BODYTRAFFIC at Jacob's Pillow
LA-based Company July 2 Through 6
By: Pillow - Jun 19, 2025
Jacob’s Pillow will welcome the LA-based contemporary dance company BODYTRAFFIC for their Ted Shawn Theatre debut, Wednesday, July 2 through Sunday, July 6. This engagement will occur in the second week of the historic summer festival’s nine-week season. Renowned for their “invention, attitude, and urban edge” (The Boston Globe), BODYTRAFFIC will offer dynamic performances exploring the power of memory and the unexpected reminders all around us that provoke deep feelings of nostalgia.
Week 2 of the Festival will also feature Almanac Dance Circus Theatre for a performance filled with acrobatics, dance and storytelling on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage on Wednesday, July 2 at 5:30pm. Also performing on the outdoor stage are New York Swings with Lindy Hop dancer Gaby Cook and her signature blend of swing dance and vernacular jazz on Thursday, July 3 at 5:30pm, and KanKouran West African Dance Company, with their powerful rhythms and vibrant movement on Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5 at 5:30pm.
On Sunday, July 6, Jacob’s Pillow will host a Family Music & Dance program at 11am, followed by an open house and community pop-up event to kick off a week-long celebration of the opening of the Doris Duke Theatre. Community members are invited to participate in Celebration!, a celebratory pop-up dance choreographed by Broadway choreographer Camille A. Brown, with check-in for participants starting at 11am. For community members who wish to enjoy the open house but not participate in the dance pop-up, events and tours start at 1pm. Registration for both events is now open at JacobsPillow.org.
A free PillowTalk with Camille A. Brown will also be held on Saturday, July 5 at 4pm. In the talk, Brown will discuss her experience leading her company, Camille A. Brown & Dancers, while building a robust career in theater, opera, and television.
“Week two of our Festival is full of welcome returns,” said Jacob’s Pillow Executive and Artistic Director Pamela Tatge. “BODYTRAFFIC will have their first performance in the Ted Shawn Theatre, after most recently appearing on our outdoor stage in 2022. They’ll reprise their breathtaking work, Flyland by David Middendorp that had its US premiere at the gala, and we’re excited to welcome Trey McIntyre back to the Pillow with a signature work. We are also thrilled to welcome Gaby Cook in New York Swings, following Cook’s memorable performance in our production of SW!NG OUT in 2022. Almanac Dance Circus Theatre delighted audiences in 2023, and is now back by popular demand. And KanKouran West African Dance Company also returns for their second festival in a row, with dances and music that audiences in their home city of Washington, D.C. have enjoyed for decades.”
All performances are now on sale. Tickets to BODYTRAFFIC begin at $65. Tickets to all three outdoor engagements this week are Choose What You Pay, allowing ticket buyers to set the price of their purchase. Rain or Shine tickets, priced at $40 each, allow outdoor ticket holders access to an indoor venue at Jacob’s Pillow, which will host outdoor performances in the event of inclement weather.
ABOUT BODYTRAFFIC
With a compelling style that reflects the “invention, attitude, and urban edge” (Boston Globe) of its Los Angeles home, BODYTRAFFIC returns to the Pillow with a program that dives into the power of memory sparked by unexpected reminders. Whether it’s a painting, song, or sensation, the associations we make with the world around us forge lasting connections that provoke deep feelings of nostalgia.
For Festival 2025, BODYTRAFFIC will perform a program featuring: Blue Until June, set to the songs of Etta James by their new Creative Partner Trey McIntyre; Flyland, created by David Middendorp and produced by Another Kind of Blue; Juel D. Lane’s Incense Burning on a Saturday Morning: The Maestro, honoring the life and work of painter Ernie Barnes; and I Forgot the Start, created by Philadelphia Ballet choreographer-in-residence Matthew Neenan.
This will be the company’s Ted Shawn Theatre debut, having previously performed on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage in 2022, and in the original Doris Duke Theatre in 2013 and 2015. Founded in 2007, BODYTRAFFIC tours the country and the globe spreading the joy and positive spirit of their home city. Dance Magazine named the company one of “25 to Watch” in 2013, and this past year, Forbes magazine wrote that BODYTRAFFIC’s “incredible” work in the decade since has “made the case for how Los Angeles is becoming a home for great dancers.”
Watch clips from BODYTRAFFIC on Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive:
BODYTRAFFIC, 2022: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/bodytraffic/snap/
BODYTRAFFIC, 2013: https://danceinteractive.jacobspillow.org/bodytraffic/and-at-midnight-the-green-bride-floated-through-the-village-square/
ABOUT KANKOURAN WEST AFRICAN DANCE COMPANY
A beloved pillar of West African dance in Washington, D.C., KanKouran returns to Jacob’s Pillow this summer after a thrilling Festival 2024 performance. Founded by Artistic Director Assane Konte and the late Abdou Kounta, the company brings together artists from the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean to preserve and promote traditional West African culture.
For over 40 years, KanKouran has been a cornerstone for generations of dancers, students, and musicians, fostering a deep sense of community and artistic excellence. The company has performed at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and beyond. They now return to the Pillow for two nights to captivate audiences with their powerful rhythms, vibrant movement, and rich cultural heritage.
ABOUT ALMANAC DANCE CIRCUS THEATRE
The award-winning Almanac Dance Circus Theatre returns to the outdoor stage (where they performed in 2023) with a signature blend of acrobatics, dance, and storytelling. Known for pushing artistic boundaries, the company creates genre-defying performances that fuse circus arts with narrative stories, inviting audiences into thrilling, immersive experiences.
With a diverse ensemble of dancers, acrobats, and theater artists, Almanac has premiered 11 full-length works, touring the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Their daring, improvisational performances have captivated audiences at New York Live Arts, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and beyond. Also renowned for community-driven events like the acclaimed Cannonball Festival, Almanac continues to expand the possibilities of contemporary circus and dance.
ABOUT NEW YORK SWINGS
Veteran Lindy Hop dancer Gaby Cook returns to Jacob’s Pillow this summer, this time bringing her signature blend of swing dance and vernacular jazz to the outdoor stage. A prominent voice in the global Lindy Hop community, Cook shares dynamic performances centered in historical knowledge. Cook is a principal dancer in SW!NG OUT, which gave a show-stopping performance in the Ted Shawn Theatre in 2022.
Cook’s previous companies include Wild Rhythm Dance Company, which performed at the Pillow in 2018 and 2019, as well as Jazz as Movement (performances with Works & Process at the Guggenheim) and Gatsby Entertainment (performances in the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center).
PERFORMANCE & TICKET DETAILS
Tickets are on sale now; online at jacobspillow.org and via phone at 413.243.0745
BODYTRAFFIC
July 2-6; Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 7:30pm; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2pm
Ted Shawn Theatre | Tickets from $65
Almanac Dance Circus Theatre
Wednesday, July 2 at 5:30pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $40
New York Swings
Thursday, July 3 at 5:30pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $40
KanKouran West African Dance Company
July 4-5; Friday and Saturday at 5:30pm
Henry J. Leir Stage | Choose What You Pay; Rain or Shine tickets from $40
Livestream: Saturday, July 5 at 5:30pm
Encore Stream: Sunday, July 6 at 8pm through Monday, July 7 at 8pm
To learn more about our select Livestreams and Encore Streams, and to register to watch for free, visit jacobspillow.org/live
ADDITIONAL EVENTS
Morning Classes
July 1-4; Tuesday through Friday, 9-10am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+. Offered weekly through the summer in Sommers Studio. $15 per class; $60 for 5 class card. Pay via online pre-registration or cash/card at the door.
- Ballet with Isadora Wolfe: Tuesdays through August 19
- Modern/Contemporary with Sayer Mansfield, Ryoko Kudo, Sarah Zehnder, and Barbie Diewald: Wednesdays through August 20
- West African Dance & Spiritual Well-Being with Truth Hunter, Tara Murphy, and Noel Staples-Freeman, with live drumming by Aimee Gelinas and Daniel Cohen: Thursdays through August 21
- Zumba® or The Quilombo Experience with Luana Dias David: Fridays through August 22
Family Music & Dance
Sunday, July 6, 11am-12pm
Sommers Studio | Registration required
Join Sandy Russell, a cherished teacher with over 20 years of experience in the Berkshires, for a taste of the Music Together® program. Her classes ignite children’s natural passion for music and movement. With active participation from parents and caregivers, regardless of musical expertise, everyone has fun. Through playful engagement in a stress-free environment, this class fosters music and movement connections between adults and children, aiming to infuse everyday family life with the joy of music-making. $25 per class, per family. Recommended for ages 6 and under. Class size will be limited to 12 families per event.
In Studio Pause in the Process Showings by The School: Contemporary Performance Ensemble Saturday, July 5, 1pm
Perles Family Studio | FREE
Join Artist Faculty and School dancers for informal sharings of their work in the studio together. Seating is limited; priority entry given to visitors who pre-register online. Walk-ups are also welcome, pending availability.
PillowTalk: Camille A. Brown
Saturday, July 5, 4pm
Blake’s Barn | FREE
Following the triumphant world premiere of I AM at the Pillow last summer, the Jacob's Pillow Dance Award winner discusses her life leading Camille A. Brown and Dancers while building a robust career in theater, opera, and television, including two current shows on Broadway: Hell's Kitchen and Gypsy.
Workshops with Festival Artists: BODYTRAFFIC
Sunday, July 6, 10-11:30am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 12+
Join Joan Rodriguez, dancer with BODYTRAFFIC, for an all-levels movement class exploring the company’s dynamic and rhythmic repertory. This joyful, community-driven experience invites dancers of all abilities to embody expressive storytelling while building confidence and community connection through movement. Wear comfortable clothing; socks or bare feet recommended.
Doris Duke Theatre Open House & Community Pop-Up
Sunday, July 6, 1pm | Doris Duke Theatre
This first look at the new Doris Duke Theatre will feature free events and tours of the building, the opening of the inaugural exhibition, and more. The open house kicks off a week-long celebration of the opening of the Doris Duke Theatre. Tours will run every half hour. Full schedule of events:
1pm: Jacob’s Pillow will launch a new commissioned digital work from Andrew Schneider: an immersive sound experience that crossfades with reality. Audiences will access this experience using their own devices and headphones as they navigate the world around them. This self-guided audio walking tour will be available throughout the Festival.
Visitors are invited to gather in the Jameson Family Lobby for free for the opening of Dancing the Algorithm, an exhibit curated by Katherine Helen Fisher for the new Doris Duke Theatre Gallery, featuring artists whose works illuminate how the dancing body doesn’t just adapt to technology, but shapes it, challenges it, and celebrates the new possibilities it creates. The exhibit includes Lamentation: Dancing the Archive, an installation inviting audiences to engage with a 360° film of Martha Graham’s iconic solo, created by Xin Ying with Katherine Helen Fisher, Alan Winslow, and Kate Ladenheim. The exhibit features works by Memo Akten, Lauren Bedal, Shimmy Boyle, Mingyong Cheng, Kianí Del Valle, Hamill Industries (Pablo Barquin and Anna Diaz), Nora Gibson, David Wallace Haskins, Katie Peyton Hofstadter, KAMBARA+ (Yayoi Kambara), Armon Naeini, Operator (Ania Catherine and Dejha Ti), and Daniel Sierra. The exhibit will remain open until 4:30pm on this day, and will remain open throughout Festival 2025. Learn more about exhibits at Jacob’s Pillow here.
1:30pm: Celebrations continue with a community-sourced pop-up performance of Celebration! choreographed by Camille A. Brown.
Interested in participating in the pop-up dance celebration? Visit here to learn more and register! (all ages and experience levels are welcome)
2:30pm: Visitors are invited to gather in the Jameson Family Lobby for the unveiling of To Touch a Wide Span, a work by Cherokee artist Brenda Mallory created for the new Doris Duke Theatre, commissioned by Jacob’s Pillow, with brief remarks by the artists and curators behind Dancing the Algorithm and To Touch a Wide Span.