Founded by E. Virginia Williams in 1958, the company first appeared at Jacob’s Pillow in 1962 and returned frequently during the 1960s and 1970s. The company’s repertory has always been eclectic, including not only the classics but also works by contemporary choreographers such as Merce Cunningham, Anna Sokolow, and Talley Beatty. Since 2002, Boston Ballet has been under the direction of Mikko Nissinen, a Finnish dance artist who performed for many years with the San Francisco Ballet. Nissinen appointed Jorma Elo as Resident Choreographer in 2005, and instituted a five-year residency with William Forsythe in 2016, later bringing works by both choreographers to the Pillow. Helen Pickett’s Home Studies was initially presented online, and the stage version was seen here in its world premiere. It was part of a shared program with dancers from Houston Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet, a presentation called “Ballet Coast to Coast.”
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