Rasta Thomas News

Following the record-breaking success of Festival 2016 and in the midst of a robust artist residency season, Jacob's Pillow Dance is planning its momentous 85th Anniversary Festival.

Jacob's Pillow Dance, home to the longest-running international dance festival in the U.S., is accepting applications for its 2017 Summer Internship Program. More than 30 interns from around the world are selected, following a competitive application review and interview process, to help produce the field's most comprehensive and engaging festival of dance.

Strengthening its role as a center for artist research and development, Jacob's Pillow Dance announces an active, year-round season with its expanded 2016-2017 Creative Development Residency program. This season brings new additions to the program including two technical residencies, cross-genre collaborations, and invited audiences of college students, as well as a diverse roster of 10 artist residencies, the Pillow's largest residency season yet.

Following the record-breaking success of Festival 2016 and the increased demand for its resources, Jacob's Pillow Dance announces year-round online access to its impressive Archives through a robust new website. Beginning this year, digitized content and a large amount of information is available to the public, offering an unprecedented resource to the global dance community.

On Saturday, August 27, Jacob's Pillow Dance announced plans to build a new dance studio on the historic Jacob's Pillow campus. The announcement was made by Director Pamela Tatge at the Pillow's 2016 Festival Finale, with the official ground-breaking ceremony to take place at the Pillow on Friday, October 14 at 5pm.

This month, BWW's Debut of the Month column features four of the talented actors who are making their Broadway debuts in the exciting revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic musical CATS. Today we speak with Daniel Gaymon, who makes his Broadway debut in the dual role of  Plato/Macavity

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival 2016 presents the second artistic collaboration of Wendy Whelan and Brian Brooks with live music by string quartet Brooklyn Rider in Some of a Thousand Words, July 27-31.

Hubbard Street 2, the young second company of the world-renowned Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, will present Mariko's Magical Mix: A Dance Adventure for their Jacob's Pillow debut, in the Doris Duke Theatre, tonight, July 13-17.

Hubbard Street 2, the young second company of the world-renowned Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, will present Mariko's Magical Mix: A Dance Adventure for their Jacob's Pillow debut, in the Doris Duke Theatre, July 13-17.

New York Theatre Ballet will perform two works at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in the Doris Duke Theatre from August 3- 7, 2016. Jacob's Pillow, a National Historic Landmark, National Medal of Arts recipient, and home to America's longest-running dance festival, is located in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts at 358 George Carter Road in Becket.

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival 2016 opens its 84th annual season with exciting contemporary dance company Aspen Santa Fe Ballet presenting a diverse program, June 22-26 in the Ted Shawn Theatre. Aspen Santa Fe Ballet is dually-based in New Mexico and Colorado and led by Artistic Director Tom Mossbrucker and Executive Director Jean-Philippe Malaty. Exhibiting masterful technique and powerful performances, the company brings stirring works by a roster of esteemed choreographers including Alejandro Cerrudo's Silent Ghost, Fernando Melo's Re:play, and Cayetano Soto's Huma Rojo.

The 2016 Jacob's Pillow Dance Award, a prestigious honor that carries a $25,000 cash prize, will be presented to contemporary choreographer, dancer, and artistic director Camille A. Brown in acknowledgement of her vision and outstanding contributions to the dance field. Regularly garnering acclaim for her 'vividness and versatility' (Alastair Macaulay, The New York Times), Brown holds a New York Dance and Performance ('Bessie') Award, two Princess Grace Awards, a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, and her work has toured nationally and internationally. The Jacob's Pillow Dance Award was established in 2007 and, in honor of its 10th anniversary, the Pillow has broadened the scope of this honor with a commitment to the artist's growth and future work. In addition to the unrestricted cash prize, this Award also includes a committed engagement for the 2017 Festival and a Creative Development Residency at Jacob's Pillow. Previous recipients of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Award include the legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham; MacArthur Fellows Michelle Dorrance and Kyle Abraham; and John Heginbotham of Dance Heginbotham, among others.

SHAPING SOUND, the country's hottest commercial dance company, concluded their 2015-16 touring season with a one-night-only performance, presented by Break the Floor Productions, at The Beacon Theatre on Monday night, February 8, at the Beacon Theatre. BroadwayWorld has stunning photos from the show below!

Break the Floor Productions has announced that SHAPING SOUND, the country's hottest commercial dance company, will conclude their 2015-2016 tour with a one night only performance at The Beacon Theatre (2124 Broadway, New York, NY 10023). Tickets for the performance, which will be Monday, February 8, 2016 at 7:30pm, are available now at www.ticketmaster.com.

BWW Interview: Dancer Jakob Karr on his Diverse Career since So You Think You Can Dance

Tapman Productions, a newly formed Chicago-based tap company, and Artistic Director Tristan Bruns are proud to announce the final show in their 2015 season M.A.D.D. Rhythms' Supreme Love, now through September 20, choreographed by Jumaane Taylor with music direction by Rajiv Halim, at the Athenaeum Theatre, Studio 2, 2936 N. Southport Ave.

Tapman Productions, a newly formed Chicago-based tap company, and Artistic Director Tristan Bruns are proud to announce the final show in their 2015 season M.A.D.D. Rhythms' Supreme Love, September 3 - 20, choreographed by Jumaane Taylor with music direction by Rajiv Halim, at the Athenaeum Theatre, Studio 2, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Previews are $10 and are Friday, Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 5 at 3 p.m. Press night is Saturday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. There is no performance Sunday, Sept. 6 and an added Thursday performance, Thursday, Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Regular ticket prices are $25 and the performance schedule is Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets to Supreme Love are on sale now and can be purchased at www.athenaeumtheatre.org or by calling 773.935.6875. For more information on Tapman Productions visit TapmanProductions.com.

This year's Jacob's Pillow Dance Award, a prestigious honor carrying an unrestricted $25,000 cash prize, will be presented to contemporary choreographer Liz Gerring in recognition of her talent and outstanding contributions to the dance field. Active in the dance world for nearly 20 years, Gerring regularly garners acclaim for her 'enthralling and important' works (Alastair Macaulay, The New York Times) that also 'reveals the dancers as the splendid athletes that they are' (dance critic Deborah Jowitt). Gerring will accept the Award and members of Liz Gerring Dance Company will perform at the Pillow's Season Opening Gala on Saturday, June 20 in the Ted Shawn Theatre. The company will return to perform the evening-length work glacier in the Doris Duke Theatre August 19-23. Previous recipients of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Award include tap artist Michelle Dorrance, the legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham, 2013 MacArthur Fellow Kyle Abraham, and Tony Award winner and director of New York Live Arts Bill T. Jones, among others.

?Dallas Theater Center announced today complete details for the rolling world premiere of Colossal, a new play by Andrew Hinderaker. DTC artistic director Kevin Moriarty directs the Kennedy Center Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award-winning play, which is choreographed by founder and artistic director of Dark Circles Contemporary Dance Joshua L. Peugh. Colossal begins with previews tonight, April 2 with a Pay-What-You-Can performance and runs through Sunday, May 3.

?Dallas Theater Center announced today complete details for the rolling world premiere of Colossal, a new play by Andrew Hinderaker. DTC artistic director Kevin Moriarty directs the Kennedy Center Jean Kennedy Smith Playwriting Award-winning play, which is choreographed by founder and artistic director of Dark Circles Contemporary Dance Joshua L. Peugh. Colossal begins with previews on Thursday, April 2 with a Pay-What-You-Can performance and runs through Sunday, May 3.