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Jacob’s Pillow will welcome the Afro Latin dance company Sekou McMiller & Friends, who brought audiences to their feet last year on the outdoor stage, for their Ted Shawn Theatre debut from July 30 through August 3. McMiller will present the world premiere of Urban Love Suite, the latest incarnation of his dance and music project Afro Latin Jazz and Soul Experience, featuring music by Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Chick Corea, and Arturo O'Farril. Urban Love Suite draws on African American, Afro Latino/a/e, and West African music and dance traditions, celebrating the cultural love affair between Black and Brown peoples.
In the Doris Duke Theatre, in her highly anticipated return to Jacob’s Pillow, the renowned Korean artist Eun-Me Ahn will present the U.S. premiere of Dragons, a “spectacular” (BroadwayWorld) dance with tumbling and 3D holographic choreography, also from July 30 through August 3. Performances of Dragons will include a mix of live on-stage dancers and a remote cast appearing virtually, exemplifying the theater’s role as a meeting place for existing and emerging technologies.
Dragons was born out of difficulties that arose for Ahn as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, when she found herself struggling to assemble a team of dancers from across Asia for a different project. Rehearsals shifted to video, and in Dragons, Ahn has worked with video/motion designers Taeseok Lee and Minjeong Lee to turn the original cast of dancers into holograms that will appear alongside the live cast.
Performances on the outdoor Henry J.Leir Stage during Festival Week 6 will begin with a two-day run by Bulareyaung Dance Company, a Taiwanese dance company making their U.S. debut with this tour. Known for bringing stories of Taiwan’s Indigenous Paiwan and Bunun peoples to the stage with highly athletic dances and singing, Bulareyaung will perform on Wednesday and Thursday, July 30 and 31, at 5:30pm. This will be followed by a one-night performance on Friday, August 1 at 5:30pm by Kara Jenelle & KaJe Movement Collective, with a movement style that blends West African, hip-hop, dancehall, Afrobeats, and Afro-Caribbean techniques. On Saturday, August 2 at 5:30pm, Pua Ali’i ‘Ilima, a h?lau hula (a school for the cultural practices of hula) led by Kumu Vicky Holt Takamine, will perform, featuring dancers, chanters, and musicians from O’ahu, New York, and Massachusetts.
Before watching Pua Ali’i ‘Ilima on the outdoor stage, all are invited to enjoy a free PillowTalk on Saturday, August 2 at 4pm in Blake’s Barn featuring kumu hula (master hula practitioner) Vicky Holt Takamine, an advocate for native Hawaiian culture and rights, and the 2024 recipient of the Gish Prize given annually to an individual who has “made an outstanding contribution to the beauty of the world and to mankind’s enjoyment and understanding of life."
Also in Festival Week 6, the Pillow’s annual All Styles Dance Battle will return on Friday, August 1 at 9pm, featuring legendary DJ Buddha Stretch, where dancers of any style—from tap and hip-hop to flamenco and contemporary—compete head to head in the battle for first place. The dance battle will be hosted by Toyin Sogunro, and judged by Sekou McMiller, Lisa La Touche, and Noahlot. On Saturday, August 2 at 11am, Andre StrongBearHeart Gaines, Jr. (Nipmuc citizen) will lead a free public exploration of the traditional Eastern Woodlands Homesite, which he has built and permanently installed at Jacob’s Garden. And on Sunday, August 3 at 11am, Jacob’s Pillow will host Family Music and Dance, led by local teacher Sandy Russell.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Sekou McMiller & Friends for their Ted Shawn Theatre debut celebrating the soulful and exuberant energy of Afro-Latin dances as they are manifested in urban centers around the world. Audiences should bring their dancing shoes as they’ll be invited to join the company onstage after the performance,” said Pamela Tatge, Executive and Artistic Director at Jacob’s Pillow. “We have been eagerly awaiting the U.S. debut of Eun-Me Ahn’s production of Dragons. What an incredible sight it will be to witness 3D holograms in our brand-new Doris Duke Theatre. And the return of the All Styles Dance Battle will once again showcase the brilliance of dancers coming to the Pillow to share their best work. It will be another incredible week at the Pillow.”
All performances are now on sale. Outdoor performances include the option to purchase Rain or Shine tickets, which allow guaranteed access to an indoor venue in the event of inclement weather. Tickets to Sekou McMiller & Friends begin at $65. Tickets to Eun-Me Ahn: Dragons begin at $65. Tickets to Bulareyaung Dance Company begin at $40, with Rain or Shine tickets available for $50. Tickets to Kara Jenelle & KaJe Movement Collective and to Pua Ali’i ‘Ilima are Choose What You Pay, allowing ticket buyers to set the price of their purchase, with Rain or Shine tickets available for $40.
ABOUT SEKOU MCMILLER & FRIENDS
With a musical flair and explosive energy, dancer and choreographer Sekou McMiller is at the forefront of Afro Latin Dance performance and education. His unique fusion style, rooted in Afro-Caribbean traditions and laced with a range of dance techniques from the African diaspora, brought Jacob’s Pillow audiences to their feet dancing last summer as Sekou McMiller & Friends performed on the outdoor stage.
For Festival 2025, in his Ted Shawn Theatre debut, McMiller will present the world premiere of Urban Love Suite, the latest incarnation of his dance and music project Afro Latin Jazz and Soul Experience. A joy-filled rhythmical journey through African American, Afro Latino/a/e and West African music and dance traditions, Urban Love Suite celebrates the cultural love affair between Black and Brown peoples, through encounters in cityscapes including Harlem, the Bronx, Dakar, São Paulo, Los Angeles, and Chicago. This world premiere is supported by the Joan B. Hunter New Work Commission and is co-commissioned by Lincoln Center.
McMiller’s diverse career as a dancer, choreographer, and educator has garnered him broad recognition worldwide. His choreographic work has been featured at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Dance Chicago, The Actors Fund Theater, New York City Center, Ailey CitiGroup Theater, Symphony Space, Edison Ballroom, and the United Nations General Assembly. He has appeared in films including In the Heights, performed off-Broadway, and performed and choreographed for Pitbull and Madonna and for top Latin music artists including Gilberto Santa Rosa, Willie Colón, Tito Rojas, and Tito Nieves. He has also performed at numerous Jacob’s Pillow special events, participated in the Pillow Lab residency series, and served as Choreographer/Director of the Musical Theatre program at The School at Jacob’s Pillow in 2024.
Watch a clip of Sekou McMiller & Friends on Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive here:
Sekou McMiller & Friends, 2024: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/sekou-mcmiller-friends/afro-latin-soul/
ABOUT EUN-ME AHN
Eun-Me Ahn is a leading artist of the Korean performing arts scene, known for her avant-garde choreographic worlds and technicolor productions. In her return to Jacob’s Pillow for the first time since 2000, Ahn will present the official U.S. premiere of Dragons, a “spectacular” (BroadwayWorld) dance with tumbling and 3D holographic choreography that juggles speed, scale, and illusion.
The work was conceived before the pandemic and transformed by the reality of her initial cast of pan-Asian dancers being split and isolated through it. Dragons incorporates the 3D holographic presence of the remote cast with live choreography for eight on-stage dancers, many of whom were born in 2000—the year of the dragon on the Asian Zodiac calendar.
A graduate of contemporary dance at Ewha Womans University in Seoul and from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Ahn is internationally renowned, with over 150 pieces in her repertoire. Her work has toured widely in Asia and Europe through invitations from the Pina Bausch Foundation in Wuppertal, Germany, and an association with Théâtre de la Ville in Paris.
The presentation of Eun-Me Ahn is made possible in part with support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea, the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, K-arts on the GO, and the Korean Cultural Center of New York.
ABOUT BULAREYAUNG DANCE COMPANY
Founded in Taiwan in 2015 by choreographer Bulareyaung Pagarlava, Bulareyaung Dance Company creates dance through a deep connection to nature and heritage. Training takes place in the mountains and by the waterside, where dancers sing old chants and develop movement rooted in Indigenous culture. Works such as Luna draw from the ancestral songs and rituals of the Bunun people in Taiwan’s mountains, while previous works such as Qaciljay immersed the dancers in Paiwan community life, where they learned local songs and chants.
The company’s works have earned critical acclaim, including the prestigious Taishin Arts Award. Through powerful performances, Bulareyaung Dance Company brings Indigenous stories to the stage with striking physicality and authenticity. The company has toured internationally, performing in Canada, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, and France and this tour is their first to the United States. With each performance, they honor and celebrate the vibrancy of Indigenous culture while expanding the boundaries of contemporary dance. Pagarlava’s choreography was first seen at the Pillow as part of David Michalek’s Slow Dancing project in 2008, and a previous company he led, LAFA & Artists, appeared in the Doris Duke Theatre in 2009.
Watch a clip of Bulareyaung Pagarlava’s work on Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive here:
LAFA & Artists, 2009: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/lafa/summer-fantasia/
ABOUT KARA JENELLE & KAJE MOVEMENT COLLECTIVE
Kara Jenelle (KJ) Wade, MFA, is a powerhouse movement artist, choreographer, and teaching diplomat whose practice is deeply rooted in the African diaspora and Black social and street dance forms. With a movement style that blends West African, hip hop, dancehall, Afrobeats, and Afro-Caribbean techniques, she has captivated audiences worldwide. As both an artist and educator, KJ’s dynamic approach to choreography and teaching has taken her to studios and festivals across more than 15 countries, from the United States to Taiwan, France, Nigeria, and beyond. This summer, KJ and KaJe Movement Collective will perform the world premiere of Melanin Rich Projects.
She has performed alongside icons such as Janet Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Beyoncé, and Will Smith, using her success to amplify Black artists and culture on mainstream platforms. Her debut dance film, ÌYÁguration, celebrates the history of resilience and sisterhood among Black women, and was featured in multiple festivals and publications.
ABOUT PUA ALI’I ‘ILIMA
Pua Ali’i ‘Ilima returns to the Henry J. Leir Stage for the first time since 2012. The mission of a h?lau hula is to preserve and perpetuate Native Hawaiian arts and cultural traditions for future generations. At the core of this mission is the sharing of hula, which has been instrumental in the preservation and perpetuation of Native Hawaiian language, art, and cultural practices.
The h?lau provides training for children, teens, and adults, as well as introductory hula workshops and classes, under the direction of N? Kumu Hula Vicky Holt Takamine and Kumu Jeffrey K?nekaiwilani Takamine. The h?lau hula is based in Honolulu, with extensions in Nuioka (New York City) and Kaua?i.
Kumu Vicky Holt Takamine is recognized as a native Hawaiian leader for her artistry and advocacy on social justice issues, the protection of native Hawaiian rights, and the natural and cultural resources of Hawai`i. She is the recipient of the 2024 Gish Prize.
Watch a clip of Pua Ali’i ‘Ilima on Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive here:
Pua Ali’i ‘Ilima, 2012: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/pua-alii-ilima/hula-kahiko-mele-pana-hula-auana/
PERFORMANCE & TICKET DETAILS
Tickets are on sale now; online at jacobspillow.org and via phone at 413.243.0745
Sekou McMiller & Friends
July 30-August 3; Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7:30pm; Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm
Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65
Livestream: Friday, August 1 at 2pm
Encore Stream: Sunday, August 3 at 8pm through Monday, August 4 at 8pm
To learn more about our select Livestreams and Encore Streams, and to register to watch for free, visit jacobspillow.org/live
Eun-Me Ahn
July 30-August 3; Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 8pm; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:30pm
Doris Duke Theatre | Tickets from $65
Bulareyaung Dance Company
July 30-July 31; Wednesday and Thursday at 5:30pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Shine only from $40; Rain or Shine tickets from $50
Kara Jenelle & KaJe Movement Collective
Friday, August 1 at 5:30pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $40
Pua Ali’i ‘Ilima
Saturday, August 2 at 5:30pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $40
ADDITIONAL EVENTS
Morning Classes
July 29-August 1; 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
Pittsfield Library Watch Party: Sekou McMiller & Friends
Friday, August 1, 2pm
Auditorium at Berkshire Atheneum, Pittsfield’s Public Library | Free, pre-registration encouraged
Join us for a Jacob’s Pillow Watch Party of Sekou McMiller & Friends’ Urban Love Suite at the Pittsfield Public Library. These community-centered events will bring the spirit and energy of Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival performances into community spaces through a curated film screening, light refreshments, and facilitated conversations.
Each Watch Party includes:
A full-length screening of a current Pillow performance, filmed live at the Festival
A brief introductory welcome with context about the artist/company
Optional movement warm-up or community-building activity before the film
Light refreshments
All Styles Dance Battle
Friday, August 1, 9pm
Perles Family Studio | Tickets are $75
Join us for the annual All Styles Dance Battle, where dancers of any style—including Festival artists, dancers of The School at Jacob’s Pillow, regional artists, and more—will go head to head in a battle for first place. Expect explosive energy as tap dancers face off with hip-hop artists, and flamenco takes the floor against contemporary. DJ Buddha Stretch, host Toyin Sogunro and judges Sekou McMiller, Lisa La Touche, and Noahlot will hype up the crowd during this not-to-be-missed event! First-Place Prize: $1,000. Second-Place Prize: $500.
Eastern Woodlands Homesite
Saturday, August 2, 11am
Jacob’s Garden | Free with Registration encouraged
Join Andre StrongBearHeart Gaines, Jr., Creative Director of No Loose Braids, with Tracy Ramos, William SmallEarCoyote Connors, Miguel WanderingTurtle Garate, and Nazario TallHairRedDeer Garate to learn about Eastern Woodlands culture, land use, and living presence through exploration of a traditional Nipmuc homesite, located outdoors next to Jacob’s Garden. Please wear sturdy shoes appropriate for dirt paths, grass, and uneven terrain. Meet at the Welcome Center before walking along George Carter Road.
In Studio Pause in the Process Showings by The School: Tap Dance Performance Ensemble
Saturday, August 2, 1pm
Perles Family Studio | FREE
Join The School’s Tap Dance Performance Ensemble for an informal sharing of their work in the studio together during their first week of the 2025 Tap Dance Program. Led by Program Directors Dormeshia and Derick K. Grant, this showing will include work by Artist Faculty Lisa La Touche and Nicholas Van Young. Seating is limited; priority entry given to visitors who pre-register online. Walk-ups are also welcome, pending availability.
PillowTalk: Kumu Hula Vicky Holt Takamine
Saturday, August 2, 4pm
Blake’s Barn | FREE | Livestream available, no registration required.
Kumu Vicky Holt Takamine is a renowned kumu hula (master teacher) and advocate for native Hawaiian culture and rights. She is also the 2024 recipient of the Gish Prize which is given annually to an individual who has “made an outstanding contribution to the beauty of the world and to mankind’s enjoyment and understanding of life."
Workshop with Festival Artists: Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company
Sunday, August 3, 10-11:30am
Intermediate/advanced dancers, ages 16+
Join Jacoby Pruitt and Hannah Seiden from Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company for a workshop integrating the principles of American modern dance, the exploratory nature of postmodern movement, and the demands of current company repertoire. Focusing on understanding anatomical functions, reconnecting with form, and reinterpreting familiar movement pathways, the workshop emphasizes dynamic alignment, head-tail connection, and core stability as key drivers of movement. It begins by grounding the body in space, finding fluidity, and activating muscle groups essential for supporting the skeleton. From there, it progresses into exercises that develop spinal articulation and uncover sequential movement patterns. As the class advances, it incorporates larger movements through space that apply the learned principles and explore the company’s expansive and versatile repertoire of phrase work. Wear comfortable clothing; barefoot or socks recommended.
Family Music and Dance
Sunday, August 3, 11am-12pm
Sommers Studio | Registration required
Join Sandy Russell, a cherished teacher with over 20 years of experience in the Berkshires, for a taste of the Music Together® program. Her classes ignite children’s natural passion for music and movement. With active participation from parents and caregivers, regardless of musical expertise, everyone has fun. Through playful engagement in a stress-free environment, this class fosters music and movement connections between adults and children, aiming to infuse everyday family life with the joy of music-making. $25 per class, per family. Recommended for ages 6 and under. 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, historical costumes selected by Costume Curator Caroline Hamilton, 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.
ABOUT JACOB’S PILLOW
Jacob’s Pillow is a National Historic Landmark, recipient of the National Medal of Arts, and home to America's longest-running international dance festival, which celebrates its 93rd season in Summer 2025. Jacob’s Pillow acknowledges that it rests on the ancestral homelands of the Muh-he-con-ne-ok or Mohican people. We pay honor and respect to their ancestors and elders past and present as we commit to building a more inclusive and equitable space for all. In addition, we acknowledge the Nipmuc, the Wampanoag and other tribal nations who also made their homes in what is now known as Massachusetts.
Founded by Ted Shawn in 1933, each Festival includes national and international dance companies and free and ticketed performances, talks, tours, classes, exhibits, events, and community programs. The School at Jacob’s Pillow, a prestigious professional dance training center, advances the careers of the upcoming generation of performers and choreographers; during the Festival, 100 international dancers evolve as artists in ballet, choreography, contemporary, musical theatre, tap, and other genres, and year round, artist faculty and accomplished alumni nurture younger dancers in a series of Jacob’s Pillow 360 workshops and intensives offered in partnership with leading dance institutions worldwide. The Pillow also provides professional advancement opportunities across disciplines of arts administration, design, video, and production through seasonal internships and a year-round Administrative Fellows program. Through its community engagement programs, the Pillow serves as a partner and active citizen in its local community. The Pillow’s extensive Archives, open year-round to the public and highlighted online at danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org, chronicle more than a century of dance in photographs, programs, books, costumes, audiotapes, and videos.
Notable artists who have created or premiered dances at the Pillow include choreographers Antony Tudor, Agnes de Mille, Alvin Ailey, Donald McKayle, Kevin McKenzie, Twyla Tharp, Ralph Lemon, Susan Marshall, Trisha Brown, Ronald K. Brown, Wally Cardona, Andrea Miller, and Trey McIntyre; performed by artists such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Carmen de Lavallade, Mark Morris, Dame Margot Fonteyn, Edward Villella, Rasta Thomas, and hundreds of others. On March 2, 2011, President Barack Obama honored Jacob’s Pillow with a National Medal of Arts, the highest arts award given by the United States Government, making the Pillow the first dance presenting organization to receive this prestigious award. The Pillow’s Executive and Artistic Director since 2016 is Pamela Tatge. For more information, visit www.jacobspillow.org.
MAJOR INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT FOR JACOB’S PILLOW IS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY: Arison Arts Foundation, Barr Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Doris Duke Foundation, Ford Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund, and The Shubert Foundation. As of June 10, 2025.
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