Pride in Motion: Love, Community, and History at Jacob’s Pillow

Jacob’s Pillow has a rich history of queer culture woven into its foundation. For Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers, the grounds served as an artistic and creative haven that was open and non-judgemental.

Today, the Pillow continues to foster a space of safety, acceptance, and community for artists and creatives. Our pillars rest on the ideals of preserving this welcoming environment to honor pivotal artists and choreographers, including Rodrick George, founder of kNoname Artist. A recipient of the Festival 2024 Jacob’s Pillow Men Dancers Award, George’s innovative choreography pays tribute to the legacy of founder Ted Shawn and his Men Dancers. 

George’s impactful work Venom, showcased at Festival 2024, is inspired by the lasting effects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the ongoing erasure of the LGBTQIA+ community. George’s work exposes the silencing, isolation, and fear that have historically forced the queer community into hiding, while also highlighting their resilience and ability to uplift one another through underground nightlife as a sanctuary.

Festival 2025 artists share a common thread of celebrating and exploring gender identity and queer history, each contributing unique perspectives that resonate deeply within the community. Among them, Stephen Petroino’s MiddleSexGorge, performing at the Pillow July 23-27 in the Ted Shawn Theatre, challenges traditional gender norms while advocating for inclusivity and acceptance. The themes of his work are further enriched by his involvement in ACT UP during the 80s, grounding his performance in the powerful history of activism during the AIDS epidemic.

Also this season, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company returns to the Pillow with D-Man in the Waters, a landmark work created in 1989 in response to the AIDS crisis. Honoring company member Demian “D-Man” Acquavella, who died of AIDS-related illness, the piece surges with energy, defiance, and hope—embodying resilience in the face of loss. First performed at the Pillow in 1990, its return this summer continues to honor those affected by the epidemic and highlights dance’s power to heal, remember, and resist.

This summer marks the much-anticipated return of Pillow Pride Weekend after a five-year hiatus. In collaboration with Berkshire Pride, the weekend—from Friday, July 11, to Sunday, July 13—will be a vibrant celebration of LGBTQ+ joy and visibility. This year’s festivities extend beyond the one-night-only Pride-themed gatherings of recent summers, marking the first full-scale destination Pride celebration hosted by Jacob’s Pillow since 2019.

Kicking off the weekend on July 11, Jacob’s Pillow presents an exhibit in the new Doris Duke Theatre curated by Emmy® Award-nominated queer artist Katherine Helen Fisher, Dancing The Algorithm, illuminating how the dancing body interacts with technology.

Also hosted in the new Doris Duke Theatre, Unwired Dance Theatre makes its U.S. debut on July 12 with Where We Meet—a captivating, audio-based installation inviting audiences to step inside the minds of dancers and explore the shared stories that connect us. This immersive, choose-your-own-adventure performance reimagines how we experience identity and community in a modern world. 

Continuing the weekend’s exploration of self and collective experience, Sydnie L. Mosley Dances brings 15 years of justice-driven dance theater to the Pillow stage. Their work is known to provoke visceral responses and spark meaningful dialogue around gender and racial justice, inviting audiences into powerful moments of reflection and connection.

We are excited to welcome DJ/Music duo, The Illustrious Blacks, to guide the Pillow Pride Party dance floor with radical human joy. This celebration, taking place in the Doris Duke Theatre on July 12, will feature projected visuals sourced from the Pillow’s rich, archival history focusing on the unapologetically queer Black and brown bodies in dance.

Explore more of the Pillows queer history through the Pride Brunch & Pillow Pride Tour on Sunday, July 13, led by our very own Director of Preservation, Norton Owen. This event will cap off our Pride Weekend, offering an insightful look into the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community at the Pillow. 

To experience the full scope of Pillow Pride Weekend, from performances to tours and exhibitions, be sure to explore the complete Pillow Pride itinerary. With events unfolding across the Pillow’s campus, this weekend offers many ways to engage with dance, history, and queer celebration. 

This Pillow Pick was written by Alyse Harris and published on June 4, 2025