In search of inspiration, reinvigoration, and exposure to the larger dance community, I packed my bags and jetted from Anchorage, AK to Boston, MA. It's a long and tiresome journey - especially when you learn that flying into Hartford, CT would have been closer to the Pillow than Boston - but hey, I learned something. Like Dunkin' Donuts is everywhere, and Bostonians are some of the kindest humans I've ever met. I'm loving the people.
Onward: I couldn't wait to set foot onto Jacob's Pillow grounds, and after settling in at my charming Airbnb abode, nestled in the midst of Sherwood Forest, I headed over with butterflies in my stomach.
It is... amazing. The structures built by Ted Shawn and his men still stand; the history and valuable, fleeting moments in dance still buzz between the walls. This historic place is special, and you can feel it in your bones. And like a kid left alone with the cookie jar, I had to jump onto the Inside/Out stage for a happy dance. You know, that outdoor stage with the breathtaking view of the Berkshires. It was a lovely afternoon spent on the campus, and I returned the following eve for the season opening gala.
The evening began with cocktails in an expanded Blake's Barn, hosting a collection of Pillow Archives and interesting, pivotal, and behind-the-scenes moments in dance.
The best part, of course, was the gala performance. Friends, I can not emphasize enough the magic of those particular works together on that particular night and stage. I was seated in the front row, audience left, and while I normally prefer to view dance from more of a distance, it really was the perfect seat. Flanked by portraits of Ted Shawn to my left and Ruth St. Denis on my right, I could hear the dancers on the other side of the curtain, and all was right in the world.
JACOB'S PILLOW GALA PROGRAM 2015Neenan - Gerring - Peck - Graham - Van Cauwenbergh
The production opened with the world premiere of new work by BalletX director Matthew Neenan, set on fall color-clad students from the school at Jacob's Pillow. Mind you, these ballet students hailing from schools from Hong Kong and New Zealand to Amsterdam and Ohio weren't casual dance hobbyists. I am confident that this is only the start of very successful careers for most all of them; to see such budding artistry in combination with their technical accomplishments was inspiring. Not to mention, they learned this substantial piece in a matter of four days.
Liz Gerring's company presented an excerpt from Glacier, set one time only to "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin. The piece begins with two dancers charging in with crouching slides, and eventually, three more powerhouse movers join for rapid-fire explosions of kicks and jumps, broken up by slow-moving, grounded duets in which the dancers sometimes connected with each other's eyes intensely, and at other times clearly chose to look in different directions. I appreciate the work for the sheer amount of athleticism required to dance it.
In Bright Motion was a piece created by Justin Peck (we've all seen Ballet 422, yes?) for Sara Mearns, performed by Mearns and Russell Janzen of New York City Ballet. It was surely a supremely challenging duet, and Mearns (and her gorgeously striated thighs) was stunning, but the work felt too packed full of steps for me to fully enjoy the dance itself. Her white leotard could use some thicker lining (NYCB costume shop - please take note!), but both dancers filled the stage with the kind of impeccable execution and prowess I was expecting, and so glad I got to experience. Live accompaniment by pianist Michael Mizrahi made it feel all the more intimate, and the dancers' final glance back at one another was just the right touch.
Now let's get real(ly modern). It was probably 2004/5 when I was first exposed the Martha Graham's Errand Into the Maze. There I was, sitting in my college Dance Appreciation class watching fuzzy VHS footage of one of the most iconic works in modern dance history. It was also the year that I realized I was going to to make the performing arts a larger part of my life. I had things to say. And so did Graham! And so she did!
Before the piece began, the stage began to rumble, and - gasp! - the entire upstage wall parted to welcome the cool evening air, and lush green trees gently rustled as the performance's backdrop.
If ever there were a performer who could execute the choreography as Graham had intended it to be, surely PeiJu Chien-Pott is the one to do it. Lithe, strong and powerful, she performs with a heart-wrenching depth and sensitivity, matched only by her masterful ability to so clearly articulate every integral movement in Errand. I'll never forget the clouds of her breath hanging in the chill.
I was a little caught off guard by the netted face masked-man/minotaur who joined her, minus the usual horns. Something was off, and I realized that the costumes weren't the originals, and most of the important props were missing. I assume this may be because those items were damaged in the hurricane Sandy flood of the Cunningham/Graham prop storage space, and have yet to be replaced (?). Even so, the work is a masterpiece and was so deftly, meticulously executed by the performers that I didn't much care. Chien-Pott is a Graham goddess.
Of course, the evening wouldn't have been what it was without Daniil Simkin so perfectly cast as a charming, funny, slightly sloppy, and utterly hilarious soloist in Ben Van Cauwenbergh's Le Bourgeois Gentlehomme. I just kept thinking, "Could this get any better?!?!" The answer is no, it was the Best. Simkin is a brilliant performer, a ham-of-a-man whose slightest hand gesture sends the imagination reeling. The choreography was simultaneously witty, goofy and accessible, and Simkin proved that you don't need to make it to the moon to defy gravity. Fancy footwork, whirling leaps, and Harry Potter-esque spectacles were the cherry on top of an absolutely glorious evening of dance.
But ah, yes. I get to take Daniil home with me. Don't worry, he's alive and well, but despite his flexibility, couldn't quite fit into my suitcase. So, one silent auction later, his banner photo and Trey McIntyre's "Isvel 1" image from The Cuba Series, will be chillin' in Alaska in the very near future.
I'm off to New York to take some dream classes before returning to the Pillow. I'll be in touch, and as always, you can follow along on Instagram to experience the adventure, too.
Keep dancing, my friends.
xo
Stephanie Wonchala
Pulse Dance Co. Artistic Director/Choreographer
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