Stephen Petronio Company at Jacob's Pillow
Signs Off After 40 Years
By: Pillow - Jul 15, 2025
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, regarded as “one of the few contemporary dance makers who have created an instantly recognizable style infused with emotional texture and wit” (The New York Times), moves into his next creative endeavor: Petronio Projects.
Also in Festival Week 5, Jacob’s Pillow is proud to 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.
ABOUT STEPHEN PETRONIO COMPANY
This summer, Jacob’s Pillow is honored to welcome acclaimed director and choreographer Stephen Petronio to present the final performances of the Stephen Petronio Company (SPC), while also marking the culmination of SPC’s 40th anniversary. Petronio, who is regarded as “one of the few contemporary dance makers who have created an instantly recognizable style infused with emotional texture and wit” (The New York Times), will sunset an accomplished 40-year run with his company as he moves into his next creative endeavor: Petronio Projects.
The company’s Festival 2025 program in the Ted Shawn Theatre will include Chair Pillow by Yvonne Rainer as well as some of Petronio’s signature works, including MiddleSexGorge (1990), BUD (2005), Broken Man (2002), the critically acclaimed American Landscapes (2019), and a new iteration of Petronio’s solo Another Kind of Steve (2024). This appearance comes exactly 40 years after the company’s Pillow debut in the first of three consecutive seasons when they were Artists-in-Residence here.
A recipient of numerous awards, including a New York Dance and Performance Bessie Award, SPC focuses on the creation and presentation of Petronio’s existing and new works, alongside legacy initiatives meant to preserve the history of postmodern dance lineage. The company also advances the future of postmodern dance through new works that honor and extend the history, offering a platform for a greater inclusivity of artistic voices. SPC has performed in 40 countries throughout the world with numerous New York City engagements, including 25 seasons at The Joyce Theater.
Major underwriting support for the presentation of the Stephen Petronio Company at Jacob’s Pillow is provided by Kathryn du Pree and Joseph Marafito.
Watch clips from Stephen Petronio and the Company on Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive:
Stephen Petronio Company, 2003: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/stephen-petronio-company/city-twist/
Stephen Petronio, 1987: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/stephen-petronio/3/
ABOUT ELLE SOFE COMPANY
Hailing from Norway, Elle Sofe Company make their U.S. debut with vástádus eana – the answer is land, a “powerful” (Vancouver Sun) and critically-acclaimed performance that 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.
Supported by polyphonic music and costumes inspired by traditional clothing, the piece is inspired by political demonstrations, Sámi spiritual practices, and formation dance. vástádus eana – the answer is land explores community and kinship between people, nature, and the earth. The yoik, composed specifically for the performance, serves as a musical pillar throughout a performance that reflects on the power of standing together and the awareness of the earth we all stand on and share.
Company founder Elle Sofe Sara is a featured artist at the Arctic Arts Festival in Harstad and a winner of the 2019 Moon Jury Award at the Imagine Native Film Festival. Now coming to the U.S. for the first time, vástádus eana – the answer is land has toured internationally, and received the 2021/2022 Norwegian Critics Award for Dance.
The presentation of Elle Sofe Company is made possible in part with support from the Norwegian Consulate General in New York and the American-Scandinavian Foundation. This program is supported in part by the Neil Chrisman Fund for International Dance.
ABOUT ANGKOR DANCE TROUPE
Angkor Dance Troupe brings the breathtaking beauty of Cambodian classical dance to the stage, preserving a dance tradition nearly lost during the Khmer Rouge genocide (1975-1978). Founded in 1986 by Tim Thou and Cambodian refugees, the troupe has become a nationally recognized leader in traditional Cambodian performing arts, serving as the heart of a vibrant Cambodian American community in Lowell, Massachusetts.
With exquisite gestures, ornate costumes, and mesmerizing choreography, the troupe’s performances honor the resilience of Cambodian culture across generations. Today, Angkor Dance Troupe fosters a new generation of young dancers, blending revival, tradition, and innovation to create imaginative works. Through dance, the troupe connects past and present, ensuring this rich artistic legacy not only endures but evolves. Experience the grace, power, and storytelling of one of the most accomplished Cambodian dance ensembles in the United States.
ABOUT ORLANDO HERNÁNDEZ & THE KNEE-HEART CONNECTION
Lauded as “a onetime tap prodigy who’s grown into a history-mining experimentalist” (The New Yorker), Orlando Hernández is a performer, choreographer, theater-maker, musician, and writer who came up in the tap dance community in New York. He now presents a variety of stories and performances that thrillingly blend live music, tap dance, theater and storytelling, and embodied rhythm. His play La Broa’ (Broad Street), composed of real-life stories from Latino communities in Rhode Island, was recently produced at Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, in a run The Boston Globe called “heartwarming and magical.”
The Knee-Heart Connection is a tap dance-theater project led by Hernández, using techniques and technologies of tap dance, mask-work, physical theater, jazz music, and improvisation to create unique experiences of rhythm and reflection, with a particular perspective in the Puerto Rican diaspora. This work was developed with support from New York Live Arts, the Center for Performance Research, the CUNY Dance Initiative, Snug Harbor, JKW Collective Fund, the Changing Times Tap Initiative, a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant, and the Jerome Foundation.
As a member of the New York-based tap dance and live music company Music From the Sole, Hernández has performed at Jacob’s Pillow, Works & Process at the Guggenheim, The Joyce Theater, Fall For Dance at New York City Center, and Vail Dance Festival. He is also a member of the Boston-based tap dance company Subject:Matter, directed by Ian Berg, and dances with Michela Marino Lerman’s Love Movement.
ABOUT H.T. CHEN & DANCERS
Under the direction of Artistic Director Dian Dong, H.T. Chen & Dancers is an innovative modern dance company that embodies its Asian American heritage. The company’s repertory is distinguished by authenticity and groundbreaking works celebrating Chinese experiences in the Americas. This summer at the Pillow, the company will present two signature works: Opening the Gate (described by The New York Times as “a throbbing, swirling spectacle”) and Mott Street, which celebrates the resilience and collective spirit of the Chinatown community.
Since its founding in 1978, the multicultural company has earned critical acclaim for New York performances, national and international tours, and award-winning educational programming. Founder Hsueh-Tung Chen (1947-2022), a pioneering Asian American artist, was a choreographer, performer, and arts advocate for six decades. The New York Times wrote of him: “[he] has long been one of New York dance’s most persuasive storytellers, addressing issues of acculturation well before they become fashionable in dance.”
ABOUT BOCA TUYA
BOCA TUYA is a New York-based movement collective rooted in the rhythms, storytelling traditions, and cultural heritage of Puerto Rico. Founded in 2018 by choreographer Omar Román de Jesús—a member of the inaugural Jacob’s Pillow Hicks Choreography Fellowship Program, Princess Grace choreography awardee, Dance Magazine Harkness Promise awardee, inaugural Baryshnikov Arts Center Fellow at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, and current resident at 92NY—the company crafts immersive dreamscapes that blend vibrant cadence, surrealist narratives, and unforgettable characters.
Through global tours, educational outreach, and choreographic commissions, BOCA TUYA empowers artists and cultivates authenticity, equity, and innovation with a distinct Boricua heartbeat, making work that is “full of sensual vulnerability; the effect is hypnotic.” (Fjord Review). Honoring traditions and the ancestors who came before, the company connects past and present, while championing the excellence of New York’s top contemporary dance artists.
PERFORMANCE & TICKET DETAILS
Tickets are on sale now; online at jacobspillow.org and via phone at 413.243.0745
Stephen Petronio Company
July 23-27; Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7:30pm; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2pm
Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65
Elle Sofe Company
July 23-27; Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 8pm; Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm
Doris Duke Theatre | Tickets from $85
Livestream: Thursday, July 24 at 8pm
Encore Stream: Sunday, July 27 at 8pm through Monday, July 28 at 8pm
To learn more about our select Livestreams and Encore Streams, and to register to watch for free, visit jacobspillow.org/live
Angkor Dance Troupe
Wednesday, July 23 at 5:30pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $40
Orlando Hernández & The Knee-Heart Connection
Thursday, July 24 at 5:30pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $40
H.T. Chen & Dancers
Friday, July 25 at 5:30pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $40
BOCA TUYA
Saturday, July 26 at 5:30pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $40
ADDITIONAL EVENTS
Morning Classes
July 22-25; Tuesday through Friday, 9-10am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+. Offered weekly through the summer in Sommers Studio. $15 per class; $60 for 5 class card. Pay via online pre-registration or cash/card at the door.
- Ballet with Isadora Wolfe: Tuesdays through August 19
- Modern/Contemporary with Sayer Mansfield, Ryoko Kudo, Sarah Zehnder, and Barbie Diewald: Wednesdays through August 20
- West African Dance & Spiritual Well-Being with Truth Hunter, Tara Murphy, and Noel Staples-Freeman, with live drumming by Aimee Gelinas and Daniel Cohen: Thursdays through August 21
- Zumba® or The Quilombo Experience with Luana Dias David: Fridays through August 22
Alumni Day 2025
Saturday, July 26 10:30am
Pillow Grounds
The history of Jacob’s Pillow is intertwined with many individuals who have worked, studied, taught, or given of their time and resources in a myriad of ways to make the Pillow what it is today. Former Jacob’s Pillow staff, interns and fellows, Artist Faculty and dancers of The School, board members, and more all comprise the Alumni Network. At Jacob’s Pillow’s annual Alumni Day, alumni gather to enjoy the festival together by watching performances, attending workshops and talks, and enjoying the beauty of the Berkshires. Visit here for a full schedule of events.
- Alumni are eligible for a 10% discount on all tickets on Alumni Day, July 26, as well as tickets to performances on Friday, July 25 and Sunday, July 27. Alumni will also receive 10% off in The Store and at the Coffee Bar and the Pub (non-alcoholic purchases only) on July 25-27.
- RSVP to alumni@jacobspillow.org to access the ticket discount code. The Pillow will provide name tags to access the other onsite discounts. Please include your name as you would like it printed and your Alumni affiliation and year (The School Alumni, Intern Alumni, Archives Research Fellowship Alumni, etc.)
Presentations by the Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion™ Institute
July 26-27; Saturday and Sunday, 10:30am-12:30pm
Jameson Family Lobby, Doris Duke Theatre | FREE
In this public gathering, the 2024-25 Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion™ Institute participants will share inspiring stories of how dance fosters community building and creative dialogue. Visitors will hear how Curriculum in Motion™ Institute dance educators use dance to explore questions, challenges, and themes in partnership with K-12 classrooms, museums, after-school programs, medical providers, businesses, and civic and cultural organizations in Berkshire County and beyond. These projects demonstrate the power of dance-making as a tool for connection, reflection, and change. A Q&A will follow each presentation. Please join us for one or both events, as different artists will present each session.
About the Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion™ Institute: The Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion™ Institute is a 10-month professional development opportunity for choreographers and dance teaching artists looking to strengthen their choreographic skills with a community building focus. Participants work with community partners to investigate how dance can be used to honor a community’s questions and needs. This “dance-makers’ think tank” is facilitated by core faculty: Celeste Miller (Institute Director), Kimberli Boyd, and Michael Richter.
PillowTalk: Wendy Perron and Norton Owen
Saturday, July 26, 4pm
Blake’s Barn | FREE
Longtime colleagues at Jacob’s Pillow and beyond, guest curator Wendy Perron and the Pillow’s Director of Preservation Norton Owen share stories and highlights celebrating Owen’s 50th anniversary at the Pillow and the 2025 exhibit Connecting through Time: 50 Seasons with Norton Owen.
In Studio Pause in the Process Showings by The School: Creating in Jazz
Saturday, July 26, 8:30pm
Perles Family Studio | FREE
Join Program Director LaTasha Barnes, Music Director Christopher McBride, and Artist Faculty Lisa La Touche and Natasha Powell for an informal sharing of their work created on a collective of 24 multigenerational artists—musicians, dancers, and/or choreographers—dedicated to the practice of Black American social dance forms or their influencing movement and music traditions. Seating is limited; priority entry given to visitors who pre-register online. Walk-ups are also welcome, pending availability.
Workshop with Festival Artists: Elle Sofe Company
Sunday, July 27, 10-11:30am
Perles Family Studio | Registration required
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+
Join artist Nora Svenning of Elle Sofe Company for a contemporary dance workshop investigating how we develop power and massiveness through conscious use of weight and gravity, both individually and in groups. Svenning will incorporate voice with movement in simple ways through some of the exercises, inviting participants into the artistic landscape of the company’s work. Wear comfortable clothes; sneakers recommended.
Dance to the African Drums: A Family Experience
Sunday, July 27, 11am-12pm
Sommers Studio | Registration required
Join artist Noel Staples-Freeman for a joyful West African dance class for families of all ages. Explore the vibrant rhythms and movement of West African culture while connecting with each other through dance. This fun and playful class invites creativity, learning through play, celebrates family bonds, and offers a unique opportunity to experience the joy of movement together. We’ll also explore the roots of traditional movement and the stories they tell, deepening our connection to the culture. $30 per class, per family. Recommended for all ages. Class size will be limited to 12 families per event.
FESTIVAL EXHIBITS & ARCHIVES – ONGOING
CONNECTING THROUGH TIME: 50 SEASONS WITH NORTON OWEN
Curated by Pillow alum Wendy Perron, American dancer and choreographer, dance historian, and former Editor-in-Chief of Dance Magazine, this exhibit celebrates Director of Preservation Norton Owen, who for fifty seasons has delved into the past to highlight the present and look toward the future. Blake’s Barn and the Norton Owen Reading Room; open Tue-Sun, noon through final curtain.
DANCING THE ALGORITHM
Curated by Katherine Helen Fisher, this exhibit features artists whose works illuminate how the dancing body doesn’t just adapt to technology, but shapes it, challenges it, and celebrates the new possibilities it creates. The exhibit includes Lamentation: Dancing the Archive, an installation inviting audiences to engage with a 360° film of Martha Graham’s iconic solo, created by Xin Ying with Katherine Helen Fisher, Alan Winslow, and Kate Ladenheim. The exhibit features works by Memo Akten, Lauren Bedal, Shimmy Boyle, Mingyong Cheng, Kianí Del Valle, Hamill Industries (Pablo Barquin and Anna Diaz), Nora Gibson, David Wallace Haskins, Katie Peyton Hofstadter, KAMBARA+ (Yayoi Kambara), Armon Naeini, Operator (Ania Catherine and Dejha Ti), and Daniel Sierra. The score for the interactive exhibit space is composed by Josh Kadish / Vviota. Doris Duke Theatre Gallery; Open Tue-Sun, noon through final curtain.
AILEY CONNECTIONS
With connections spanning more than seven decades, the Pillow and Alvin Ailey have been aligned in spirit since two of Ailey’s earliest works were performed here in 1954. Encompassing such Ailey icons as Carmen de Lavallade, James Truitte, and Judith Jamison, this exhibition curated by Norton Owen highlights some of the remarkable history that these two landmark dance institutions have shared.<> Ted Shawn Theatre Lobby; open Tue-Sun, noon through final curtain.
Jacob’s Pillow Archives/Norton Owen Reading Room
This spacious, informal library and reading room allows visitors to view videos, browse through books, access the Pillow's computer catalog, or peruse permanent collections of Pillow programs and photographs from the Archives. The Reading Room and new Special Collections Room also feature recent donations and more archival treasures from the Stephan Driscoll Collection. Blake’s Barn; open Tues.-Sun., noon through final curtain.
Online Exhibit: Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive
This evolving online resource features breathtaking video highlights of Pillow performances from the early 1930s through today, with an expanded section of multimedia essays featuring talks, photos, and other exclusive content organized into various themes. danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org.