Workshops
with Festival Artists

Workshops with Festival Artists

Workshops with Festival Artists offer unique experiences for movers to explore repertory, genres, and techniques from leading dance artists. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged online or by calling 413.243.0745. Walk-ups and quiet observation welcome, pending capacity. Pay via online pre-registration or cash/card at the door.

Schedule of 2023 Workshops

Classes will be held Sundays, July 2 through August 27, from 10-11:30am in the Perles Family Studio. Locations are subject to change.

Past 2023 Workshops

Mark Morris Dance Group
July 2, 10-11:30am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+
Join Mark Morris Dance Group company member Domingo Estrada Jr. for this workshop exploring movement drawn from a variety of contemporary styles. Technical exercises are designed to engage and challenge participants’ minds and bodies, while across the floor phrases emphasize fluidity. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn phrases from Mark Morris repertory. Please wear comfortable clothing to move in.

Dutch National Ballet
July 9, 10-11:30am
Open to Int/Adv dancers, ages 12+
Join Associate Artistic Director of Dutch National Ballet Rachel Beaujean for a Vaganova-based classical ballet class. Participants will be led through a ballet barre, followed by center and across the floor exercises. Form fitting clothing and ballet flats are encouraged.

Gauthier Dance
July 16, 10-11:30am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+
Anyone can dance—and dancing simply makes you happy! Join Eric Gauthier and Luis Eduardo Sayago of Gauthier Dance in this workshop designed to get you moving. Neither perfection nor proficiency are required. This workshop is about feeling the body with a new awareness. Following a thorough warm-up, participants are encouraged to contribute suggestions and movement sequences to choreography. The result is a choreography that is as individual as the workshop group—and an unforgettable shared experience.

Dorrance Dance
July 23, 10-11:30am
Open to all dance experiences levels, ages 12+
Learn new material and challenge your technique and artistry with Dorrance Dance company dancer Claudia Rahardjanoto. Participants will experience a brief warm-up, followed by a session where they will learn different snippets of choreography. Please wear comfortable clothes to move in. Participants are welcome to dance in tap shoes or hard sole shoes.

Surrender to the Rhythms with Patrick Parson
July 30, 10-11:30am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+
Learn the movement aesthetics of the modern dance techniques of Dunham, Graham, and Horton with Patrick Parson. Participants will explore the musicality and polymovement structure of African and African diasporic dances with roots from Guinea, Senegal, Ghana, and the Caribbean while expanding their understanding of what dance is. Live musical accompaniment provided by Greyling Love. Wear comfortable clothing to move in.

Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater
August 6, 10-11:30am
Intermediate/advanced dancers, ages 16+
Join Rodney Hill, Maggie Waller, and Rachel Snider for a workshop exploring Hip Hop styles as sources of inspiration for vocabulary and choreography. Participants are led through movement that is technically tied to complex, invigorating, uplifting, and driving rhythms. Movements and techniques emphasizing strength, flexibility, and stamina will be defined and developed into combinations. Participants should wear sneakers (no bare feet, socks, or jazz shoes, please) and loose fitting clothing. Come with an open mind and positive energy to learn dance styles that have emerged from the African American and Latino communities of inner-city America.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet
August 13, 10-11:30am
Intermediate/advanced, ages 12+
Join Desmond Richardson for this workshop exploring NIQUE, the official training system of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. NIQUE bridges the divide between classical and contemporary movement languages. It activates keen memorization skills allowing students to quickly interpret complex movement sequences. It also increases the body’s availability and fluency in nuanced movement vocabularies. NIQUE helps dancers unlock their expressive potential through highly physical and dynamic exploration. Please wear ballet shoes and tight-fitting clothing. Baggy attire is not recommended.

Martha Graham Dance Company
August 20, 10-11:30am
Open to Int/Adv dancers, ages 16+
Led by Graham artist Joyce Herring, this class is designed to give students insight into Martha Graham’s innovations and her concept of “contraction and release,” the foundations of this unique form of physical expression. Phrases and movements from the repertory that the Martha Graham Dance Company will present in its performances at Jacob’s Pillow will be included. Previous study of the Graham Technique is not required. Form-fitting clothing suggested.

Compagnie Käfig
August 27, 10-11:30am
Beginner/intermediate dancers, ages 16+
Explore hip hop styles and postures through this freestyle dance workshop guided by Kader Belmoktar and Rémi Autechaud of Compagnie Käfig. Participants will explore different ways of feeling and expressing music. The experience will culminate in a soul train that celebrates hip hop and the creativity of the participants. Please wear comfortable clothing to move in and soft sneakers. A water bottle is recommended!

2023 Waitlist Policy
If a class is unavailable, we encourage you to continue checking our website for released tickets and call the Community Engagement department at 413.243.9919 x163. Capacity is limited. Maximum 2 tickets per order. Please contact the Community Engagement office to inquire about larger orders. Please note, there are no exceptions to the age limits stated in Workshop description.

Can’t make it? If you purchase a ticket and cannot attend, please contact the Box Office as soon as possible to allow for spots to be released. If you require a refund due to illness or cancellation of a workshop, please contact the Box Office prior to your event start time so we may accommodate you with a refund, including all fees. We thank you in advance for being courteous to those around you and keeping our campus safe. If you are unable to attend or reschedule your tickets for any reason, please consider donating the value of your ticket order and call our Box Office at 413.243.0745 in advance of the event. Your donation supports the mission of Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and our future programming. You’re also providing access to other audience members, including members of the community, students, interns, and artists.

Jacob’s Pillow is committed to creating accessible spaces and experiences. Please contact community@jacobspillow.org with accessibility questions or accommodation requests.