Dance

When Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook diverted from major careers in dance to teach classical ballet in Harlem there was a complex mandate. That was 1968 in the midst of civil rights and social/ political change. In 1970 Dance Theatre of Harlem first performed at Jacob's Pillow. They have returned many times as they have this week with a program of three diverse works.

A Jacob's Pillow favorite Hubbard Street Dance Chicago returned to Becket with an eclectic program of four pieces by different choreographers. The music ranged from minimalist, Steve Reich, North African, and can you believe it, hilariously, Dean Martin.

The final performance of the now disbanded, Iowa based, Trey McIntyre Project was followed by one of the longest and most raucous ovations we have ever encountered at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Theatre. The audiece was thrilled by a two part peformance based on the macabre innustrations of Edward Gorey and the magnificent music of the British rock group Queen. What a fitting send off for a superb dance company.

Dance Theatre of Harlem, led by Artistic Director Virginia Johnson, performs Donald Byrd’s smooth yet power-packed contemporary ballet Contested Space, which features a plethora of solos and duets. past-carry-forward, created for DTH by Tanya Wideman-Davis and Thaddeus Davis, conveys the spirit and significance of the Harlem Renaissance.

Popular contemporary company Hubbard Street Dance Chicago returns to Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival for the first time since 2010, bringing a sensational mixed-bill program. Directed by Glenn Edgerton, the 18-member company performs the dramatic Mediterranean-inspired Gnawa, choreographed by Nacho Duato, and Jiří Kylián’s vivid Falling Angels, a stark all-female work danced to “Drumming” by contemporary composer Steve Reich.

A bold company with a strong Jacob’s Pillow history including five engagements since 2005, Trey McIntyre Project will make its final appearance as a fulltime dance ensemble June 25-29 in the Ted Shawn Theatre. In addition there are a number of free events as the season commences in Becket

Nobody can set Baroque opera to dance better than Mark Morris, but his latest effort, a joyful Handel opera, often seemed dialed-in. Still, it was Mark Morris and it was filled with delights.

Romeo and Juliet is the most popular of Shakespeare’s plays which have been transformed into ballets. The Kenneth Macmillan choreography is seen most frequently and was made into a film which clearly set a barre for conventional presentation, although of course Macmillan allowed dancers to be dragged across the stage, which was both sumptuous and glamorous. The texture of the Joffrey production was rich, but rich mainly in its emotional variety and stunning dancers. No holds barred in this new production, but it is thrilling as it takes off from pointe work, always grounded and inviting.

This June, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival will host the final farewell performances of Trey McIntyre Project as a full-time dance company. Following its six-show engagement in the Ted Shawn Theatre, June 25-29, the company will broaden its focus to include other new artistic projects.