NEA Grantee of the Day - Jacob's Pillow

(Part of an ongoing series that demonstrates how some of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Direct Grantees have influenced Monkeyhouse's growth.)

by Karen Krolak

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival/Becket, MA/$50,000 -

Merciful heavens, there are just too many reasons to love Jacob's Pillow. In the seven hours that Jason and I were there on Saturday we:

*snuggled into the roots of a massive oak tree and listened to Rachel Maddow  and Suzanne Carbonneau ponder possibilites for integrating arts and public policy,

*poured over video footage of Pina Bausch and Merce Cunningham,

*shared stories with JR Glover and Thasia Giles  on  Anne Bluethenthal's 25th anniversary season performance of Pluto in Capricorn, 

*bumped into d. Sabela Grimes and Raphael Xavier in the archives,

*spotted Doug Varone in the Pillow Pub (his company will be performing there this coming weekend),

*chatted with Rennie Harris (who sat two seats away from us in the Ted Shawn Theater), 

*and were once again enthralled by Rennie Harris PureMovement's performance.