Jacob's Pillow Dance

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Francisco Martinez

Ballet Technique and Alignment • July 17-24

Francisco Martinez was a dancer with Compania Nacional de Danza (Spain) and Ballet Royal de Wallonie (Belgium) performing diverse works, including those of Marius Petipa, Michel Fokine, George Balanchine, Jirí Kylián and Nacho Duato. He was rehearsal director for Ballet...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

Karole Armitage

Ballet Program Faculty and Gala Guest Choreographer • June 14-20

Karole Armitage is director of the New York-based Armitage Gone! Dance  Company. After dancing in George Balanchine's Geneva Ballet (1973-1975) and with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company (1976-1981), she developed a unique choreographic style. Christened by Vanity Fair as 'Punk...

Kee-Juan Han

Ballet Program Faculty • June 16-18

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...

Adam Sklute

Ballet Program Faculty • June 20-27

Adam Sklute is Artistic Director of Ballet West following a 25-year career as a dancer with The Joffrey Ballet which began under Robert Joffrey. He served as Assistant Ballet Master/Artistic Coordinator prior to his appointment at Ballet West in 2007....

Nina Ananiashvili

Ballet Program Master Class Faculty • June 27

Nina Ananiashvili and The State Ballet of Georgia will perform at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival June 23-27....

Virginia Johnson

Ballet Master Class Faculty • June 16-18

Virginia Johnson, a founding member and principal dancer with Dance Theatre  of Harlem, became Artistic Director of the company in January 2010. She is the former editor in chief of Pointe magazine. Johnson joined Dance Theatre of Harlem in 1969...

Ramona Pansegrau

Ballet Program Music Director • June 13-26

Ramona Pansegrau returns for the 8th year as music director for the Ballet  Program. For the last five years, Pansegrau has been music director and conductor for Kansas City Ballet. Prior to this, she was principal pianist/solo pianist with Boston...

Felix Ventouras

Music Director • June 20-27

Felix Ventouras' music has been performed at the Meyerson Symphony Center,  The McKinney Avenue Contemporary, and Mercyhurst College, and premiered at the Music Festival of the Hamptons, the National Arts Club, Clark Studio Theater at Lincoln Center, and the Joyce...

Dianne Walker

Tap Program Director • June 28-July11

A performer in the Tony Award-winning Black and Blue, Walker had the  prestigious honor of being the only female in its famed Hoofers Line. Her film credits include the movie Tap and PBS Great Performances: Tap Dance in America. A...

Harold Cromer

Tap Program Guest Artist • July 5-11

Harold Cromer began his career as a tap dancer on roller skates at the Hudson  Guild. As a teenager, Cromer landed a role in Cole Porter's Du Barry was a Lady with Bert Lahr, Ethel Merman, and Betty Grable. He...

Derick K. Grant

Tap Program Faculty • June 28-July 4

Derick K. Grant has worked as performer, choreographer, and director for over three decades. Under the direction of two time Tony Award winning director George C. Wolfe, he was an original company member and Dance Captain for Bring In 'Da...

Ray Hesselink

Tap Program Faculty • July 5-11

Ray Hesselink is a Director/Choreographer living and working in New York City. Hesselink has presented choreography at various festivals and venues around New York City, most recently at the New York Musical Theater Festival and Tap City. As a performer,...

Tasha Lawson

Tap Program Faculty • June 28-July 4

Tasha Lawson is Artistic Director of Tri-Tone Productions, a dance company offering interdisciplinary solo and ensemble performance works in the mediums of Body Percussion, Tap, and Contemporary Dance. Lawson's body percussion technique, transcribing tap vocabulary into body rhythms, is taught...

Paul Arslanian

Tap Program Music Director • June 28-July11

Paul Arslanian is a professional pianist, composer, and dance accompanist.  In 1979, Arslanian co-founded the Jazz Tap Ensemble and, as music director, worked with Honi Coles, Foster Johnson, Cookie Cook, Eddie Brown, Harold and Fayard Nicholas, and many other tap...

Sarah Reich

Assistant to Harold Cromer • June 28-July 4

Sarah Reich has assisted tap legend Harold Cromer for the past five years at  festivals such as Tap City, St. Louis Tap Festival, Chicago Human Rhythm Project, and Los Angeles Tap Festival. She has studied with Alfred Desio, Cyd Glover,...

Pedro Ruiz

Ballet Faculty for Contemporary Program • July 25-August 1

Pedro Ruiz trained in his native Cuba and in Venezuela. While a principal  dancer with Ballet Hispanico, Ruiz choreographed three celebrated ballets, and subsequently has choreographed for other companies, including The Joffrey. He teaches master classes regularly at Alvin Ailey...

Milton Myers

Contemporary Program Director • July 11-July 31

Recognized world-wide as a master teacher, Milton Myers is resident   choreographer and instructor for Philadanco and on the faculties of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Fordham University's Ailey Program and The Juilliard School. Myers received his BFA from the...

Ronald K. Brown

Contemporary Program Guest Artist Choreographer • July 12-18

Ronald K. Brown is the founder and artistic director of Evidence DanceCompany, based in Brooklyn, New York. Brown's choreography is in high demand. He has set works on Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Cleo Parker Robinson Ensemble, Dayton...

Carla Maxwell

Contemporary Program Faculty • July 12-18

Carla Maxwell joined the Limón Dance Company in 1965. She soon became a  principal dancer and, in 1975, served as Assistant Artistic Director under Ruth Currier. Maxwell was appointed Artistic Director in 1978, and during her tenure the Company has...

Janet Panetta

Ballet Faculty for Contemporary Program • July 12-18

After training with Antony Tudor, Margaret Craske and Alfredo Corvino, Janet Panetta danced with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Performing in modern and post modern companies, she was called "one of the best performers in fifty years"...

Igal Perry

Ballet Faculty for Contemporary Program • July 19-25

Israeli born Igal Perry is Founder and Artistic Director of Peridance Center in  New York City. Perry began his dance career with Bat-Dor Dance Company of Israel. He spent a year in Holland studying with Richard Gibson at Netherlands Dance...

Pamela Pribisco

Ballet Technique and Alignment • July 24-July 30

Pamela Pribisco was a principal dancer with the Cleveland Ballet for ten  years. She served as Ballet Mistress for the Cleveland Ballet, American Ballroom Theatre, and Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, for which she choreographed and staged numerous pieces...

Hofesh Shechter

Contemporary Program Guest Artist Choreographer • July 26-August 1

Hofesh Shechter is one of the United Kingdom's most exciting artists,  recognized as both a choreographer and composer. Born in Jerusalem, Hofesh graduated from Jerusalem Academy for Dance and Music before joining Batsheva Dance Company. After his choreographic debut, Fragments,...

Didy Veldman

Contemporary Program Guest Artist Choreographer • July 19-25

Dutch choreographer Didy Veldman trained in numerous techniques at Scapino Academy in Amsterdam. Following her training, she danced with Scapino Ballet, Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, and Rambert Dance Company; working with choreographers such as Jirí Kylián, Mats Ek,...

John Levis

Contemporary Program Music Director • July 11-July 31

John Levis is a composer, pianist and synthesist who has been involved with the Philadelphia dance community since 1971. A graduate of University of the Arts, he has worked with Philadelphia schools and companies, including University of the Arts, where...

Bill Hastings

Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program Guest Artist Choreographer• August 14-22

Bill Hastings is a veteran Broadway artist, appearing in over fifty 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. He has choreographed...

Timothy Kasper

Yoga Instructor and Assistant to the Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program Director • August 2-23

Timothy Kasper is an actor, choreographer, dancer, director, singer, and  teacher. He has collaborated on more than 50 musical productions, nationally and internationally. As a facilitator and teacher, he has privately coached a wide range of performing artists and athletes...

Dana Moore

Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Guest Artist Faculty • TBA

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...

Russ Nyberg

Russ Nyberg is a freelance drummer/percussionist based in New York City. He has performed in over 30 local musical theater productions in the Seattle and New York metropolitan areas. He has also toured the U.S., Canada and internationally with Chicago...

Ric Ryder

Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program Vocal Coach • TBA

Ric Ryder performed on Broadway in The Music Man, Grease, and Blood  Brothers, among others. He appeared Off-Broadway in A New Brain, The Jazz Singer, Chess, and Gifts of the Magi. Ryder can be heard singing on voiceovers in television...

Steve Marzullo

Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Program Music Director • August 2-23

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),...

Lainie Sakakura

Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance Guest Artist Choreographer • August 2-8

Lainie Sakakura trained with the San Francisco Ballet for 8 years before  joining Ballet Hispanico and then transitioning to her greatest love, musicals. She has performed on Broadway in Chita Rivera-The Dancer's Life, Flower Drum Song (revival), The King and...

Jerry Leake

Jerry Leake is co-founder of the acclaimed world-music ensemble Natraj. He also performs with Club d'Elf, R.A.R.E, and the Agbekor Society. He is featured on dozens of CDs and has released several recordings of his own music including "Cubist" which has...

Celeste Miller

Choreographers Lab Program Co-Director • August 24-31

Renowned for her solo performance and choreographic projects developed in  collaboration with participants, Celeste Miller is a pioneering artist educator. She is recipient of a Choreographer's Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, co-author and choreographer for the national...

Lisa Donovan

Choreographers Lab Program Co-Director • August 24-31

A theatre artist, educator, and arts-based researcher, Lisa Donovan is  Associate Professor and Director of the Creative Arts in Learning Division at Lesley University. Donovan has presented her work at national and international conferences including the Qualitative Inquiry Group in...