YoungArts at Jacob’s Pillow
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of YoungArts, this playlist highlights just a few of the intersections between the Pillow and this stellar institution devoted to sponsoring young talent. Well over a hundred YoungArts Award Winners can boast meaningful histories at Jacob’s Pillow, and these performance excerpts demonstrate both the range and the impact they have had on the dance field.
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Mythili Prakash
AR | DHA ("Half"), 2022
A 2001 YoungArts Award winner, Mythili Prakash is seen here in her Jacob’s Pillow debut, as part of a multi-faceted program entitled America(na) to Me.
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Loni Landon
Solace of Surrender, 2022
The year after winning her 2001 YoungArts Award, Loni Landon participated in The Contemporary Program of The School at Jacob’s Pillow.
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Boston Ballet
Home Studies, 2021
2003 YoungArts Award Winner Lia Cirio has been a principal dancer with Boston Ballet since 2010, also performing at the Pillow with the Trey McIntyre Project.
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Dallas Black Dance Theatre
Like Water, 2021
Darrell Grand Moultrie was a YoungArts Fellow in 1995, and he was commissioned by Jacob’s Pillow to create this world premiere for Dallas Black Dance Theatre in 2021.
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Caleb Teicher and Company with Conrad Tao
More Forever, 2019
Both Caleb Teicher and Conrad Tao were 2011 YoungArts Winners and, in fact, their collaborations have sprung from this fortuitous meeting.
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Ragamala Dance Company
Written in Water, 2018
Aparna Ramaswamy was a YoungArts Award Winner in 1998, and she is the co-artistic director, choreographer, and principal dancer of Ragamala Dance Company.
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Dorrance Dance
All Good Things Come to an End, 2018
The recipient of a YoungArts Award in 2005, Melinda Sullvian has been a Top 10 Finalist and All Star on So You Think You Can Dance, and is seen here as a guest artist with Dorrance Dance.
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James Whiteside Presents
On the Water, 2017
Since winning the YoungArts Award in 2011, Cassandra Trenary has become a principal with American Ballet Theatre, also performing at the Pillow in 2015.
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NW Dance Project
MemoryHouse, 2017
Franco Nieto was a YoungArts Award Winner in 2005 and winner of the Princess Grace Award in 2012. In addition to his work with NW Dance Project, he is the co-founder and artistic director of Open Space in Portland, OR.
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Joseph Wiggan, Josette Wiggan-Freund
Harmony: Tap In Motion, 2017
Joseph Wiggan, a 2004 YoungArts Award Winner, appeared at the Pillow with his sister Josette as part of an evening-length tap extravaganza curated by Michelle Dorrance, entitled Tireless.
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BalletX
Sunset, o639 Hours, 2016
1993 YoungArts Award-winner Matthew Neenan has played numerous roles at the Pillow: as performer, faculty member, and choreographer for The School at Jacob’s Pillow. BalletX presented his Sunset, o639 Hours here to great acclaim.
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Adam H. Weinert
"Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" from Four Dances Based on American Folk Music, 2016
2002 YoungArts Award Winner Davon Rainey re-embodied an iconic solo by Ted Shawn as part of Adam Weinert’s presentation entitled MONUMENT.
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MADBOOTS DANCE
BEAU., 2015
Just five years after receiving a YoungArts Award, Jonathan Campbell co-founded MADBOOTS DANCE in 2011 along with Austin Diaz.
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Daniel Ulbricht & Stars of American Ballet
Distractions, 2015
Among the “Stars of American Ballet” seen in this Justin Peck work is 2009 YoungArts Award Winner Jeffrey Cirio, who performed with Boston Ballet and ABT before becoming a principal with English National Ballet.
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Kyle Abraham / Abraham.In.Motion
Pavement, 2013
2005 YoungArts Award Winner Maleek Washington performed with Kyle Abraham for four years, also appearing at the Pillow in the works of Camille A. Brown, Loni Landon, and Jeremy McQueen.
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The Men Dancers: From the Horse's Mouth, 2012
Best known as one of Broadway’s three original “Billy Elliots,” Trent Kowalik participated in this Pillow celebration of men dancers (and attended The School at Jacob’s Pillow) before becoming a 2013 YoungArts Award Winner.
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Trey McIntyre Project
Wild Sweet Love, 2010
Chanel DaSilva (2004 YoungArts Award Winner) is the co-founder and artistic director of Move|NYC| as well as an increasingly in-demand choreographer who danced at the Pillow with Trey McIntyre Project in four separate engagements.
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Jacoby & Pronk
Rhapsody Fantaisie, 2010
2002 YoungArts Awardee Drew Jacoby performed twice at the Pillow with Alonzo King LINES Ballet before branching off as a soloist with Rubinald Pronk, and she is now primarily a choreographer, filmmaker, and visual artist.
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Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
"I Wanna Be Ready" from Revelations, 2007
Matthew Rushing was a 1991 YoungArts Award Winner before embarking on his extraordinary career with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, culminating in his current role as Associate Artistic Director.
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Bad Boys of Dance
Heartbreak on Repeat, 2007
After performing at the Pillow with Twyla Tharp, Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Lar Lubovitch, Roger C. Jeffrey (1992 YoungArts Award Winner) created this world premiere for Rasta Thomas.
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Francesca Harper
The Fragile Stone Theory, 2002
Now the director of Ailey II, 1987 YoungArts Award Winner Francesca Harper created and appeared in this world premiere presentation in 2002, after having already completed the first of several teaching assignments with The School at Jacob’s Pillow.
Explore Playlists
RhythMEK
Episodes (Living in the Present Moment), 2000
Since his Pillow debut in the engagement seen here, Desmond Richardson (1986 YoungArts Winner) has returned several times to both teach and perform.