PillowVoices: Dance Through Time
Jacob's Pillow Archives
PillowVoices: Dance Through Time brings listeners closer to notable dance artists connected with Jacob's Pillow, from 1933 to today. Each piece exemplifies Jacob's Pillow's mission to 'support dance creation, presentation, education, and preservation; and to engage and deepen public appreciation and support for dance' by utilizing archival recordings brought to life in the personal stories and narration of current thought-leaders and scholars. Jacob's Pillow, lauded by The New York Times as "the dance center of the nation," is a National Historic Landmark, a recipient of the prestigious National Medal of Arts, and home to America’s longest-running international dance festival, located in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts.
PillowVoices is directed and produced by Jennifer Edwards. Ellis Rovin and James Sleeman are our composers and engineers. Music for the opening is by J.S. Bach and the closing theme is by Jess Meeker, both performed by Meeker. Content curator is Norton Owen, and associate curator is Patsy Gay.
PillowVoices is directed and produced by Jennifer Edwards. Ellis Rovin and James Sleeman are our composers and engineers. Music for the opening is by J.S. Bach and the closing theme is by Jess Meeker, both performed by Meeker. Content curator is Norton Owen, and associate curator is Patsy Gay.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 28, 2023 • 34min
Dance and Belonging with Crystal U. Davis
Crystal U. Davis, dancer, movement analyst, scholar, and author of Dance and Belonging: Implicit Bias and Inclusion in Dance Education, unpacks implicit and explicit bias as it relates to the relationship between audiences, dance-makers, and styles of dance.
Dec 17, 2022 • 29min
Yve Laris Cohen's 'Studio/Theater'
The remains of the Pillow's Doris Duke Theatre were memorialized in an exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art by visual artist Yve Laris Cohen. In conversation are exhibition curator Martha Joseph and two participants in related performance events, former Pillow Director Liz Thompson and Preservation Director Norton Owen.
Nov 26, 2022 • 26min
Artistic Directorship: Lourdes Lopez with Theresa Ruth Howard
In this episode, we join Pillow Scholar Theresa Ruth Howard in conversation with Lourdes Lopez on the occasion of her tenth anniversary as artistic director of Miami City Ballet.The entire talk can be experienced here: PillowTalk: Celebrating Lourdes Lopez *This episode was produced by Lisa Niedermeyer.
Oct 29, 2022 • 18min
The ‘Secret’ Gay History of Jacob’s Pillow
Hosted by Brian Schaefer, this episode is an exploration of how gay history is intertwined with the Pillow’s very beginnings, often hiding in plain sight.Related episodes of PillowVoices:https://pillowvoices.org/episodes/barton-mumaw-a-cornerstone-of-the-pillowhttps://pillowvoices.org/episodes/ted-shawn-jacobs-pillow-founder-in-his-own-words*This episode was produced by Lisa Niedermeyer.
Sep 24, 2022 • 40min
The Legacy of Katherine Dunham
A recording of a conversation that took place in 2002, moderated by Reginald Yates. We hear the voices of Donald McKayle, Cleo Parker Robinson, and Julie Belafonte in addition to insights and reflections from Katherine Dunham herself.
Aug 27, 2022 • 37min
Disrupting Complacency with Jane Comfort
Dance scholar Cynthia Williams guides a deep dive into two different political works made by choreographer Jane Comfort in the 1990s, revealing the striking connections to American social injustices escalating today.*This episode was directed by Lisa Niedermeyer.
Jul 30, 2022 • 23min
The Body as Radical Canvas: Liz Lerman
Ellen Chenoweth hosts this exploration into the work of influential dance artist Liz Lerman, including the voices of Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, James Frazier, and Pamela Tatge, as well as numerous passages in Lerman's own words.
Jun 25, 2022 • 24min
1941, When Ballet Came to Jacob's Pillow
In this episode, hosted by dance and costume historian Caroline Hamilton, we learn about the summer of 1941 and the events that led to the incorporation of the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and the building of the Ted Shawn Theatre.
May 28, 2022 • 15min
Barton Mumaw: A Cornerstone of the Pillow
As a founding presence at Jacob's Pillow from 1931 to 2001, Barton Mumaw embodied much of the institution's history, brought into the light by episode host Lisa Niedermeyer with Mumaw's own words.
Apr 30, 2022 • 39min
An Homage to Martha Graham
Reflecting on the impact of Martha Graham at Jacob's Pillow, discussing her legacy, coaching famous actresses, exploring the dance piece Cave of the Heart, a vivid dance performance, and Martha Graham's own perspective on theater and dance.
