PillowVoices: Dance Through Time

Learn more about host Katherine Helen Fisher View excerpt of Lamentation: Dancing the Archive on Dance Interactive  

Judith Jamison dancing in 1988 at Jacob's Pillow on Dance Interactive Linda Celeste Sims performing Cry in 2007 at Jacob's Pillow on Dance Interactive Learn more about host Christian Warner  

Multi-media essay 'Tracing a Legacy: Martha Graham's Centuryl Long Journey to Jacob's Pillow'  

Ann Hutchinson Guest's Century Plus (2022)

Dance Interaction videos and essays related to this episode include: Soles of Duende Urban Bush Women   PillowVoices podcasts related to this episode include: Remembering Blondell Cummings with Paloma McGregor

Virginia Johnson of Dance Theatre of Harlem and Misty Copeland of American Ballet Theatre discuss their own training, the universality of performing classical ballets, the responsibilities of role models before and after the emergence of social media, and how dance skills can prepare young people for careers beyond the stage. Recorded during a 2014 PillowTalk moderated by Maura Keefe.

Behind the scenes stories of how the exhibition 'Connecting Through Time: 50 Seasons with Norton Owen' came together. Scholar in Residence Maura Keefe guides the conversation with exhibit curator Wendy Perron, Pillow Archivist Patsy Gay, and Director of Preservation Norton Owen. Recorded during July 2025 PillowTalk.

Dance Interactive Video Excerpts of Tap Performances at Jacob’s PillowDance Interactive Multimedia Essays on Tap curated by Brian Seibert 

See Frederic Franklin dancing with Alexandra Danilova in 1948 at Jacob's Pillow on DANCE INTERACTIVE'Frederic Franklin Returns' PillowTalk 2007 - video excerpt on YOUTUBE

Links to disability artistry projects mentioned in this podcast:POD Access by Thomas Reid and Cheryl GreenReid My Mind Radio hosted by Thomas ReidSocial Audio Description CollectiveKinetic LightKayla HamiltonChristopher Unpezverde NúñezKrishna WashburnCuriosity Paradox

Dance scholar Nancy Wozny highlights the life and work of Moroccan and Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Cherkaoui was honored with the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award in 2022 for his achievements in the worlds of both concert and commercial dance including choreography for Beyoncé and the Broadway production of Jagged Little Pill.

Norton Owen introduces highlights from past PillowTalks with choreographer Bill T. Jones, including reflections on his philosophy of partnering and its roots in contact improvisation. He also offers advice on how audiences might best approach his work and shares the personal story of a gift from two Pillow patrons.

Dance Scholar Mora-Amina Parker illuminates the historical and cultural context of Mr. Talley Beatty's choreography as well as the significant impact on in her course as a professional dancer after discovering his ballets.

Guest host Benjamin Richards focuses the lens on four different resident dance photographers: John Lindquist, Stephan Driscoll, Mike van Sleen and Christopher Duggan.

Highlights from a 2022 PillowTalk with Lynn Garafola, author of the biography La Nijinska: Choreographer of the Modern speaking with scholar-in-residence Brian Schaefer. Garafola illuminates Bronislava Nijinska’s life as a Russian born dancer, sibling to Vaslav Nijinsky, and groundbreaking 20th century ballet choreographer. Garafola also shares some fascinating documentation of Nijinska's pivotal connections to Jacob's Pillow.

Highlights from Carmen de Lavallade's Pillow debut as a dancer in Lester Horton's company in 1953, all the way through the premiere of her one woman show at the age of 83. Host Norton Owen guides us through the many spirited connections Ms. de Lavallade holds both in American dance history and with Jacob's Pillow.

Choreographer and teacher Maria Torres, historian Cassie Mey, and dancer Abdiel are each passing along Hustle social dance traditions in dynamic ways. Former Associate Curator Ali Rosa-Salas guides this 2022 PillowTalk about the origins of The Hustle, the resurgence of its popularity worldwide, and preservation efforts such as creating original theater works, oral histories, and producing intergenerational dance parties.

What could representation and opportunity for Hip Hop dance look like in the near future? Guest host Michele Byrd-McPhee revisits the 2023 conversation during PillowTalk: Hip Hop at 50, to build upon and expand into what is possible for the next 50 years.Interstitial music for this episode is from the live performance Hip Hop Across the Pillow as well as the All Styles Dance Battle event in 2023. Music: Darrin Ross, d. Sabela grimes ("All Goodness In," performed and written by Usual Rucker).Additional film and video from Hip Hop Across the Pillow can be found at: https://watch.jacobspillow.org/category/videos/hip-hop-across-the-pillowhttps://www.ladiesofhiphop.com/

Dance Scholar Dr. Arushi Singh dives into the historical and cultural context of three Contemporary Indian artists who are engaging with their own cultural inheritances as a vital aspect of reclaiming identity on their own terms.Video links:Inside the Pillow Lab: Hari Krishnan/inDANCE (2024) https://youtu.be/rS1QWdC771E?si=RDdlOkle16g-EGQDInside the Pillow Lab: Aakash Odedra (2024) https://youtu.be/7rFjqCfVd78?si=ZdqRw1FqXUlyg12UInside the Pillow Lab: Ananya Dance Theatre (2022) https://youtu.be/KgH-aIm7Q5E?si=Blzt2goEa_pU7TOY

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo's Artistic Director, Tory Dobrin, speaks with Jacob's Pillow Scholar-in-Residence, Maura Keefe, in this 2024 PillowTalk. Dobrin shares his own firsthand stories and reflects on the impact of 50 years of blending serious ballet technique with comedy and drag in this all-male company.Full PillowTalk including commentary on video excerpts of the company's repertoire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VzzAG70B3o Video playlist 'Gotta Laugh' featuring excerpt of Paquita by Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo:https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/playlists/gotta-laugh/ Video excerpt of Swan Lake by Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/les-ballets-trockadero-de-monte-carlo/le-lac-des-cygnes-swan-lake-act-ii/  

Political analyst Rachel Maddow speaks with Pillow scholar Suzanne Carbonneau in a 2009 PillowTalk. Maddow humanizes the political context of the early years of Jacob's Pillow and then offers her personal perspective on the meaningful role that the arts play within an evolving democracy.

In this excerpt from a 2004 PillowTalk, choreographer Shen Wei speaks with dance scholar Suzanne Carbonneau about his love of abstraction when making movement, stripping away narrative from musical scores, and integrating visual art into his stage works. Shen Wei also shares about his upbringing in the traditions of Chinese Opera and his early years after emigrating to New York City.

Christian Warner hosts this episode focused on the human body’s capacity to navigate collective grief, moving toward not only healing,  but self-actualization. Warner is a Black interdisciplinary performer, choreographer, and director. He shares his own  experiences as well as excerpts from conversations with dance artists Dormeshia, Camille A. Brown, Ronald K. Brown, and their collaborators.https://www.christianawarner.com/

In this episode of PillowVoices, we bring you an interview with choreographer Yin Mei. PillowScholar Suzanne Carbonneau sat down with Yin Mei to discuss her work titled Empty Traditions / City of Peonies in August, 1999. In a 1999 interview with Pillow Scholar Suzanne Carbonneau, Yin Mei talks about growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution, which stripped people of their history and traditions. She speaks of how her work combines her past with contemporary concerns, as she investigates and reclaims her heritage. Watch a clip of Empty Traditions / City of Peonies: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/yin-mei/empty-tradition-city-of-peonies/

In this episode, professor and choreographer Silvana Cardell contextualizes the work of the Mimulus Dance Company through the lens of adjacent histories and influences: Cardell from Argentina and Mimulus from Brazil.Watch a clip of Por Um Fio:https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/mimulus-dance-company/por-um-fio/Insights and influences, Silvana Cardell:In Buenos Aires, Cardell learned under the mentorship of Chilean choreographer Ana Itelman and grew up attending  Oscar Araiz’s performances. From them, she understood what it took to become an artist. Their work was influenced by German expressionism's emotional depth and American dance's physicality. Iteman and Araiz were former students of German soloist dancer Dore Hoyer and American choreographer Miriam Winslow, who was strongly connected to Jacob Pillow, first as a Denishwan student in 1932 and later returning in the 1940s to perform her own work. These influences, along with a strong foundation in contemporary dance forms, ballet training, and traditional Argentinean dance forms, determined the quality of Cardell's early work, which connects to the Mimulus Dance Company’s style. Pursuing artistic growth, influenced by teacher Ana, who had been faculty at Bard College, Cardell moved between Buenos Aires and the U.S. throughout the late 1980s, first as a student at The University of the Arts,  finally settling in the U.S. in 2004 after graduating with an MFA at Temple University.  Her educational journey in Philadelphia led to work with key figures in the dance community, such as Manfred Fishbeck and Merian Soto, mentors and collaborators who fostered a creative dialogue that extends into her creative work, today.  

Jennifer Edwards hosts this episode honoring the life and legacy of former New York City Ballet dancer, Jacques d'Amboise, in his own words. Recorded during his only Pillow appearance in 2008, d'Amboise reflects on his beginnings as a dancer and his efforts to welcome more young people into his beloved art form.

Lisa Niedermeyer hosts this episode exploring the connections between puppetry in contemporary dance and emerging technologies such as augmented reality, artificial intelligence and spatial computing. The episode focuses on a  piece titled "Underground River" which was conceived and directed by Jane Comfort and developed in residency at Jacob’s Pillow. We hear from puppet artist Basil Twist, the director and choreographer Jane Comfort, and one of the performers, Stephen Nunley.Watch an excerpt of Underground River: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/jane-comfort-and-company/underground-river/

Jacob's Pillow Associate Archivist Patsy Gay hosts this episode featuring excerpts of a 1998 PillowTalk. In this conversation between choreographers Ralph Lemon and Susan Marshall, we hear insights about their own beginnings in dance along with their individual ways of creating work.

Poet and dance writer Karen Hildebrand hosts this episode focusing on how text and spoken word are used in dance. Included are examples from works by Liz Lerman, Joe Goode, and Carmen de Lavallade. Hildebrand is the former editorial director for Dance Magazine, and a past editor in chief of Dance Teacher magazine.*Of note: the music that underlies Martha Wittman's monologue in Liz Lerman's piece, "Of Fertile Fields," was composed by Robert Een.

Christy Bolingbroke, Executive / Artistic Director of the National Center for Choreography - Akron, hosts this episode focused on the the relationships of choreographic practice and various technologies. Referenced in this episode are works by David Parsons, David Rousseve, Compagnie Kafig, Rennie Harris/Puremovement American Street Dance Theater, and Ragamala Dance Company.Jacob’s Pillow Dance InteractiveDavid Parsons CaughtDavid Rousseve/REALITY Stardust

Jennifer Edwards hosts this episode honoring Gus Solomons jr, the celebrated choreographer, writer, and teacher. As the first Black dancer in the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Solomons was both a trailblazer and a trendsetter, forming his own company and making more than 150 works before his death in August 2023 at the age of 84.In this episode: Excerpts from Mondays with Merce: Episode 14 Merce as Model (2010). Director/Producer: Nancy Dalva. (c) Merce Cunningham Trust. All rights reserved.Resources:Mondays with Merce #14: Merce as Model, with Gus Solomons, Jr.Remembering Gus Solomons Jr. 1938 - 2023Gus Solomons Jr., 84, Dies; a Rare Black Presence in Experimental DanceChoreography in Focus: Wendy Perron and Gus Solomons Jr. 

Jennifer Edwards hosts this episode focused on Trisha Brown, one of the most celebrated choreographers to emerge from Judson Dance Theater and the postmodern era. Brown is in conversation with Deborah Jowitt, the influential choreographer, scholar, dance critic, and educator. We also hear from art historian and Brown specialist Susan Rosenberg.Essay on Trisha  Brown: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/themes-essays/women-in-dance/trisha-brown/ 

Many choreographers draw inspiration from their ancestors, nature, and the spiritual world, and Teena Marie Custer explores some examples with help from Sandra Laronde, Christopher K. Morgan, Ananya Chatterjea, Michelle N. Gibson, and others.

In this second part of a 2-episode series, Dr. C. Kemal Nance examines the movements, meaning, and structure of the contemporary African dance technique known as Umfundalai.https://www.umfundalai.net

Dr. C. Kemal Nance hosts this episode honoring Dr. Kariamu Welsh and celebrating the dance technique that she developed called Umfundalai.https://www.umfundalai.net

Jennifer Edwards hosts this episode honoring the life and legacy of teacher and choreographic mentor, Bessie Schönberg. Included are excerpts of D.A. Pennebaker's documentary film entitled, "Bessie: A Portrait of Bessie Schönberg," with remembrances from Merce Cunningham, Jerome Robbins, Meredith Monk and from Schönberg herself.Schönberg speaking about how to watch dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaAI6uyUn0Y

With the help of his colleague Elise Bernhardt, Stephan Koplowitz traces his early years at Jacob's Pillow, where ideas were planted that led to a fruitful, life-long career and his book entitled “On Site: Methods for Site-Specific Performance Creation.” Featured are inside looks at Dancing In The Streets and Grand Central Dances, as well as Joanna Haigood's thoughts about her work process as a site choreographer. Book, "On Site: Methods for Site-Specific Performance Creation" https://www.stephankoplowitz.com/onsitebookVideo, "Fenestrations" (1987) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxCkkMPypGcVideo, "Fenestrations2" (1999) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcMW78qRuSo

Poet and dance writer Karen Hildebrand hosts this two-part podcast, focusing on dramaturgy and dance. In this second part, Hildebrand explores how dramaturgs have worked with choreographers at the Pillow, focusing on works by Bebe Miller, Jane Comfort, and Rennie Harris. Hildebrand is the former editorial director for Dance Magazine, and a past editor in chief of Dance Teacher magazine.

Poet and dance writer Karen Hildebrand hosts this two-part podcast focusing on dramaturgy and dance. In this first part, Hildebrand defines the role of a dramaturg, drawing extensively upon a 2014 PillowTalk with dramaturg Anne Davison and Scholar-in-Residence Maura Keefe.

Dr. Iquail Shaheed offers a personal reflection on the life, work, and profound impact of his teacher and mentor, Milton Myers. Shaheed frames this exploration with thinking from his recent doctoral dissertation on Myers, a mainstay of The School at Jacob’s Pillow since 1985.

Visual artist Yve Laris Cohen reflects on his exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art entitled 'Studio/Theater' with Jacob's Pillow Director of Preservation Norton Owen. The exhibition featured remnants of the Pillow's Doris Duke Theatre, which was destroyed by fire in November 2020. This is a sequel to Episode 44 with MoMA curator Martha Joseph and former Pillow Director Liz Thompson. 

Crystal U. Davis, dancer, movement analyst, scholar, and author of Dance and Belonging: Implicit Bias and Inclusion in Dance Education, unpacks implicit and explicit bias as it relates to the relationship between audiences, dance-makers, and styles of dance. 

The remains of the Pillow's Doris Duke Theatre were memorialized in an exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art by visual artist Yve Laris Cohen. In conversation are exhibition curator Martha Joseph and two participants in related performance events, former Pillow Director Liz Thompson and Preservation Director Norton Owen.

In this episode, we join Pillow Scholar Theresa Ruth Howard in conversation with Lourdes Lopez on the occasion of her tenth anniversary as artistic director of Miami City Ballet.The entire talk can be experienced here: PillowTalk: Celebrating Lourdes Lopez *This episode was produced by Lisa Niedermeyer. 

Hosted by Brian Schaefer, this episode is an exploration of how gay history is intertwined with the Pillow’s very beginnings, often hiding in plain sight.Related episodes of PillowVoices:https://pillowvoices.org/episodes/barton-mumaw-a-cornerstone-of-the-pillowhttps://pillowvoices.org/episodes/ted-shawn-jacobs-pillow-founder-in-his-own-words*This episode was produced by Lisa Niedermeyer. 

A recording of a conversation that took place in 2002, moderated by Reginald Yates. We hear the voices of Donald McKayle, Cleo Parker Robinson, and Julie Belafonte in addition to insights and reflections from Katherine Dunham herself.

Dance scholar Cynthia Williams guides a deep dive into two different political works made by choreographer Jane Comfort in the 1990s, revealing the striking connections to American social injustices escalating today.*This episode was directed by Lisa Niedermeyer.

Ellen Chenoweth hosts this exploration into the work of influential dance artist Liz Lerman, including the voices of Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, James Frazier, and Pamela Tatge, as well as numerous passages in Lerman's own words.

In this episode, hosted by dance and costume historian Caroline Hamilton, we learn about the summer of 1941 and the events that led to the incorporation of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and the building of the Ted Shawn Theatre.  

As a founding presence at Jacob's Pillow from 1931 to 2001, Barton Mumaw embodied much of the institution's history, brought into the light by episode host Lisa Niedermeyer with Mumaw's own words.