all photos by Christopher Duggan, courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow Dance
Just one week after our premiere at ODC Theater, we headed east to perform excerpts of Double Exposure at Jacob’s Pillow, America’s longest-running international dance festival. It was a long week. Exhausted (happily so) from the premiere, we found ourselves right back to the drawing board, chopping the piece in half, while still trying to keep its essence and heart. The weather echoed our experience. Driving through the beautiful Berkshires on the morning of our performance, the skies alternated between sweet summer drizzle and full on windshield blinding rain. There went our picturesque outdoor debut…
Fast forward a few hours: after teching the piece indoors, meeting the entire Pillow staff, and eating some remarkably tasty sweet potato fries from the canteen, the skies had opened. Not a lot, but enough to think we might squeak our 35 minute performance by the weather gods. And sure enough, Plan A happened (their staff had Plans B, C, and even D all mapped out).
As native East Coasters, we grew up under the spell of the Pillow. Its history, its incredible artists… all were part of the fabric of dance as we knew it. 
It did not disappoint. What a magical place to perform! Excited audiences, breathtaking (almost dangerously so) scenery, and one of the most cheery and super capable crews we’ve ever had the chance to work with. After the all-clear was given for the weather, the stage and seating were hand-toweled off in minutes. We were brought rocks to weigh down our costumes when they started floating in the wind. Our sound cues were nailed after one viewing. The audience never had to know what amazing work went on to get us onstage so swiftly.
Huge thanks to Pam and Ariana for bringing Double Exposure to the Pillow, and to Sarah, Penny and all the other amazing folks who helped make it all happen!
