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its history , pedigree , and star power to the Berkshires for the first time ever this summer , it represents a truly rare treat for American audiences . For this engagement — the only time they ’ ll be performing in the U . S . in 2024 — the Royal Ballet will bring both a world and a U . S . premiere as part of its program . The U . S . premiere of Secret Things by the American choreographer Pam Tanowitz , about which The Guardian wrote , “ Created for corps de ballet dancers , Secret Things opens with the figure of a woman caught between iconic ideal and flawed corporeality . In a tunic of sunshine yellow , shins shimmering with gold and pointe shoes tipped with cobalt blue , she is at once a work of Apollonian statuary , all poise and proportion , and a coltish creature who is still discovering her body .” Tanowitz is currently an artist-in-residence at Live Arts Bard ( LAB ), the Fisher Center ’ s residency in Annandale-on- Hudson , New York .
As for the world premiere , the award-winning British choreographer Wayne McGregor , who is the Royal Ballet ’ s artist-in-residence , has created a new piece specifically for Jacob ’ s Pillow , “ inspired by what the Pillow is all about ,” says Royal Ballet Artistic Director Kevin O ’ Hare . In addition , the Royal Ballet will perform works by its founder choreographer Frederick Ashton , as well as its current principal choreographer Kenneth MacMillan and artistic associate Christopher Wheeldon .
Royal Ballet principals Matthew Ball , Mayara Magri , Marcelino Sambé , Anna Rose O ’ Sullivan , and Sarah Lamb will perform in this engagement , along with a sizable number of the company ’ s corps de ballet . Lamb , who is originally from Boston , got her start with the Boston Ballet before joining the Royal Ballet in 2004 . Principal dancer Natalia Osipova will perform a solo piece from Sir Frederick Ashton ’ s tribute to Isadora Duncan , Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan , on the outdoor stage for the opening night of this engagement , Wednesday , July 3 .
Based in London , the Royal Ballet was founded in 1931 by Dame Ninette de Valois and has been in residence at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden since 1946 . With limited time available
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for performances outside of London , this engagement by the Royal Ballet at Jacob ’ s Pillow is a real coup for the festival , which celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2022 .
Although the Royal Ballet has never performed at Jacob ’ s Pillow as a company , there is a long history of connection between the performance venue and the Ballet . Among the Royal Ballet dancers who have individually appeared at the Pillow are Richard Cragun , who was here in the 1980s , Margot Fonteyn in 1973 , and Nadia Nerina and Clover Roope , who performed in the 1960s . Alicia Markova , who was the first ballerina of the Royal Ballet under Ashton ’ s direction , co-directed the Pillow in 1941 , danced here several times , and served on the Pillow ’ s board of directors . Anthony Tudor served on the faculty and created several works at the Pillow , including Trio Con Brio in 1952 .
Then O ’ Hare came to the Pillow in 2023 . This engagement was long in the works , according to Pamela Tatge , executive and artistic director of the Pillow . She originally traveled to London to pitch the idea in 2018 . Then the Royal Ballet ’ s artistic director Kevin O ’ Hare came to the Pillow in 2023 , where he saw not only the performance spaces , but also got a history of the interconnections between the Royal Ballet and Jacob ’ s Pillow from archivist Norton Owen .
“ Kevin ’ s first stop was in the archives ,” Tatge says , noting that Owen “ had put together a presentation of all the dancers from the Royal Ballet who had been to the Pillow , and all the connections we ’ ve to that company starting in the 1940s . He was so impressed with that history .”
O ’ Hare also saw two performances at the festival , including the Tulsa Ballet performing on the outdoor stage , and that ’ s where the idea for the takeover began .
“ It ’ s a place with a magical name and feeling about it ,” says O ’ Hare . “ And when the opportunity came up to go there , it just seemed an opportunity not to be missed .”
The Pillow also found an advocate in the Royal Ballet ’ s current company and tour manager Rachel Vickers . “ I went to Jacob ’ s Pillow when I was a dance counselor at [ Hinsdale ’ s ] Camp Taconic and thought it was a really magical place ,” says Vickers . “ I have kept my eye on the festival over
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From top , Hannah Grennell and Giacomo Rovero in Secret Things by Pam Tanowitz ; Royal Ballet Artistic Director Kevin O ’ Hare ; Diamonds with Ryoichi Hirano and Sarah Lamb ; Carousel with Mayara Magri and Matthew Ball , also photo on previous spread . |
TRISTRAM KENTON TRISTRAM KENTON JOE PLIMMER / ROH ALICE PENNEFATHER |