Jacob's Pillow hits milestone

It started out 75 years ago as a modest dance retreat on an abandoned farm, a former stop on the Underground Railroad. Now Jacob's Pillow is recognized around the world as America's premier dance festival. For dance lovers, it's a little mecca nestled in the lush mountains of the Berkshires, and this summer's anniversary season features more than 300 events, including free and ticketed performances, talks, films, and exhibits spread over the festival's 163-acre site.

As in seasons past, the programming is a provocative mix of innovation and internationalism. In fact, those are the twin programming hallmarks of Jacob's Pillow executive director Ella Baff, who celebrates her 10th anniversary at Jacob's Pillow this summer.

"The Pillow is a place where audiences and artists can experiment together," Baff says. "That means doing new work and special programs that are unique and not seen anywhere else. And it's important to present international work, and that includes everything from Brooklyn to Burundi, because I think the idea is to get a world view of dance."

This season features 20 internationally recognized companies from four continents, including an unprecedented five troupes making their US debuts. One of the most anticipated debuts is England's Henri Oguike Dance Company, which brings a wide-ranging program that includes "Second Signal," accompanied by live music from the drum ensemble Taiko Meantime.

The son of a Welsh mother and a Nigerian father, Oguike has been compared to Mark Morris and Paul Taylor for his choreography's exuberant physicality and musical intelligence. "But his work is his own," Baff attests. "He's a marvelous dancer, and I think there's a little star over his head right now."

Other debuts include the eclectic Brazilian troupe Mimulus, Ballet du Grand Theatre de Geneve, a new troupe of Dancers of the Royal Danish Ballet, and the Netherlands-based Israeli choreographic team Club Guy & Roni, which brings an all-female troupe performing work that Baff calls "wild, offbeat, and very unpredictable."

The season also includes three world premieres, six American premieres, and Pillow exclusive programs not offered elsewhere. The opening gala is sold out, and tickets for Paul Taylor, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and Rasta Thomas's Bad Boys of Dance are expected to be hot commodities.

The scene hasn't always been so rosy. "We've had some very dark moments financially," says Baff, who took over just after the organization had pulled through a massive debt crisis. "I'm very happy that has receded. The Pillow is on its most stable ground right now."

Her goal, she says, has been to refresh the organization on every level, from rebuilding the board to tweaking the organization's mission. She opened the campus to the public with more free events, the school curriculum has been strengthened, and the organization has begun to function more fully year-round, reaching out into the surrounding community and building relationships with other organizations such as Mass MoCA. She and the board have also started to build a permanent endowment and cash reserves. And in 2003, the Pillow was declared a national historic landmark.

Not surprisingly, Baff is most proud of the dance itself, seeking out performances that offer an original point of view yet resonate with audiences. Says Baff, "It's always the art, first and foremost."

Jacob's Pillow, June 16-Aug. 26, Becket. 413-243-0745, jacobs pillow.org