Decidedly Jazz Danceworks

Decidedly Jazz Danceworks
August 9-13, 2023

Making their Jacob’s Pillow debut this summer, Decidedly Jazz Danceworks (DJD) is a 38-year-old jazz company from Calgary, Canada, dedicated to the rich traditions and boundless future of jazz dance. DJD is a crowd-pleasing favorite with a style that has been described as ‘music for the eyes.’ They are known for exceptional musicality and a rhythmic, percussive aesthetic, often performing with live music.

DJD dances in the spirit of jazz, recognizing themselves as guests in a form born out of Black American culture and the African American experience. Championing jazz in a time when not many dance companies are, the company was also featured in the documentary Uprooted: The Journey of Jazz Dance. The full company comes to the Pillow this summer accompanied by the six-piece Rubim de Toledo Ensemble with vocalist Karimah.

All performances by Decidedly Jazz Danceworks are preceded by a free 15-minute Pre-Show Talk led by Pillow Scholars-in-Residence, held in Blake’s Barn 30 minutes before showtime.