jazz and classical, Thelonious Monk Competition Winner and Grammy Award-winning bassist Ben Williams pays tribute to the musical legacy of Prince at Harlem Stage, December 11 and 12. Drawing inspiration from his iconic discography, Dearly Beloved - The Music of Prince will feature newly imagined arrangements and compositions that celebrate the virtuosity of Prince with a wide range of special guests including vocalists Goapele, Frank McComb and Christie Dashiell, tap dancer/choreographer Jason Samuels Smith, poet/emcee/vocalist W. Ellington Felton and additional surprise guests. A guest DJ will spin for the pre-performance mixer and after-party. As a preview to the December 12 performance of Dearly Beloved - The Music of Prince, Harlem Stage will present an intimate conversation with Ben Williams. He'll share his creative process forDearly Beloved and discuss the art of re-imagining and arranging works of famous artists.

ROLEX presents Career Transition For Dancers' 30TH ANNIVERSARY PEARL JUBILEE: A STAR-STUDDED RETROSPECTIVE tonight, September 28, at 7:00 pm in association with the Lloyd E. Rigler - Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (btwn. 6 & 7 Aves) NYC followed by 'Supper With The Stars' in the Grand Ballroom at the Hilton New York.

ROLEX presents Career Transition For Dancers' 30TH ANNIVERSARY PEARL JUBILEE: A STAR-STUDDED RETROSPECTIVE on Monday, September 28, at 7:00 pm in association with the Lloyd E. Rigler - Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (btwn. 6 & 7 Aves) NYC followed by 'Supper With The Stars' in the Grand Ballroom at the Hilton New York. Just announced, presenters for the Gala include: Michael Douglas, Cynthia Gregory, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Catherine Zeta-Jones!

Misty Copeland, an American Ballet Theatre principal ballerina and one of the stars of Broadway's ON THE TOWN, will perform 'Paganini,' a solo created by ABT star Marcelo Gomes at Career Transition For Dancers' 30th ANNIVERSARY PEARL JUBILEE: A STAR-STUDDED RETROSPECTIVE on Monday, September 28.

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS's Robert Fairchild is the latest star to join ROLEX's Career Transition For Dancers 30TH ANNIVERSARY PEARL JUBILEE: A STAR-STUDDED RETROSPECTIVE, slated for Monday, September 28, at 7:00 pm.

ROLEX presents Career Transition For Dancers' 30TH ANNIVERSARY PEARL JUBILEE: A STAR-STUDDED RETROSPECTIVE on Monday, September 28, at 7:00 pm in association with the Lloyd E. Rigler - Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (btwn. 6  & 7  Aves) NYC followed by "Supper With The Stars" at The Grand Ballroom at The Hilton New York.

Poetic Theater Productions presents the second annual CONSCIOUS LANGAUAGE: Workshops, Conversations and Performances on the Power of Language. CONSCIOUS LANGAUAGE is a 5-day generative workshop designed for poets interested in writing poetic theater (by invitation only), which culminates in four evenings of performances and conversation with leaders in the field (open to the public).

?Jersey Tap Fest, NJ's sole dance festival featuring world-class tap faculty and extravaganza, celebrates its sixth year, August 13-16, 2015 in Roselle Park and Bloomfield, NJ. This year, the 4-day festival will offer two main stage performances: an updated format of audience favorite TAP 'N TIME, and a brand new production, Soul Walk, with all original choreography by festival founder Hillary-Marie. In addition to these performances, the festival will feature more than 30 tap dance classes with master instructors from across the tri-state area. Jersey Tap Fest also provides various opportunities for the public to participate and interact with tap dancing through history lessons, a jam session, student showcase and faculty panel discussion.

Following two sold-out engagements in both 2013 and 2014, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival presents tap sensation Dorrance Dance with famed singer/songwriter Toshi Reagon and her band BIGLovely in the return of The Blues Project, July 1-5 in the Ted Shawn Theatre. Founded in 2011 by Jacob's Pillow Dance Award recipient Michelle Dorrance, Dorrance Dance features some of today's best tap artists, performing alongside co-choreographers of The Blues Project Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards and Derick K. Grant. Award-winning musician and composer Toshi Reagon created the music for The Blues Project, which is performed live by Reagon and members of her band, BIGLovely, on acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, drums and percussion, and violin.

Actor, dancer and clown Ananda Bena-Weber returns to San Francisco, her hometown, this June in a two-week engagement of her original solo showFANCIFOOL!.

The Shubert Organization and Career Transition For Dancers along with the host committee: Andy Blankenbuehler, Graciela Daniele, Mercedes Ellington, Donna McKechnie, Jerry Mitchell, & Chita Rivera welcomed The Broadway Dance Community for a Buffet Dinner & Between-Shows-Get-Together at Sardi's, Eugenia Room (234 West 44th Street) on Wednesday, May 20, 2015 (5:00pm-7:00pm).  This event is generously underwritten by The Shubert Organization.  Past client Andy Blankenbuehler (award-winning choreographer of the hit musical 'Hamilton') addressed the group on his relation with the organziation and how beneficial they have been for him and thousands of others.

ROLEX presents Career Transition For Dancers' 30TH ANNIVERSARY PEARL JUBILEE: A STAR-STUDDED RETROSPECTIVE on Monday, September 28, at 7:00 pm at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (btwn. 6  & 7  Aves) NYC followed by "Supper With The Stars" at The Grand Ballroom at The Hilton New York. The 2015 Rolex Dance Award reciepent is Shirley MacLaine.

ROLEX presents Career Transition For Dancers' 30TH ANNIVERSARY PEARL JUBILEE: A STAR-STUDDED RETROSPECTIVE on Monday, September 28, at 7:00 pm at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (btwn. 6 & 7 Aves) NYC followed by 'Supper With The Stars' at The Grand Ballroom at The Hilton New York. Some of the talent and performances* for the evening are 'All That Jazz' from CHICAGO with Bebe Neuwirth; American Ballet Theatre; Arthur Murray Dance Center, Columbus Circle; Big Apple Circus; Jazz Roots Dance Company; Joffrey Ballet Concert Group; National Dance Institute; New York Song & Dance Company; Parsons Dance; Jason Samuels Smith and others.

Stretching boundaries with new tap dance technique and choreography, the American Tap Dance Foundation returns with Rhythm in Motion, their yearly showcase of top tappers and contemporary tap dance, April 22 through April 26 at The Theater at the 14th Street Y, NYC. Two programs highlighting the rich diversity of contemporary tap dance will be shown (choreographers and presentation dates below). See promo video here.

Actor, dancer and clown Ananda Bena-Weber returns to San Francisco, her hometown, this June in a two-week engagement of her original solo showFANCIFOOL!.

At the Apollo Theater in Harlem, the arrival of the holiday season is marked by 'Holidays at the Apollo,' which this year includes 'Ellington at Christmas,' a two-act offering of Ellington's 'Nutcracker Suite' and portions of his 'Sacred Music Concerts.' We're re-gifted these Ellington holiday classics in an enjoyable, if not completely flawless performance by Ellington expert David Berger and his Jazz Orchestra, featuring students from the Dance Theater of Harlem School and the Arts High School Advanced Choir of Newark, as well as solos by baritone Norm Lewis, sopranos Lizz Wright and Priscilla Baskerville, and tap virtuoso Jason Samuels Smith.

?REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL caps its 20th season with a special roundtable review of the show's most memorable moments this year when the series' 213th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TONIGHT, DEC. 16 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO.

?REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL caps its 20th season with a special roundtable review of the show's most memorable moments this year when the series' 213th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, DEC. 16 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO.