Limón Dance Company Brings 75th Anniversary Festivities To Jacob's Pillow Festival
Works by Limón, Doris Humphrey, and Olivier Taparga were performed, and Music From The Sole showcased tap's afro-diasporic roots Wednesday through Sunday.
Blake's Barn also hosted two free PillowTalks. Limón Dance Company's artistic director Dante Puleio screened movie snippets titled "Limón Onscreen," and Curriculum in Motion co-founder Celeste Miller discussed the program's participation at the Pillow and dancing in early childhood education.
Monday and Tuesday from 4-5pm were free Curriculum in Motion Institute sessions. After the artists' talk, there was a Q&A.
Sunday morning, Music From The Sole hosted an all-ages workshop. This percussion experience and cultural lecture was led by Artistic Directors Leonardo Sandoval and Gregory Richardson. No experience necessary, aged 5 and up.
"The history of Jacob's Pillow and the Limón Dance Company are intricately intertwined. We've put together a program to recognize Dante Puleio's artistic vision for the company's future and our common past "Jacob's Pillow exec/artistic dir. Pamela Tatge said.
The Limón Dance Company was founded in 1946 to honor José Limón and his professors Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman, whose groundbreaking works altered American dance. The Joan B. Hunter New Work Commission commissioned Olivier Taparga's new piece Only One Will Rise for the Pillow's 90th anniversary.
Music From The Sole, co-founded by Gregory Richardson and Leonardo Sandoval, played I Didn't Come to Stay. The work was made during Guggenheim-supported residencies at Pillow Lab and 2020 bubble.
The group plays in music and dance venues to introduce tap dance to new audiences. Jacob's Pillow alum Sandoval performs with Dorrance Dance, where Richardson is Musical Director.
The Pillow's Curriculum in Motion Institute will be in residence, inviting choreographers to campus for their last module of this 12-month professional training school taught by Celeste Miller, Kimberli Boyd, and Michael Richter. Artists will share their Jacob's Pillow Curriculum in Motion results in public schools, parks, hospitals, and retreat centers. Q&A followed the presentations.
ABOUT LIMÓN DANCE COMPANY
Considered "one of the world's greatest dance companies," Limón Dance Company focuses on technical brilliance, dramatic performance, and exceptional movements while aiming to inspire future generations.
José Limón's legacy lives on through the José Limón Dance Foundation, which supports the Limón Dance Company and the Limón Institute. Limón, a disenfranchised, hispanic artist, founded the company to promote underrepresented populations via dance.
ABOUT MUSIC FROM THE SOLE
Music From The Sole honors tap's afro-diasporic roots by emphasizing on Afro-Brazilian music. The ensemble performs at Lincoln Center, Kaatsbaan, The Yard, and Battery Dance Festival to promote American vernacular dance. The group works with the National Dance Institute and Lincoln Center Education to increase social impact and involvement.
ABOUT CURRICULUM IN MOTION
Curriculum in Motion emphasizes "dance for everyone." Celeste Miller and "J.R." Glover founded the curriculum in 1993 to promote dance as a body-based system of physical, mental, emotional, creative, and spiritual activities. Curriculum in Motion partners with K-12 schools, museums, after-school programs, non-profits, medical groups, corporations, and civic planners.
ABOUT JACOB'S PILLOW
Jacob's Pillow is a National Historic Landmark, National Medal of Arts laureate, and home to America's longest-running international dance festival. Jacob's Pillow commemorates the Muh-he-con-ne-ok, Agawam, Nipmuc, and Pocumtuc, who lived in Western Massachusetts. Past, current, and future Elders are honored. Each Festival offers free and ticketed concerts, talks, tours, seminars, exhibits, events, and community programming. The School at Jacob's Pillow, a famous professional dance training school, offers Contemporary Ballet, Contemporary, Tap, Photography, Choreography, and an annual rotating curriculum. The Pillow offers internships and a year-round Administrative Fellows program for arts administration, design, video, and production professionals.
