By Program

“Not only is each member of the Pillow family wonderfully helpful and delightful to interact with, but the faculty is absolutely mind-blowing. Their names are ones I have heard many times before but never imagined I’d be working with at such an intimate level.”
- Christopher Howard, Jacob's Pillow faculty

By Program

Viktor Plotnikov

Ballet Program Gala Choreographer

Viktor Plotnikov was born in Kharkov City, Ukraine, and began his training at the age of 11 at the Kiev-Ukraine School and continued at the St. Petersburg Ballet Academy. From 1987 to 1990, he was a soloist with Donetsk...

Anna-Marie Holmes

Ballet Program Director

Anna-Marie Holmes, artistic director, choreographer, producer, teacher and  celebrated ballerina is an internationally acclaimed luminary. Her interpretations of the Russian classics have been staged in more than 30 countries on five continents. In 1997, she received the Dance Magazine award...

Ramona Pansegrau

Ballet Program Music Director

Ramona Pansegrau became musical director and conductor for Kansas City  Ballet in 2006. Prior to that, she had been music director for Tulsa Ballet for nine years and conductor of the Tulsa Symphony orchestra for ballet performances. She was principal...

Adam Sklute

Ballet Program Faculty

Adam Sklute was named artistic director of Ballet West in 2007. Prior tothat time, he was with The Joffrey Ballet for nearly 25 years. A native of Berkeley, California, Sklute did not begin dancing until the age of 15. After...

Stephanie Saland

Ballet Program Master Class Artist

Stephanie Saland was born in Brooklyn, and entered The School of American Ballet at age 15. Three years later she was invited by George Balanchine to join the New York City Ballet (NYCB) and, in a 21-year career with NYCB,...

Kee-Juan Han

Ballet Program Faculty

Kee-Juan Han is School Director of The Washington School of Ballet. From 1993 to 2003, he directed The School of Ballet Arizona. His dance career began in his native Singapore, where he began his training at age 10 with Florrie...

Rennie Harris

Cultural Traditions Program Director

Lorenzo "Rennie" Harris, raised in an African-American community in North  Philadelphia, has taught workshops and classes at universities nationwide since the age of 15. He is a powerful spokesperson for the significance of "street" origins in any dance style. In...

Marjory Smarth

Cultural Traditions Program Faculty

Marjory Smarth was born in November of 1969 on the island of Haiti. She  moved to the upper west side of New York City by 1974. Though she was already familiar with the native dances of her culture, in the...

Mr. Wiggles

Cultural Traditions Program Technique Faculty

Mr. Wiggles is a proud member of three major forces in hip-hop and funk  styles culture; the "Rock Steady Crew", the "Electric Boogaloos", and "Zulu Nation". He started his career as a dancer by battling throughout the tough streets of...

Cachet Ivey

Cultural Traditions Program Faculty

Cachet Ivey, an independent artist and accomplished performer, teaches and performs West African dance all over Philadelphia, devoting time and energy to the youth in her community. Currently, she teaches open community classes at the Hawthorne Cultural Center. Prior to...

Anthony "Ynot" DeNaro

Cultural Traditions Program Faculty

Anthony DeNaro, a.k.a. Bboy Ynot, is a member of the legendary dancetroupe known as the "Rock Steady Crew". He is most known for his rhythmic approach to the dance which has earned him respect from pioneers such as Crazy Legs...

Moncell Durden

Cultural Traditions Program Faculty

Moncell "ill Kozby" Durden is a Philadelphia-based choreographer, dancer, educator and dance historian. Michael Jackson, the Lockers, early 20th century musical films, and Mop-Top Crew, a pioneering dance ensemble from New York City, all inspired him in 1988 to embark...

Pamela Pribisco

Contemporary Traditions Program Floor Barre and Ballet Faculty

Born in Ohio, Pamela Pribisco was a principal dancer with the Cleveland  Ballet, performing the works of George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, Leonide Massine and Kurt Jooss. As a highly respected teacher of classical ballet and pointe in New York...

John Levis

Contemporary Traditions Program Music Director

John Levis, a native Philadelphian, is a composer-pianist and synthesist who has been involved with the Philadelphia dance community since 1971. It was after his graduation magna cum laude from the Philadelphia Musical Academy (now University of the Arts) in...

Milton Myers

Contemporary Traditions Program Director

Milton Myers teaches for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey/ Fordham B.F.A. Program, The Juilliard School and STEPS on Broadway, and is an instructor and resident choreographer for Philadanco. He has taught for many prominent companies and festivals worldwide...

Aszure Barton

Contemporary Traditions Program Guest Choreographer

Aszure Barton has forever danced and made dances. She was born in  Edmonton, Alberta, and received her formal dance training at the National Ballet School in Toronto where, as a student, she helped originate the ongoing Stephen Godfrey Choreographic Showcase....

Francisco Martinez

Contemporary Traditions Program Ballet Faculty

Francisco Martinez was a dancer with Compania Nacional de Danza (Spain) and Ballet Royal de Wallonie (Belgium). His performance experience is diverse, including works of Petipa, Fokine, Balanchine, Jiri Kylian, Hans Van Manen, Nacho Duato, Vicente Nebrada, Alberto Alonso and...

Banu Ogan

Contemporary Traditions Program Technique Faculty

Banu Ogan was born in Ankara, Turkey and grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where she studied ballet with Lila Higgins and won a National Society of Arts and Letters Career Award in Dance. In 1991, she graduated with a bachelor's...

Tero Saarinen

Contemporary Traditions Program Guest Artist Choreographer

Tero Saarinen, artistic director, dancer, choreographer, dancer-choreographer, began his career as a dancer with the Finnish National Ballet in 1985, where he soon attracted attention as a soloist. Despite his success, he left the ballet in 1992 to seek new...

Stacey Calvert

Contemporary Traditions Program Ballet Faculty

Stacey Calvert began her ballet training at the Calvert-Brodie School ofDance, studying with her mother and godmother. In 1980, she entered the School of American Ballet and joined the corps de ballet of the New York City Ballet (NYCB) in...

Arturo Fernandez

Contemporary Traditions Program Repertory Faculty

Arturo Fernandez has been the ballet master of Alonzo King's LINES Ballet  since 1992. His career in dance includes work as a professional dancer, choreographer and master teacher. He received his training at the United States International University under the...

Helen Pickett

Contemporary Traditions Program Guest Choreographer

Helen Pickett studied dance at the San Francisco Ballet School. While in  school, she performed with the San Francisco Ballet under the direction of Michael Smuin and Lew Christensen, and later, Helgi Tomasson. For more than a decade, she performed...

Chet Walker

Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program Director

Chet Walker, a performer on Broadway since the age of sixteen, has many  Broadway credits to his name; most prominently he has appeared in the Bob Fosse musicals The Pajama Game, Pippin, Dancin', and Sweet Charity. As an international director...

Bill Hastings

Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program Guest Artist Choreographer

Bill Hastings has performed in over 40 musicals and plays including Broadway and national touring productions of The Most Happy Fella, A Chorus Line, Cabaret, Rags, Bob Fosse's Dancin' and Sweet Charity. Hastings has choreographed more than 40 productions for...

Dana Moore

Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Guest Artist Choreographer

Dana Moore was last seen on Broadway in the smash hit Chicago. If you  missed her in the Broadway production of Fosse, you can catch her on the DVD. A veteran Fosse dancer, Moore worked directly with Bob Fosse as...

Steve Marzullo

Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program Music Director

Steve Marzullo received his training at the Manhattan School of Music. His  New York credits include: musical director for Once On This Island, Working (Actors' Fund) and Having It Almost (NYMF); associate conductor for Mamma Mia, Seussical, Grease (1st revival),...

Ric Ryder

Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program Vocal Coach

Ric Ryder grew up working in musical theatre in his native Baltimore and  Washington. He trained in classical voice on scholarship at Baltimore's famed Peabody Conservatory and received a B.F.A. in Vocal Performance from the University of Maryland. He continues...

Timothy Kasper

Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program Technique Faculty – Pilates and Yoga

Timothy Kasper is a dancer, singer, actor, director, choreographer and  teacher. His work has been seen in New York, on national and international tours, in regional theatres and at Jacob's Pillow. His staging and performing credits include A Chorus Line,...

Spence Ford

Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program Guest Artist Choreographer

Spence Ford is delighted to be part of historic Jacob's Pillow Dance, working  with longtime friend and colleague Chet Walker. Originally from Richmond, VA, she enjoyed an 18-year performing career in New York City before she embarked on her second...

Molly Hickok

Choreographers Lab Program Performance Coach for Dancers

Molly Hickok is a founding member of Big Dance Theater. She has appearedas an actor/dancer in 14 of its works, including The Other Here, Plan B, Mac Wellman's Antigone, A Simple Heart and Shunkin, in New York City, at City...

Paul Lazar

Choreographers Lab Program Co-Director

Paul Lazar founded Big Dance Theater in 1991 with Annie-B Parson. His workwith the company includes conceiving, directing and/or performing in such works as PLAN B, Mac Wellman's Antigone, CSC's Another Telepathic Thing, Shunkin, Mac Wellman's Girl Gone as well...

Annie-B Parson

Choreographers Lab Program Co-Director

Annie-B Parson started Big Dance Theater in 1991 with its first performances at Dance Theater Workshop. Her subsequent choreography with Big Dance has appeared in venues including: The American Dance Festival, Jacob's Pillow, Spoleto Festival, MCA/Chicago, The Walker Arts Center,...

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