Contemporary Program 2016; Photo Hayim HeronThe School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary program welcomed participants from all over the world. Under the direction of Milton Myers, they receive training from multiple artists including Arturo Fernandez, Aya Kaneko, Helen Pickett, Alphonse Poulin, and Lawrence Rhodes. Guest choreographers include Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Thang Dao and Robert Moses. Below we shine spotlights on a few of the 2016 program participants.

Dana Pajarillaga 2016 Contemporary Program; Photo Hayim Heron

Dana Pajarillaga is a native of Washington DC and is entering her fourth year at Juilliard. She is a leader in the dance community through the Gluck Community Service Fellowship. As a G.S.C.F. fellow she performs throughout the year in hospitals, nursing homes, and alternative care facilities.

 

Devon Louis Contemporary Program; Photo Hayim Heron

Devon Louis has always had a dream of becoming a professional dancer. Coming from a Caribbean household, he fell in love with music and dance at an early age.   He is currently studying at the Ailey School and aspires to one day dance with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.

Laura Lopez 2016 Contemporary Program; Photo Hayim Heron

 

Laura Lopez recently graduated from New World College where she received a BFA in Dance at the University of Florida. She began training at the age of three in ballet and modern at the Patricia Penenori Dance School. In 2013 she was a Young Arts finalist and nominated as a U.S. Presidential Scholar.

Jared Brown Contemporary Program 2016; Photo Hayim Heron

 

Jared Brown is 17 years old, and a native of Dallas, TX. He has been honored as a 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, and recently performed at the Kennedy Center. This fall, Jared will be attending The Juilliard School on full scholarship as a Jerome L. Greene Foundation fellow.

 

Jack Blackmon and Dana Pajarillaga 2016 Contemporary Program; Photo Tanner Huseman

Jack Blackmon is a multifaceted dancer with a background in ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, and breakin’. In the past he has studied at Tahoe Dance School and Innerrhythms Dance Theatre under the artistic direction of Elizabeth Archer. His varied background in dance led him to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts’ where he is earning a BFA in Dance.

 

 

(All photos by Hayim Heron, except final photo by Tanner Huseman)