Jacob's Pillow facts for kids
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Jacob's Pillow
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The Ted Shawn Theatre
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | George Carter Rd. Becket, Massachusetts, United States |
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| Area | 220 acres (89 ha) |
| Built | 1931 |
| Architect | Joseph Franz |
| Architectural style | Federal, Bungalow/Craftsman |
| NRHP reference No. | 00001458 03000644 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 5, 2001 May 27, 2003 |
| Designated NHLD | May 27, 2003 |
Jacob's Pillow is a world-famous dance center, school, and performance space. It is located in Becket, Massachusetts, in a beautiful area called the Berkshires. This special place was named a National Historic Landmark District in 2003. This means it's a very important cultural site for all Americans.
Contents
History of Jacob's Pillow
How Jacob's Pillow Got Its Name
The land where Jacob's Pillow now stands was first settled in 1790 by Jacob Carter III. The road leading to his hilltop farm was very winding, like a zigzag. People started calling it "Jacob's Ladder," after a story from the Bible. There was also a rock on the property that looked like a pillow. Because of this rock, the farm became known as "Jacob's Pillow."
Ted Shawn's Dance Retreat
In 1931, a famous modern dance pioneer named Ted Shawn bought the farm. He wanted to create a special place for dance. Shawn and his wife, Ruth St. Denis, had a very popular dance group called the Denishawn Company. They helped make dance forms from different cultures popular, not just European ballet. Many famous dancers, like Martha Graham and Jack Cole, learned from them.
Ted Shawn wanted to create a dance group just for American men. The dancers in his all-male company helped build many of the buildings at Jacob's Pillow. This effort ended in 1940 when the United States joined World War II. Shawn's company broke up, and most of the dancers joined the military.
Saving Jacob's Pillow
After the war, Shawn faced money problems. He almost had to sell the property. In 1940, he rented it to a dance teacher named Mary Washington Ball. But her summer festival also didn't make enough money.
Then, two British ballet stars, Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, heard about Shawn's difficulties. They decided to buy the property. With help from a wealthy supporter named Reginald Wright, they raised $50,000. This money was used to buy the farm and build a new theater. The summer dance festival started again, and Ted Shawn remained its director until he passed away in 1972.
National Recognition
In 2003, the United States government declared Jacob's Pillow a National Historic Landmark District. It is the only dance organization in the U.S. to receive this special honor. This shows how important Jacob's Pillow is to American culture. In 2011, Jacob's Pillow also received the National Medal of Arts. This is a very important national award.
Sadly, the Doris Duke Theatre, one of the indoor performance spaces, was destroyed in a fire on November 17, 2020.
The Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival
Jacob's Pillow hosts an amazing dance festival every summer. It features dance groups from all over the world. You can see many different dance forms, styles, and traditions here.
Famous Dancers and Companies
Ted Shawn, the founder, helped start the careers of many famous dancers. These included Martha Graham and Jack Cole. Jacob's Pillow continues to help new artists today. Dancers like Alvin Ailey and Mark Morris have been mentored here.
Many dance companies have performed for the first time at Jacob's Pillow. These include the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Parsons Dance Company. International groups like The Royal Danish Ballet have also made their U.S. debuts here. Famous choreographers like Merce Cunningham have created new dances for the festival. Legendary artists like Margot Fonteyn and Mikhail Baryshnikov have also performed.
Performance Venues
Performances at Jacob's Pillow happen in two main places. The Ted Shawn Theatre was recently updated in 2022. It now has better air conditioning and more space for performers. It also has improved seating for the audience.
The second place is the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage. This stage hosts free performances called the Inside/Out Performance Series. You can watch established and new artists from around the world. It's an informal, outdoor setting with beautiful views of the Berkshire hills.
Doris Duke Studio Theatre
The Doris Duke Theatre was built in 1990. It was one of the main performance spaces at Jacob's Pillow. On November 17, 2020, a fire destroyed the theater. Luckily, no one was hurt, and no other buildings were damaged.
Jacob's Pillow is now planning to rebuild the Doris Duke Theatre. They are talking to artists and audiences to make sure the new theater is even better.
Community Programs
Jacob's Pillow also has several long-running community programs. One of these is the Jacob's Pillow Curriculum in Motion. This program helps connect dance with education in new ways.
The School at Jacob's Pillow
The School at Jacob's Pillow is a special dance school. It offers five different programs. These include Ballet, Contemporary Traditions, Cultural Traditions, and Tap/Musical Theatre. There's also a program for choreographers.
Students at the school have a busy schedule. They take professional-level dance classes six days a week. They also have coaching sessions and perform for the public. They get to learn from famous Festival artists and study in the Pillow's Archives. They also attend all the Festival performances.
Notable Faculty and Alumni
The School at Jacob's Pillow is known for its amazing teachers. Many famous dancers and choreographers have taught there. These include Katherine Dunham and Rennie Harris.
Many talented dancers have also graduated from the school. These include Meredith Monk, a MacArthur Grant-winner, and choreographer Mia Michaels. Nikolaj Hübbe, who is now the artistic director of the Royal Danish Ballet, also studied here.
Archives
The archives at Jacob's Pillow keep a huge collection of dance history. The founder, Ted Shawn, started collecting these materials. Since the 1930s, more items have been added. In 1991, Jacob's Pillow created a special job just to manage and care for the Archives.
What's in the Archives?
The Archives at Jacob's Pillow hold about 6,000 films and videos. These go all the way back to 1894! There are also 45,000 historic dance photos and negatives. You can find over 313,000 pages of unique printed materials. They even have 27 trunks full of costumes from 1915 onwards. Plus, there are 2,000 books about dance.
The Archives are a very important place for dance research around the world. You can visit the research facility by making an appointment. During the summer festival, it's open to the public for many hours each day. Much of the collection is also available online through the Pillow's website.
Blake's Barn
Blake's Barn is an old building from the 1700s. It was moved and rebuilt specifically for the Archives. This building was given by the famous dancer and actress Marge Champion. It's named after her son.
Blake's Barn has a central area for exhibits and lectures. It also has a reading room with video stations. Here, you can watch videos from the collection. The lower level has special temperature-controlled rooms for storage. It also has equipment for making videos.
Jacob's Pillow Dance Interactive
In 2011, Jacob's Pillow launched Jacob's Pillow Dance Interactive. This is a free online resource. It has video clips from the Archives. You can watch performances from the festival dating from 1937 to 2010. Some of this footage is very rare!
This easy-to-use website lets you search for dance videos by artist, dance style, or time period. Each entry includes a video clip, information about the dancer or choreographer, and a picture.
See also
