Mark Morris Dance Group Back at the Pillow with New Work

09:40AM / Friday, July 20, 2007Print Story | Email Story

Mark Morris Dance Group: performances are August 7 through Saturday, August 11. Photo submitted by Jacob's Pillow

Mark Morris Dance Group returns for the Pillow's 75th Anniversary Season with four works including a new dance set to music by Kyle Gann. Highlighting the achievements of American dance master Mark Morris, both enduring favorites and recent creations are showcased during the company's August 7-11 run, including Candleflowerdance, Love Song Waltzes, and Italian Concerto. The engagement highlights the Pillow's commitment to live music whenever possible, and features the Fellows of the Tanglewood Music Center. Joan Acocella of The New Yorker writes of the choreographer, "Morris uses his habitual technique of introducing psychologically resonant gestures-a fall, an embrace-and then pushing those actions out of psychology, developing them musically, as if they were tonal or rhythmic patterns." In a related Pillow event, New Yorker writer Joan Acocella discusses and signs her newest book, Twenty-eight Artists and Two Saints, and her classic Mark Morris biography during the PillowTalk on Saturday, August 11 at 4pm. Performance and Ticket Information for Mark Morris Dance Group: Evening performances are Tuesday, August 7 through Saturday, August 11 at 8pm, with matinÃ©es on Friday, August 10 at 2pm, and Saturday, August 11 at 2pm. Tickets are $58 each, with a 10% discount available for seniors, students, and youth age 13 and under. Box Office is open seven days a week from noon through intermission. Pillow Members receive a 10% discount on performances; to become a member call 413-243-9919 x27. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Box Office at 413-243-0745, faxing orders to 413-243-0749, or ordering online at www.jacobspillow.org . Jacob's Pillow is located at 358 George Carter Road in Becket, Mass., 01223, 10 minutes east on Route 20 from Mass Pike Exit 2. The Jacob's Pillow campus and theaters are handicapped-accessible. Dinner reservations may be made for the Pillow CafÃ© at 413-243-2445. Described as "both a comic escapade and a stinging indictment of the art world" (Theodore Bale, Boston Herald), Looky premiered in May of 2007. The latest addition to Morris' repertory features an ensemble cast dancing to music written, performed, and recorded by forward-thinking contemporary composer Kyle Gann. Its unconventional score is digitally played on a synthesizer, giving viewers the impression that the piano, which is in fact a Disklavier, is playing itself. Dancers shift through fragmented movements and atypical blocking, wandering, posing, and locking in fixed positions. Also on the program are three dances to live music from the Fellows of Tanglewood Music Center: Candleflowerdance, set to Stravinsky's "Serenade in A"; Love Song Waltzes, Morris's 1989 classic set to Brahms; and Italian Concerto, performed to the music of Bach. Called "the most important choreographer since Balanchine" by Boston Globe critic Richard Dyer, and dubbed an iconoclast in his early years for pairing classical technique with modern ideas, Morris has illuminated the art of dance by revitalizing its connection with music. For this, he has been lauded by aficionados of both genres. The New York Times' Jennifer Dunning said, "After two decades of making dances, Mr. Morris still surprises with his responses to music. His dances-and performing-still brim over with engaging, somewhat anarchic mischief." In addition to myriad works for his own company, Morris has choreographed for stellar groups including American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, and the San Francisco Ballet. He also served as the Director of Dance at the ThÃ©Ã¢tre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels, Belgium from 1988 until 1991, during which time he created the renowned evening-length works The Hard Nut and L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, among others. Morris has received eight honorary doctorates from institutions all over the country including The Juilliard School and Boston Conservatory of Music, and was named a Fellow of the MacArthur Foundation in 1991. For his collaboration with musician Yo-Yo Ma in the film Falling Down Stairs, most of which was shot at Jacob's Pillow, he won an Emmy Award. The Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG) celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2006, having formed in 1980 for its first concert in New York City. The company's touring schedule steadily expanded to include cities both in the U.S. and in Europe, and in 1986 it made its first national television program for the PBS series Dance in America. In 1988, MMDG was invited to become the national dance company of Belgium, and spent three years in residence at the ThÃ©Ã¢tre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels. The company returned to the United States in 1991 as one of the world's leading dance companies, performing across the U.S. and at major international festivals. Aside from regular engagements at Jacob's Pillow, the group has toured all over the world to great acclaim-earning two Laurence Olivier Awards for its performances in London. In 2001, the Mark Morris Dance Center opened in Brooklyn, New York, the company's first permanent headquarters in the U.S., housing rehearsal space for the dance community, outreach programs for local children, as well as a school offering dance classes to students of all ages. Free Events at the Pillow This Week PillowTalks in Blake's Barn: At 5pm on Wednesday, August 8, Jo Humphrey discusses her new biography about Joseph Franz, architect and builder of the Ted Shawn Theatre, and on Saturday, August 11 at 4pm, New Yorker dance critic Joan Acocella discusses and signs Twenty-eight Artists and Two Saints as well as her classic Mark Morris biography. Inside/Out performances at 6:30pm: Wednesday, August 8, nathantrice/RITUALS gives audiences a Doris Duke Studio Theatre preview. Thursday, August 9, New York Theatre Ballet, the most widely seen chamber ballet company in the U.S., takes to the stage. Friday, August 10, the seven-member cast from Morgan Thorson brings Faker, a dance-theatre work inspired by Elvis impersonators. Saturday, August 11, the Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance students from The School at Jacob's Pillow celebrate legendary Ted Shawn protÃ©gÃ© and jazz dance pioneer Jack Cole with their second performance on the Inside/Out Stage. Ongoing free exhibits include: Memorable Moments from 75 Years, an exhibition of Pillow experiences from artists, staff members, and patrons, in Blake's Barn; 7.5 Seasons: Mike van Sleen, featuring insightful photographic images from the Pillow's own resident photographer, in the Ted Shawn Theatre lobby; Dancing Dutch, with photographic work representing some of the leading companies in The Netherlands today, in the Doris Duke Studio Theatre lobby; The Ballet Goes to Camp, with newly found photos from a 1941 spread on Jacob's Pillow in The New York Times, in the Reading Room at Blake's Barn; and on view in the Bakalar Studio whenever rehearsals and classes are not in session is Anniversary Salute: John Lindquist and John Van Lund, a series of photos by the Pillow's longtime resident photographers, spanning more than a half century. Amenities at Jacob's Pillow The Archives at Jacob's Pillow are open Tuesday-Sunday, noon through final curtain, in Blake's Barn. The library and reading room offer visitors the opportunity to view over 5000 selections of footage of dance icons at work from 1933 to yesterday, from Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis to Mark Morris and more; to browse through a collection of rare and unusual dance-related books; and to peruse the archival collections of Pillow programs and photographs. Guides are available to assist in sharing the resources of the Archives. New for the 75th Anniversary Season, an interactive viewing kiosk allows visitors to see rare footage of 75 different historic and current dance icons, including superstars Mikhail Baryshnikov and Savion Glover, among many others. Take a Guided Tour of this National Historic Landmark, once a family farm and station on the Underground Railroad and now a renowned dance festival, school, archives, and community programs. The public is invited to meet at the Welcome Center Saturdays at 5:30pm for a free guided tour or to pick up a Self-Guided Tour Map anytime. Dance Opportunities Morning Jumpstart Classes offered in Pilates, Ballet, Modern, and Yoga, Mondays through Fridays at 8am. All experience levels, 16 and older, $8 per class, Ruth St. Denis Studio. Call the Education Hotline at 413-243-9919 x57. Weekly Master Classes are led by Festival artists Sundays at 10:30am to noon for intermediate and advanced dancers, $15 per class. Pre-registration is required. Call the Education Hotline at 413.243.9919 x57. The School at Jacob's Pillow welcomes observation by the public. See classes and rehearsals of The School at Jacob's Pillow Tuesdays through Saturdays, 9am-5pm, featuring teachers from all over the world, at no charge, in the Sommers Studio. Interested groups of four or more should confirm space availability by calling 413-243-9919 x21. Dining The Pillow CafÃ© offers fine dining with wine service under the tent on The Great Lawn. Wednesdays through Saturdays, dinner is served 5-7pm. Saturday and Sunday brunch is served noon to 2pm. Reservations are required, call 413.243.2455. The Pillow Pub offers casual family fare, takeout for picnics and full bar service. Wednesdays through Fridays 5pm-midnight, Saturdays noon-midnight and Sundays noon-5pm. The Tea Garden serves gourmet teas and fresh bakery items in the charming and historic spot where Ted Shawn's Men Dancers served patrons during the 1930s. The Coffee Bar and Ice Cream Bar are open pre-performance and during intermissions. Sample menus for each dining venue are available at www.jacobspillow.org . Pillow Patrons are also invited to bring picnics and relax at one of many choice picnic spots on the Pillow grounds. Jacob's Pillow celebrates its 75th Anniversary Season in 2007. The Pillow encompasses an acclaimed international festival (the longest-running dance festival in the U.S.), a professional dance school, rare and extensive archives open to the public free of charge, an intern program, year-round community programs, and a creative development residency program. The historic site includes 163 acres, 31 buildings, three unique stages (including the first theater in the U.S. built specifically for dance), three dance studios, exhibition spaces, restaurants, the Pillow Store, residential housing, administrative offices, a health center, gardens, trails, and woodlands. In 2003, Jacob's Pillow was declared a National Historic Landmark and is the first and only dance entity in the U.S. to achieve this honor. As of April 1, 2007, major support for Community Programs at Jacob's Pillow has been provided by The Barrington Foundation; Central Berkshire Fund of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation; The Dana Foundation; The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation; Frances Alexander Foundation; Marshall Frankel Foundation; The Howard Gilman Foundation; The Harkness Foundation for Dance; The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation; The Geoffrey C. Hughes Foundation; The Leir Charitable Foundations, in Memory of Henry J. Leir; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Mertz Gilmore Foundation; Evelyn Stefansson Nef Foundation; New England Foundation for the Arts; Rudolf NureyevÂ® Dance Foundation; The William J. and Dorothy K. O'Neill Foundation; The Prospect Hill Foundation; The Shubert Foundation, Inc; The Starr Foundation; Trust for Mutual Understanding; Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency; Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism; National Endowment for the Arts; AlexÂ®; Ameriprise Financial; Berkshire Bank Foundation; Big Y World Class Market; TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation; Jacob's Pillow Business Alliance; and Jacob's Pillow Members. Major endowment support is provided by The Barrington Foundation; The William Randolph Hearst Foundation; The Leir Charitable Foundations, in Memory of Henry J. Leir; Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Onota Foundation; The Prospect Hill Foundation; Puffin Foundation; and the Talented Students in the Arts Initiative, a collaboration of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Surdna Foundation.

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Pittsfield Affordable Housing Initiatives Shine Light, Hope

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
07:08AM / Saturday, December 20, 2025

Housing Secretary Edward Augustus cuts the ribbon at The First on Thursday with housing officials and Mayor Peter Marchetti, state Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The holidays are here and several community members are celebrating it with the opening of two affordable housing initiatives.

"This is a day to celebrate," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said during the ribbon-cutting on Thursday.

The celebration was for nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at "The First" located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street. A ceremony was held in the new Housing Resource Center on First Street, which was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.

The apartments will be leased out by Hearthway, with ServiceNet as a partner.

Prior to the ribbon-cutting, public officials and community resource personnel were able to tour the two new permanent supported housing projects — West Housatonic Apartments and The First Street Apartments and Housing Resource Center.

The First Street location has nine studio apartments that are about 300 square feet and has a large community center. The West Housatonic Street location will have 28 studio units that range between 300 to 350 square feet. All units can be adapted to be ADA accessible.

The West Housatonic location is still under construction with the hope to have it completed by the middle of January, said Chris Wilett, Hearthway development associate.

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