Participant of the 2017 Contemporary Program of The School at Jacob’s Pillow Patrick Blain shares his exciting experiences at the Pillow.
I’ve made incredible connections and even found a choreographer to set my senior solo
How has your experience at Jacob’s Pillow extended beyond your initial expectations?
I think it’s different in the sense that you’re surrounded by dance 24 hours a day. In other programs you dance and then you go explore, usually in a metropolitan city where there are other things to do. Here you’re constantly around a dance environment. There is unlimited access to the Archives and the opportunity to meet company members who perform here which is unique. Also, you typically have a couple guest artists per intensive, so to have so many in such a short span of time is amazing at Jacob’s Pillow.
What was it like working with Guest Choreographer Catherine Cabeen?
Catherine was incredible! She was clear with what she wanted and I really appreciated that. I loved that she gave a lot of context to the piece we were working on—explaining the background, the history of the company, Bill T. Jones, and what he stood for. The context gave more meaning to the work and made it a more in-depth experience.
What has the Inside/Out rehearsal process been like compared to your background?
It’s not comparable to anything I’ve done before. Inside/Out is one of the landmarks at the Pillow that everyone talks about and being able to work on the stage has been incredible. To be outside in the environment performing is unlike anything I’ve ever encountered. Then, having one-on-one time in Post-Show Q&A’s is super helpful for us to practice public speaking and for the audience to get the inside scoop.
So much of being an artist is about the process rather than the result. It’s really great the public sees what goes into it.
What advice or moment of insight will stick with you from this program? What has shaped your time here?
I had a choreographer talk to me the first week and made me realize what sparked my passion for dance—especially being in this place with such a collaborative and supportive environment. She told me, “anytime you’re feeling stuck—go into the world and try new things. Remember that you’re your own person and you don’t need to be confined to what other people tell you.”
