The Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellows Program

2021 Professional Advancement Programs are Being Re-envisioned

New ways of working, mentoring, sharing work, and contributing to the community will be required to support your journey ahead as a dance artist. While we finalize plans, tell us what would best support your artistic growth in the year ahead. Write to: [email protected].

Announcement of 2021 Programs will be made December 2020.

The Ann & Weston Hicks
Choreography Fellows Program | August 25—September 1

Dianne McIntyre & Risa Steinberg, Program Directors

Read about Artists Faculty

For eight choreographers who have been creating professional work for a minimum of two years. Choreographers from varied traditions, who work in the United States and internationally, with or without academic training, are considered. Most Fellows selected will be 22-34 years of age, though choreographers entering the field later in their careers are always given consideration.

The Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellows Program supports and expands the role of Jacob’s Pillow as a year-round center for dance creation and research as outlined by Vision ‘22, the institution’s five-year growth plan.

Led by long-time transformative dance artists and mentors, Dianne McIntyre and Risa Steinberg, eight Choreography Fellows will be guided through extensive studio time to evolve their choreographic idea. The program is fully process-oriented, with no expectations of an end-product or public showing.

Discussions, assignments, and individual feedback sessions guide Fellows in crafting and evolving  choreography. Festival choreographers, visiting choreographers, and other professionals will meet and speak with the Fellows throughout the program to share additional insights and career advice.

Each Choreography Fellow will be asked to invite two dancers to join them, ensuring that work developed at the Pillow can continue in their home communities if desired. Participation costs for the Fellows are underwritten, except for travel expenses; dancers receive a modest participation stipend.

This truly dance-immersive experience includes living onsite, seeing five Festival companies on three stages, researching in the Jacob’s Pillow Archives, viewing dance exhibitions, and attending artist and scholar-led talks. Choreographers gain a stronger artistic point of view, a vision of their possibilities in dance, and an influential career network.

Following the program, a continued mentoring opportunity is offered to further develop work begun at the Pillow. Fellow’s may select a dance artist of their choice, including program directors and Pillow Lab artists, to provide them with up to 10 hours of audio/video one-to-one dialogue/feedback time. If the mentor is a Pillow Lab artist, the Fellow will return to the Pillow to observe the artist’s rehearsals, use studio and archive resources as available, and interact with their mentor.

Festival companies during the program include The Sarasota Ballet and Aszure Barton & Artists. Learn about Festival 2020 and explore exciting program-related content, such as this 1998 clip of Dianne McIntyre performing her Willow Song, on Dance Interactive.

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Program Directors

Dianne McIntyre

August 25—September 1
Dianne McIntyre is a dancer, choreographer, curator, cultural investigator who creates work in dance, theatre, film, and opera. Known for collaborations with live music, she founded and directed Sounds in Motion Company and School in Harlem for many years.

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Risa Steinberg

August 25—September 1
Risa Steinberg is an active member of the dance community as a performer, teacher, re-constructor of the works of José Limón, and mentor to young, emerging, and established choreographers.

Learn More

Interested in applying? Please scroll down to find Application Details at the bottom of this page.

2020 Application Deadlines

All applications received for 2020 programs are being reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications will continue to be honored for consideration for any online programs offered.

Learn More

Application Tips and Policies

Alumni Spotlight

Meet Russell Lepley, 2018 Hicks Choreography Fellow, and learn about his career-changing experience.

CONTACT US

If you have questions or need additional information, we are happy to help. Please email us at [email protected] or call 413.243.9919 x168.

Application Details: Choreography Fellows Program

DEADLINES & FEES

2020 Application Deadlines & Notifications
January 17 at Noon EST Early Application Deadline, Round I | $15 processing fee
February 14 at Noon EST Early Application Deadline, Round II | $30 processing fee
April 22 at 11:59pm EDT Extended Regular Deadline | $45 processing fee

Admittance status notifications will be sent in May by email. Acceptances will be sent, followed by all other notifications. Thank you for your patience. We are sending notifications on a rolling basis.

 

Program Tuition Fee |Underwritten
Hicks Fellows are not charged for tuition, onsite room and board, Festival performances and events, or provided ground transportation from Lee, MA to Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, MA. Fellows do need to cover travel costs to Lee, MA. Honorarium to assist in bringing two dancers will be provided in the acceptance package.

APPLICATION MATERIALS

Be prepared to upload the following materials into the Program Application:

1. Audition Video

    • Footage: Must be of clear viewing quality. Media-enhanced, highly edited, or promotional-type videos will not be reviewed.
    • Passwords: To expedite the review process, no passwords preferred. If you need to use passwords, please have the same password for all video uploads.
  • URL Uploads: 1) Please upload only one video link per field. 2) After uploading a URL link and password, test it. If the link fails to open, your application cannot be reviewed. 3) Keeping your link(s) accessible until the program start date will ensure you can be re-considered for acceptance if waitlisted.

    A. Verbal self-introduction, 2 minutes maximum

    • Introduce yourself
    • Share: your current choreographic interests, your choreographic strong points and deficits, how you envision this program impacting your choreographic work, choreographic projects you envision for yourself in the near future, and whose work interests you today, in dance and in one other art form.

B. Work Sample no. 1

    • This work should be the best example of your current work
    • Share the complete work, no excerpts
    • Provide title, credits, when and where performed
    • The footage can be from a studio or performance venue shoot

C. Work Sample no. 2

    • This work should be no more than three years old
    • Share the complete work, no excerpts
    • Provide title, credits, when and where performed
    • The footage can be from a studio or performance venue shoot

D. Work Sample no. 3 is Optional

    • A complete work, or an excerpt, of your choice.
    • Not to exceed 10 minutes in length

2. Written Statement of Proposed Artistic Inquiry
In 200 words or less, please share:

    • The proposed creative/artistic inquiry you wish to explore during the 10-day program. Focus on the choreographic idea(s) to be explored; it is not necessary to have such details as music/composer, length of work, number of dancers, costuming, and other production elements outlined at this point.
    • Finish this statement: “This summer, in thinking about what I know how to do and what I haven’t yet had the opportunity to explore in my life as a choreographer, I’d like to…”

3. Headshot

4. Résumé/C.V.

5. Support Material

    • Selected samples of programs, reviews, and/or articles about your work

     

Go to Choreography Fellows Program Application Now