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Jacob’s Pillow Live

Free Streaming All Summer

By: - May 08, 2025

This summer, wherever you are, the Pillow is live. Jacob’s Pillow Live returns as a bold digital initiative connecting global audiences to the energy, creativity, and community of the nation’s longest-running dance festival. Now in its third season, the series expands to include ten free livestreams from across the Pillow’s three stages, two digital-first commissions, and behind-the-scenes moments from The School at Jacob’s Pillow—offering audiences a front-row seat to the heart of the Pillow experience.

This year’s livestreamed performances will feature the highly anticipated return of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Season Opening Gala, and the Doris Duke Theatre’s inaugural program — along with a wide spectrum of dance genres including ballet, West African dance, contemporary, tap, and Afro-Latin jazz and soul. Performances will be broadcast live from the historic Ted Shawn Theatre, the newly reimagined Doris Duke Theatre, and the iconic Henry J. Leir Stage.

Jacob’s Pillow Live is part of the organization’s commitment to making dance more accessible and inclusive. By sharing performance and process in real time — and offering it freely to viewers everywhere — the Pillow continues to invite audiences into the evolving future of dance, and the artists who are defining it. 

Livestreams air between June 21 and August 22. Registration for all livestreams is now open at jacobspillow.org/live.

“As Jacob’s Pillow looks toward the future of dance, we are dedicated to finding and building pathways to make dance more accessible,” said Jacob’s Pillow’s Artistic and Executive Director Pamela Tatge. “We are thrilled to continue and expand Jacob’s Pillow Live this year. Not only will we host weekly livestreams for anyone, anywhere, to experience a digital version of the Festival that has been uniquely curated with them in mind, but we will also experiment with experiences that are commissioned solely for the online audience.” 

In addition to the Season Opening Gala (June 21) and Doris Duke Opening Program (July 9), Jacob’s Pillow Live will stream performances from the following companies, in chronological order: 

  • The School at Jacob’s Pillow: Contemporary Ballet Performance Ensemble (June 28)

  • KanKouran West African Dance Company (July 5)

  • The School at Jacob’s Pillow: Contemporary Performance Ensemble (July 19)

  • Elle Sofe Company: vástádus eana – the answer is land (July 24)

  • Sekou McMiller & Friends (July 31)

  • Shamel Pitts | TRIBE: Touch of RED (August 7)

  • The School at Jacob’s Pillow: Tap Dance Performance Ensemble (August 16)

  • Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (August 22)

Jacob’s Pillow Live will also include Encore Streams: a chance to tune in later and watch most of the livestreamed performances on demand for a 24-hour window, soon after the livestream airs. Encore Streams offer a flexible, easy way to stay connected to the Festival all summer, for those reliving a favorite performance, or exploring new world-class works at a more convenient time. Each Encore Stream will begin at 8pm on Sundays, and end at 8pm on Mondays. Registration for Encore Streams is not required. Those who sign up for email notifications at jacobspillow.org/contact will receive reminders of upcoming streaming events. 

The full calendar of livestreams and Encore Streams is listed below, and at jacobspillow.org/live. To see all details of Jacob’s Pillow’s fully-announced nine-week summer festival, visit jacobspillow.org/festival.

In addition to streams of onstage performances, Jacob’s Pillow will debut digital-first works by Andrew Schneider and Shamel Pitts. These works have been conceived and designed with the online viewer as the primary audience. Both works are commissioned by Jacob’s Pillow. For more details, see the “Digital-First Commissions” section below.

Jacob’s Pillow will also offer video recordings of pre-show talks with Pillow Scholars, post-show discussions with the artists and dancers, and longer-form PillowTalks on a variety of subjects with leaders in the dance field. These talks are designed to enrich the experience of watching the digital streams, with added insight and behind-the-scenes context. For those who follow Jacob’s Pillow on Instagram, online observation of dancers in The School at Jacob’s Pillow will be available at scheduled times via Instagram Live.



FULL CALENDAR: 2025 LIVESTREAMS AND ENCORE STREAMS

Registration is required for livestreams. Registrants will receive a link to access the livestream on the day of the performance. Registration for Encore Streams is not required. All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time (GMT-4). 

PERFORMANCES

Season Opening Gala Performance | Ted Shawn Theatre

  • Livestream: Saturday, June 21 at 6:00pm

    • This event will include the presentation of the 2025 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award to Director of Preservation Norton Owen, a performance by Taylor Stanley of Mourner’s Bench by Talley Beatty, a world premiere by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa performed by The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Ballet Program, and more. Details at jacobspillow.org/gala.

  • Encore Stream: Not available for this performance.

The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Ballet Performance Ensemble | Henry J. Leir Stage

  • Livestream: Saturday, June 28 at 5:30pm

  • Encore Stream: Sunday, June 29 at 8pm through Monday, June 30 at 8pm

KanKouran West African Dance Company | Henry J. Leir Stage

  • Livestream: Saturday, July 5 at 5:30pm

  • Encore Stream: Sunday, July 6 at 8pm through Monday, July 7 at 8pm

Doris Duke Opening Program | Doris Duke Theatre

  • Livestream: Saturday, July 9 at 8pm

    • This event will feature Shawn L. Stevens and Friends; a movement score by Annie-B Parson performed by Bebe Miller, Susan Marshall, Brian Brooks, Eiko Otake, Irene Rodríguez, David Thomson, Liz Lerman, David Dorfman, Dianne McIntyre, Dormeshia, Doug Elkins, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar; Shamel Pitts | TRIBE; Alexander Whitley Dance Company; an excerpt from Superradiance, a film by Memo Akten and Katie Peyton Hofstadter; Ryan Johnson; and two DJ sets by JD Samson, with an interactive augmented reality piece by Katherine Helen Fisher and Armon Naeini.

  • Encore Stream: Not available for this performance.

The School at Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Performance Ensemble | Henry J. Leir Stage

  • Livestream: Saturday, July 19 at 5:30pm

  • Encore Stream: Sunday, July 20 at 8pm through Monday, July 21 at 8pm

Elle Sofe Company: vástádus eana – the answer is land | Doris Duke Theatre

  • Livestream: Thursday, July 24 at 8pm

  • Encore Stream: Sunday, July 27 at 8pm through Monday, July 28 at 8pm

Sekou McMiller & Friends | Ted Shawn Theatre

  • Livestream: Thursday, July 31 at 2:00pm

  • Encore Stream: Sunday, August 3 at 8pm through Monday, August 4 at 8pm

Shamel Pitts | TRIBE: Touch of RED | Doris Duke Theatre

  • Livestream: Thursday, August 7 at 8pm

  • Encore Stream: Sunday, August 10 at 8pm through Monday, August 11 at 8pm

The School at Jacob’s Pillow Tap Dance Performance Ensemble | Henry J. Leir Stage

  • Livestream: Saturday, August 16 at 5:30pm

  • Encore Stream: Sunday, August 17 at 8pm through Monday, August 18 at 8pm

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater | Ted Shawn Theatre

  • Livestream: Friday, August 22 at 2:00pm

  • Encore Stream: Sunday, August 24 at 8pm through Monday, August 25 at 8pm

THE SCHOOL AT JACOB’S PILLOW

The School at Jacob’s Pillow offers Pause in the Process—a live in-studio observation. Observations can be accessed via Jacob’s Pillow’s Instagram Live at instagram.com/jacobspillow.

Pause in the Process: Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Ensemble | Perles Family Studio

  • Instagram Livestream: 

    • Saturday, July 5 at 1:00pm

    • Saturday, July 12 at 1:00pm

Pause in the Process: Jacob’s Pillow Creating in Jazz | Perles Family Studio

  • Instagram Livestream: Saturday, July 26 at 8:30pm

Pause in the Process: Jacob’s Pillow Contemporary Tap Ensemble | Perles Family Studio

  • Instagram Livestream: 

    • Saturday, August 2 at 1:00pm

    • Saturday, August 9 at 1:00pm


PILLOWTALKS

PillowTalk: Vicky Holt Takamine | Blake’s Barn 

  • Youtube Livestream: Saturday, August 2 at 4:00pm

  • Gain cultural insight from Vicky Holt Takamine–renowned kumu hula (master teacher of Hawaiian dance) and advocate for native Hawaiian culture and rights. Subscription to Jacob’s Pillow’s Youtube channel is encouraged at youtube.com/jacobspillow.

ABOUT THE DIGITAL-FIRST COMMISSIONS

To complement his world-premiere performance run of HERE in the Doris Duke Theatre from July 16-20, Schneider will present an immersive, binaural sound experience that crossfades with reality. To witness this gripping work, audiences simply put on their headphones, hit play, and suddenly the world becomes the set, and observations about the world become the main character. Anyone, anywhere can experience this piece starting on Sunday, July 6. 

Pitts, whose company TRIBE will make their Jacob’s Pillow debut in Touch of RED in the Doris Duke Theatre from August 6-10, will debut a series of cinematic 3D experiences to complement the evening-length piece. This series immerses the viewer into the middle of the work, providing a perspective never-before-seen and impossible to experience on a stage. Audiences can engage with this new work starting on Friday, July 18. 

ABOUT JACOB’S PILLOW

Jacob’s Pillow is a National Historic Landmark, recipient of the National Medal of Arts, and home to America's longest-running international dance festival, which celebrates its 93rd season in Summer 2025. Jacob’s Pillow acknowledges that it rests on the ancestral homelands of the Muh-he-con-ne-ok or Mohican people. We pay honor and respect to their ancestors and elders past and present as we commit to building a more inclusive and equitable space for all. In addition, we acknowledge the Nipmuc, the Wampanoag and other tribal nations who also made their homes in what is now known as Massachusetts. 

Founded by Ted Shawn in 1933, each Festival includes national and international dance companies and free and ticketed performances, talks, tours, classes, exhibits, events, and community programs. The School at Jacob’s Pillow, a prestigious professional dance training center, advances the careers of the upcoming generation of performers and choreographers; during the Festival, 100 international dancers evolve as artists in ballet, choreography, contemporary, musical theatre, tap, and other genres, and year round, artist faculty and accomplished alumni nurture younger dancers in a series of Jacob’s Pillow 360 workshops and intensives offered in partnership with leading dance institutions worldwide. The Pillow also provides professional advancement opportunities across disciplines of arts administration, design, video, and production through seasonal internships and a year-round Administrative Fellows program. Through its community engagement programs, the Pillow serves as a partner and active citizen in its local community. The Pillow’s extensive Archives, open year-round to the public and highlighted online at danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org, chronicle more than a century of dance in photographs, programs, books, costumes, audiotapes, and videos.

Notable artists who have created or premiered dances at the Pillow include choreographers Antony Tudor, Agnes de Mille, Alvin Ailey, Donald McKayle, Kevin McKenzie, Twyla Tharp, Ralph Lemon, Susan Marshall, Trisha Brown, Ronald K. Brown, Wally Cardona, Andrea Miller, and Trey McIntyre; performed by artists such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, Carmen de Lavallade, Mark Morris, Dame Margot Fonteyn, Edward Villella, Rasta Thomas, and hundreds of others. On March 2, 2011, President Barack Obama honored Jacob’s Pillow with a National Medal of Arts, the highest arts award given by the United States Government, making the Pillow the first dance presenting organization to receive this prestigious award. The Pillow’s Executive and Artistic Director since 2016 is Pamela Tatge. For more information, visit www.jacobspillow.org. 

MAJOR INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT FOR JACOB’S PILLOW IS GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY: Arison Arts Foundation, Barr Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Doris Duke Foundation, Ford Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund, and The Shubert Foundation. As of March 31, 2025. 

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