Pilobolus Day Returns with Dance Performance, Workshops & Fun for All Ages on September 13

Performance image by Alberto R Alvarez, all other photos by Emily Denaro

Pilobolus will host its annual community event, Pilobolus Day, on Sunday, September 13, 2026, from 1:30 - 5 PM at Devereux | The Glenholme School, Washington, CT. The rain-or-shine event invites attendees of all ages to experience the joy of dance, movement, creativity, and collaboration. Tickets are $15 for adults and free for children under 18.

This year’s event features a matinee showcasing both new work and beloved classics. The performance is filled with athleticism, humor, and heart, and is suitable for audiences of all ages. Following the show, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in one of three movement workshops led by Pilobolus Teaching Artists:

• Connecting with Balance, designed to help older adults move better, feel steadier, and enjoy life with more confidence. No dance experience needed!

• Alphabet Workshop, for kids ages 6-12 and their parents/guardians to explore the magic of letters, shapes, and bodies in motion. 

• Pilobolus Dance Workshop, an inclusive intergenerational workshop designed to break barriers and build community for participants aged 13-113.

The day begins with a relaxed soft start featuring lawn games, treats, and opportunities to gather with fellow community members before the program starts.

Proceeds from Pilobolus Day support bringing Pilobolus’s movement education programs to CT schools, including performances, in-school workshops, and residencies. Businesses, organizations, and individuals interested in sponsoring the event may email info@pilobolus.org to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

Purchase tickets here!

Press Coverage: Emily Kent Featured on CT Live Discussing EveryBody Dances: Pilobolus Summer Series

Pilobolus Education Director Emily Kent visited NBC 30 CT Live to talk about the free summer dance series EveryBody Dances: Pilobolus Summer Series happening at Yale University’s Schwarzman Center this summer. Watch her instruct host Abbey Carnivale in classic weight-sharing techniques that students will learn about during these Sunday sessions from July to August 2026. Register and learn more here.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE.

Press Coverage: Pilobolus dance company tests the limits of athleticism, physicality

Dancer Anouk Otsea and Artistic Director Matt Kent were featured on CBS News New York while in Manhattan for Pilobolus’s three-week residency at The Joyce Theater in Chelsea. The residency marked both the debut of Pilobolus’s new tour, Trips, and Otsea’s debut on The Joyce stage with the company.

Watch the interview here with CBS2’s Dave Carlin to learn more:

Press Coverage: Pilobolus' 'Trips' is Exactly What Dance Needs Right Now

On the Nature of Things. Photo by Ivan Martinez

From Broadway World’s “Pilobolus' 'Trips' is Exactly What Dance Needs Right Now” by Audrey Pettit:

“Since its founding in 1973 [1971] by a group of Dartmouth undergraduates, the company has prided itself on creating “rebellious dance,” or, put another way, making dance fun again. Yet as audiences grow grey-haired and certain stars dismiss centuries-old art forms as things “no one cares about,” Pilobolus’ mission feels less like counter-cultural subversion and more like a necessary reimagination of what dance—and watching dance—is and can become. 

The company’s 2026 showcase at the Joyce, glibly titled Trips, is an extended imaginative exercise. Before the curtain rises, two “flight attendants” mime a safety briefing and encourage us not merely to silence but to power off our phones: “You can do it,” they coo. Didn’t you come here for a break from the real world, anyway? The program doubles as an aircraft safety card; the intermission becomes a layover. We, the audience, are transformed from passive spectators into fellow voyagers.”

Later in the article:
”I’m usually ready for even the most impressive dance performances to wrap up—my attention falters, my energy dwindles. But when the curtain closes, I linger in my seat, not quite ready for this trip to end. “

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF PROGRAM A AT THE JOYCE

Press Coverage: After Five Decades, Pilobolus Still Moves Like No One Else

On the Nature of Things. Photo by Ivan Martinez

From The Art Fuse’s “Dance Review: After Five Decades, Pilobolus Still Moves Like No One Else” by Christopher Caggiano:

“In Trips, the company’s dancers, as always, possess astonishing strength and precision. But what’s most impressive isn’t individual prowess. Pilobolus has always placed an emphasis on mutual dependence rather than solo virtuosity. Performers become one another’s foundations, counterweights, and extensions, moving with such admirable trust that six separate bodies often appear to function as a single organism. Sculptural balances, gravity-defying lifts, and intricate weight-sharing create living architecture that seems to ignore the ordinary limitations of the human body.

That collaborative spirit gives the choreography an emotional dimension beyond its physical spectacle. The dancers frequently perform in minimal costumes and interact with remarkable intimacy, yet the work never feels prurient. Instead, bodies become instruments of communication, expressing humor, tenderness, vulnerability, and playfulness with equal ease. Even the company’s most astonishing feats avoid empty virtuosity. Every impossible balance or improbable lift serves a larger theatrical or emotional purpose.”

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF PROGRAM B AT THE JOYCE

Press Coverage: Theater Pizzazz - A Striking, Original Evening of Dance

Lamentation Variations. Photo by Emily Denaro

From Theater Pizzazz’s “Pilobolus- ‘Trips’ – A Striking, Original Evening of Dance” by Alix Cohen:

”Since 1971, Pilobolus has offered some of the most original thematic and choreographically creative work in dance. I’ve been a fan for decades. This year’s offering, at least in the program I attended, seems more serious, much of it both conceptually and physically challenging. Pushing envelopes is a signature. While I miss humor, the evening was riveting.”

Read the full review here.

Press Coverage: The Ballet Herald - Producing Profound Athletic Art

Bloodlines. Photo by Jason Hudson

From The Ballet Herald’s “Pilobolus Trips (Program A) Review: Producing Profound Athletic Art” by Mimi Liu:

For more than fifty years, Pilobolus has been taking dance to new theatrical heights through astonishing strength, ingenuity and physicality.

In Program A of Trips, the title of the company’s three-week return to The Joyce, Pilobolus presented an accessible program featuring a standout performer who stole the show and strong partnering work that continues to redefine what dance means.

Much effort went into engaging a wider audience and making dance more accessible.

As soon as I entered the theater, I realized the show had already begun. The dancers were onstage warming up – rolling on the floor, jogging around the stage, and swiveling their legs – before gathering into a huddle as the audience cheered them on.

Even the pre-show announcement felt more interactive than passive: two dancers stood on either side of the proscenium, gesturing with the precision of flight attendants as they encouraged audience members to silence their phones. The humorous exchange connected easily with a modern-day audience and immediately established an entertaining atmosphere.

Every piece organically flowed into the next, and the thoughtful interludes between the five dances further boosted audience engagement.”

Read the full article here.

Press Coverage: Pilobolus Soars Through “Other Worlds”

Bloodlines. Photo by Jason Hudson

From New Haven Independent’s “Pilobolus Soars Through “Other Worlds” by Karen Ponzio:

”Bodies tumbling, twirling, taking flight, seemingly otherworldly yet grounded, gasp-inducing but also quietly comforting: This was Pilobolus, the dance company performing “The Other Worlds Collection” at the Shubert Thursday night as part of this year’s International Festival of Arts and Ideas.

The theme of the festival’s 2026 season is “Home and Belonging.” Pilobolus is indeed based here in Connecticut. This is not their first time performing in New Haven nor at the Shubert, but it was their first time being part of the festival. From the response they received from the enraptured audience, it may not be their last.

Pilobolus characterizes itself as a “rebellious dance company” that has been “testing the limits of human physicality to explore the beauty and the power of connected bodies” since 1971. Connection was key to the performance last night, as were beauty and power. Six dancers made their way through five pieces titled Bloodlines, Walklyndon, Flight, Pseudopodia, and Particle Zoo. Each one offered a beguiling display of dance that was thought-provoking, breath-stopping, and yes, even laugh-out-loud funny at times.”

Read the full review here.

Pilobolus’s 2026 Ball Supports Performance and Education Programming

Photos by Bryan Haeffele

Evening of Artistry Supports Dance Theatre Company Initiatives

Pilobolus, the internationally renowned dance theater company based in Connecticut, held its annual ball on Saturday, June 13, at a private residence in Washington Depot, CT, in support of performing arts programming, including new work creation and educational initiatives. Susan Haber generously hosted the event.

Attendees were delighted by a special performance that included new work Virtuous & Vicious, generously supported by the Holiman Hackney Family Fund, and a selection of vignettes from Pilobolust, the company’s new cabaret. Virtuous &  Vicious will feature in Pilobolus’s new tour, Trips, debuting this summer at The Joyce Theater in New York, NY, from June 23 to July 12, 2026. Pilobolust is set to make its Litchfield County debut at Merryall Center in New Milford, CT, on July 31, 2026, in two sold-out performances.

“When we lean into each other to share the weight and responsibility of creation, remarkable things take shape, and the impossible becomes possible,” stated Pilobolus Executive/Co-Artistic Director Renée Jaworski. “The Pilobolus community shows up in spades, supporting and celebrating the wonder that is Pilobolus. Thank you to all of our donors and sponsors. “

Following the performance, guests were treated to dinner by Executive Cuisine, with the evening’s signature cocktail crafted by Sunny Roeper of Litchfield Distillery. Then, an inspiring paddle raise, led by actress and board member Lily Cowles, energized the room and generated further enthusiastic support for Pilobolus’s artistic and educational programs. A butterfly garden and pollinator pathway designed by Everything Botanical provided a ramble for guests throughout the festivities.

The night culminated in a dance party on stage, where both dancers and local luminaries cut loose together to music spun by DJ UGŪM, former Pilobolus dancer Kingsley Ibeneche.

The Pilobolus Ball serves as both a celebration and a call to action, underscoring the impact of Pilobolus’s deeply collaborative and accessible approach. From Connecticut classrooms to international stages, the company engages people of all ages and backgrounds in the transformative power of movement.

In addition to a special selection of “Mycelial Network” donors, the event was sponsored by Conversations on the Green (sapling corporate sponsor); Greenhouse Wealth Management LLC, Mejias Health and Wellness (sprout corporate sponsors); Depot Dog (spore corporate sponsor); Athletic Brewing Co., Cartwright and Daughters Tent and Party Rental, County Wine and Spirits, Everything Botanical, Kent Falls Brewing Company, Litchfield Distillery, Litchfield Magazine, and The Pantry (in-kind sponsors). 

Want to support Pilobolus? Make a contribution here.

Dr. Orna Guralnik to Moderate Pilobolus Curtain Chat at The Joyce Theater

Dr. Orna Guralnik (Image provided)

Pilobolus is pleased to announce that Dr. Orna Guralnik—clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, writer, and the acclaimed therapist featured on the award-winning docuseries Couples Therapy—will moderate the post-show Curtain Chat following Pilobolus's performance at The Joyce Theater in New York City.

The conversation will take place on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, and will feature Pilobolus’s Executive/Co-Artistic Director Renée Jaworski and Artistic Director Matt Kent alongside select company dancers. Audience members are invited to stay after the performance for an engaging discussion.

Known for her thoughtful exploration of relationships and human behavior, Dr. Guralnik brings a unique perspective to this conversation, making it one of Pilobolus’s most anticipated Curtain Chats to date.

Curtain Chat
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Location: The Joyce Theater, New York City

Tickets are limited and available through The Joyce Theater at joyce.org

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About Dr. Orna Guralnik

Dr. Orna Guralnik is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, and writer. She is faculty of NYU PostDoc and on the editorial board of Psychoanalytic Dialogues.  Her writing centers on the intersection of psychoanalysis, dissociation, and cultural studies.  She is a graduate of Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology and NYU’s Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis. She is the therapist and consulting producer of the Docu-series Couples Therapy, airing on Showtime/ Paramount+.

Pilobolus Featured in Dance Magazine

SKIN from Pilobolust. Photo by Emily Denaro

Pilobolus is honored to be featured in the latest issue of Dance Magazine, one of the dance field’s leading publications.

In the article, “What Dancers and Choreographers Need to Know About Performing Nude,” Lauren Wingenroth explores the artistic, practical, and ethical considerations surrounding nudity in dance. 

Executive/Co-Artistic Director Renée Jaworski lends insights from the perspective of both a dancer and choreographer. Images from the company's new cabaret, Pilobolust, photographed by Pilobolus Marketing Director Emily Denaro, are also featured.

Read the full article in Dance Magazine.

Pilobolus's Summer Educational Programs

This summer, Pilobolus invites movers of all ages and experience levels to explore creativity, collaboration, and movement through a dynamic lineup of educational programs in Connecticut. From immersive adult intensives and professional development workshops to the return of its beloved Kids Camp, Pilobolus’s 2026 summer offerings are designed to inspire curiosity, confidence, and connection through movement.

Pilobolus’s Summer Intensive for Adults will take place at the Woodhall School in Bethlehem, CT. Participants may select from one to all three week-long sessions running June 22 through July 10, 2026. Workshops are held daily from 9AM to 5PM. Open to dancers and non-dancers alike, the intensives focus on improvisation, collaboration, performance, and the company’s signature weight-sharing techniques and creative process. Participants can choose from themed weeks:

• Week 1: Pilobolus: Technique & Philosophy - June 22-26

• Week 2: Performance: Onstage & Beyond - June 29 - July 3

• Week 3: Creation: Vision & Revision - July 6 - 10

Attendees of the week-long intensives will also receive a complimentary ticket to see Pilobolus perform at The Joyce Theater. Plus, dorm accommodations are available to those who may like to stay local during the sessions.

Also offered for adults are three unique professional development workshops:

• Pilobolus Pedagogy: The How and Why of What We Teach is a two-day workshop led by Education Director Emily Kent, focused on integrating Pilobolus techniques into classroom and studio settings, perfect for educators and movement instructors.
  Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, June 28, 9AM to 3PM
  
  

• Connecting with Balance® Teacher Training Certification equips participants with the tools to lead balance-focused movement classes for older adults.
  Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, June 28, 4PM to 7PM
  
  

• Pilobolus Repertory Mini-Intensive will provide experienced movers the opportunity to learn and embody repertory performed by the company on stage.
  Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5, 10AM to 4PM 

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Younger movers are invited to join Pilobolus Kids Camp, which returns to Shepaug Valley High School for two sessions: July 20–24 and July 27–31, 2026. Designed for children ages 6–12, the camp introduces participants to Pilobolus’s signature movement-based learning methods through creative play, improvisation, motor skill building, and performance. Camp runs daily from 9 AM to 3 PM. Participants may register for one week or both.

Rooted in the philosophy that anyone can move and create, Pilobolus’s educational programs encourage participants to think collaboratively, explore imagination, and discover new forms of self-expression.

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For more information or to register, visit Pilobolus Adult Workshops and Pilobolus Kids Camp.

Three New Dancers Join Pilobolus

New Pilobolus dancers Kalyan Sayre (upper left), Anouk Otsea (upper right) and Alexis Cruz-Castro (lower left.)

If you follow Pilobolus on social media, you may have noticed some new faces learning technique alongside our company members. We are pleased to announce the addition of three new dancers to Pilobolus! Read more about each performer below and keep an eye out for them at our upcoming performances:

ALEXIS CRUZ-CASTRO is a native of Caguas, Puerto Rico, and earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a minor in Musical Theater from Montclair State University in Spring 2024. He has performed with Gaspard & Dancers, Brian Sanders’ JUNK, and Transcendence Theatre Company, and in works by Tommie-Waheed Evans, Doug Varone, and Yusha-Marie Sorzano. A free spirit, he enjoys trips to the beach and mountains, especially in tropical climates, and is always eager for new adventures.

ANOUK OTSEA is a multidisciplinary movement artist. Anouk was born and raised in Juneau, Alaska, Lingít Aaní, home of the A'akw Kwáan and T'aaḵu Kwáan peoples. Outside of the studio, Anouk spent her upbringing roaming the Tongass Forest and shredding the slopes of Eaglecrest Ski Area. After attending Walnut Hill High School for the Arts, Anouk graduated from the LINES Ballet BFA Program. From Chicago to Seattle to Alaska, she has worked as a dancer and choreographer with groups such as Little Fire Artist Collective, Boykin Dance Project, and Verlaine & McCann. She has collaborated with artists such as Brendan Fernandez, Jessi Stegal, and Genevieve Carson. In 2023, Anouk was invited by Savannah Dunn to participate in the Jacob’s Pillow Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellows Program. Anouk is a certified Level 2 Gyrotonic Instructor. Since falling madly in love with climbing, Anouk has dreamt of combining her two passions. Pilobolus’ mix of athleticism, artistry, and theatrics provides the perfect concoction to scratch her creative itch.

KALYAN SAYRE is a North Carolina native and NYC area transplant. She studied dance at George Mason University, where she was also a member of the Honors College. Kalyan has performed for companies and choreographers such as Brian Sanders’ JUNK, Ariel Rivka Dance, The Yard, and Abby Bender. In addition to dance, Kalyan is a circus artist, has spent time farming and gardening, and is a volunteer sexual assault/domestic violence crisis advocate in NYC emergency rooms. Kalyan is a heliotrope at heart, and her favorite flavor of ice cream is coffee Heath bar crunch.

Want to watch them learn technique and see clips behind the scenes? Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and YouTube!

Successful Give Local Campaign Powers Pilobolus

In late April, we asked you to help us raise $25k to cover rising transportation costs and keep Pilobolus moving during Give Local Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills 2026, hosted by Connecticut Community Foundation and presenting sponsor Ion Bank Foundation.

We are so grateful that you powered our movement! In 36 hours, you fueled us with $11,915, helping us hit 48% of our $25k goal to support our rising transportation costs! By donating during this unique campaign, we also earned an additional $940 in bonus funds, bringing our total Give Local donations to $12,855! Your contributions will keep us in motion, enabling us to bring our performances and educational programming closer to audiences and students across Connecticut, the USA, and the world.

While Give Local may be over, we can still use your support to fill our tank.

Help Keep Our Work in Motion During Give Local

Pilobolus has been telling stories with the human form for over 55 years. Through dance theatre performances and educational programming, we show diverse communities and organizations how to create, collaborate, and find joy and well-being through the power of movement. And we do it all from Washington, Connecticut.

From April 21 at 7AM to April 22 at 7PM, you can help us raise $25k to cover rising transportation costs and keep Pilobolus moving during Give Local Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills 2026, hosted by Connecticut Community Foundation and presenting sponsor Ion Bank Foundation. Donating during this dynamic 36-hour online giving campaign supports Pilobolus and helps us secure bonus dollars for contributions made within the Give Local timeframe and during contest windows!

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WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP THIS YEAR

From Litchfield County and the Greater Waterbury area to communities across the country and around the world, transportation expenses directly impact our ability to reach audiences and deliver educational programs—especially here in Connecticut. With your support, Pilobolus can continue to bring communities on a journey through inspiring, transformative experiences, from the stage to the classroom and beyond.

Our movement has never been confined to the stage.

Each year, Pilobolus travels between 10–20k miles, which accounts for 12% of our programmatic operating costs. It’s an essential part of our budget that impacts those we serve both locally and globally.

In the first half of FY 25/26 alone, we have already traveled 10,494 miles, including 7,251 tour miles and 3,243 education miles. Notably, 32% of those miles (1,020 miles) were traveled to serve students within Litchfield County and the Greater Waterbury area. These miles encompass our movements from Washington, CT, to domestic tour stops, special events, workshops, and classes.

Our teaching artists bring educational programs to schools, athletic facilities, senior centers, and community organizations. We bring our performers and production materials to theatres, schools, parks, museums, and more for in-school shows, cabarets, special events, and theatrical performances. Expenses include fuel, upkeep of our company van, automobile rentals, freight transport, public transit fares, and airline tickets.

Now, rising costs—including increased airfare and higher prices at the pump—are adding new hurdles to keeping our work in motion. Connecticut gas prices have risen approximately 34% year-over-year ($3.05 to $4.08 per gallon). Airfare costs alone are outpacing last year's spend by 26%. Overall, our domestic travel expenses are significantly outpacing last year's spend by 48%, having already reached 74% of our total FY25 costs by mid-year.

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WHAT ARE WE TRANSPORTING?
- Dancers, crew, teaching artists, and directors
- Freight, including lighting, props, and costumes

WHAT TRANSPORTATION COSTS DO WE INCUR?
- Airfare, including baggage fees
- Vehicle rental fees, including truck rental (production freight) and vans/cars (humans!) 
- Public transit fare (bus, train, subway)
- Alternate livery, such as hired airport shuttles, Ubers, or taxi, as needed
- Gas for rental vehicles and the company van
- Upkeep for company van

COST INCREASES INCLUDE:
- Increased fuel prices
- Added baggage fees
- Increased rental fees
- Fare increases, including NYC public transit, which we rely on for 3 weeks each summer
- More van upkeep as the vehicle ages

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At a Glance

Dance Theatre Company Pilobolus Hosts Annual Ball on June 13

An evening of performance and revelry supporting artistic and educational initiatives

Pilobolus, the internationally acclaimed Connecticut-based dance theater company renowned for rebellious physical storytelling, announces the return of its signature annual fundraiser, the Pilobolus Ball, on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at a private residence in Washington, CT. The event is generously hosted by Susan Haber.

Artistic Director Matt Kent and Executive/Co-Artistic Director Renée Jaworski with Susan Haber, who will be generously hosting the Pilobolus Ball for the second year in a row.

Held from 6:00 to 10:00 PM, the event will begin with cocktails followed by an exclusive performance by Pilobolus dancers. After dining under the stars, guests will revel in a moonlit dance party with music by DJ UGŪM to close out the evening.

Proceeds from the Pilobolus Ball directly support the company’s creation of new work, dancer training, arts education initiatives, and community programming.

From local classrooms in Connecticut to stages around the world, Pilobolus continues to reach broad and diverse audiences through its performances and educational programs. The Pilobolus Ball offers a rare opportunity to experience that work up close while directly supporting the company’s future.

Tickets to Pilobolus Ball 2026 can be purchased at pilobolus.org/ball. Sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting events@pilobolus.org.

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Highlights from Beauty in Your Backyard ~ Pilobolus Ball 2025

Pilobolus Makes Connecticut Debut with Pilobolust at Ridgefield Theater Barn

Following a Sold-Out Premiere in Massachusetts, the Rebellious Dance Theater Company Brings Its Daring Cabaret to Ridgefield

Ridgefield, Conn. (February 19, 2026)  — After a sensational, sold-out debut at the Indigo Room in Great Barrington, MA, internationally acclaimed dance theater company Pilobolus brings its provocative cabaret experience, Pilobolust, to Connecticut for the first time on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at the Ridgefield Theater Barn in Ridgefield, Conn.

In Pilobolust, Pilobolus turns up the heat with tantalizing talent, bawdy bewitchment, and scintillating scenarios. This daringly disarming cabaret invites audiences into a world where unrestrained beauty and cheeky mischief refuse to remain confined to the stage. The evening unfolds all around the audience in an immersive, intimate, and unapologetically bold experience.

Known for its collaborative creative process and physically inventive storytelling, Pilobolus continues to expand the boundaries of dance theater.

“Our work has always expanded how people see the human body—across age, identity, and experience—not as something to conceal, but as a living instrument of trust, weight, balance, and connection,” explained Executive/Co-Artistic Director Renée Jaworski. “In a moment when the body is politicized, commodified, or controlled, Pilobolust offers something different: a space for adults to gather with respect and celebrate strength, sensuality, and humor without shame. It resists the narrative that the body must be hidden—and invites us to remember that joy lives in its full expression.”

For those ready to surrender to an evening that is undone, uninhibited, and unforgettable, Pilobolust promises a night of provocative artistry delivered with Pilobolus’s signature athleticism, humor, and inventive physical storytelling with a seductive twist.

Two performances will be offered at 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM. All tickets are $105 (inclusive of fees).  Pilobolust contains nudity and is intended for adult (21+) audiences only. This event is a no-phone performance. Tickets are available through the Ridgefield Theater Barn box office at ridgefieldtheaterbarn.org.

Moving Together at Jacob’s Pillow: A Winter Workshop Recap

From January 16–18, 2026, Pilobolus returned to Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, MA, for our 2026 Winter Workshop for adults. Twenty-eight movers joined the three-day immersive experience in movement, collaboration, and creative risk-taking. Dancers and non-dancers alike learned to move, listen, and create together using the Pilobolus method as snow fell on the bucolic Berkshire mountains outside. 

Led by Education Director Emily Kent and Executive & Co-Artistic Director Renée Jaworski, the weekend invited participants to step into a world of improvisation, trust, and play. Over three days, the group explored foundational Pilobolus movement, including walking together through space, mirroring, tableaus, weight sharing, and collaborative composition, culminating in informal showings of original work created in small groups. The emphasis was never on technical perfection, but on authenticity and collective discovery.

What made this workshop especially memorable was that one of the participants wasn’t just there to move. Berkshire Eagle features reporter Matt Martinez joined the workshop as a full participant, bringing with him no formal dance training but plenty of curiosity. His deeply personal firsthand account of what it feels like to enter the Pilobolus process as a beginner highlighted the vulnerability, the exhilaration, and the quiet transformation that happens when strangers learn to move as one.

We’re grateful to Jacob’s Pillow for hosting us, to the 28 participants who brought their full selves into the room, and to Matt Martinez for so vividly articulating the experience from the inside out.

Read his full reflection in The Berkshire Eagle and step into Pilobolus’s Winter Workshop through his eyes. (PDF version available here!)

Pilobolus in 2025: A Year in Motion

Throughout 2025, Pilobolus brought movement to stages, classrooms, and unique community spaces through performance, education, and creative partnerships. As a nonprofit organization, this work was made possible by the support of our donors, and continued support ensures that this work continues to thrive in the years to come.

Here’s a look back at some highlights from 2025…

PERFORMANCE & NEW CREATION

Other Worlds Collection debuts at Joyce Theater Residency in NYC, including two new works
Pilobolus returned to The Joyce Theater in New York City for a three-week residency, premiering the Other Worlds Collection. Two significant new works made their NYC debuts: Flight—a piece inspired by founding company member Lee Harris—and Lamentation Variations, Pilobolus’s interpretation of Martha Graham’s iconic solo Lamentation, created in celebration of the GRAHAM100 and Lamentation Variations Project. (Fun fact: Flight provided the creative runway for the new kids’ show Flight School!) The residency also included classics and recent favorites in repertory, a children’s matinee, a curtain chat with Clinton Kelly, and a unique patron walk-on in Walklyndon.

Opening Penn & Teller’s 50th Anniversary Show at Radio City Music Hall
Pilobolus was honored to open Penn & Teller: 50 Years of Magic at Radio City Music Hall. The partnership reflects a continuing creative relationship.

Alternative Performances Delight New Spaces
Pilobolus presented an immersive event titled Microdose with Pilobolus at farm.one in Brooklyn, NY. Attendees experienced pop-up spectacles, sensory delights, and performances in an alternative, participatory setting. This experience inspired the creation of a new adults-only cabaret show, which debuted at the Mahawie Performing Arts Center’s new Indigo Room in Great Barrington, MA, and which will continue to grow in 2026—stay tuned!

Pilobolus + Lorelei Ensemble Collaborate on love fail
Pilobolus’s collaboration with Lorelei Ensemble debuted love fail at Denison University’s Vail Series in Granville, OH. The work combined Pilobolus’s choreography with Lorelei Ensemble’s vocal performance, presented by a quartet of dancers performing alongside the choral singers.

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Adult Winter Intensive at Jacob’s Pillow
Pilobolus held its first Winter Intensive Workshop for adults at Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, MA. The weekend experience brought participants together with Pilobolus’s artistic leadership and teaching artists to explore creative and collaborative movement. Based on the success of this program, Pilobolus will return to Jacob’s Pillow in January 2026 for another weekend workshop.

Educational Partnerships and Growth
Pilobolus announced a multi-year educational partnership with the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) to co-create a nationwide education program. The initiative launched with an intergenerational pilot workshop at Skidmore College that brought older adults and college dance students together to explore creative problem-solving, experimentation, and teamwork through movement led by Pilobolus teaching artists.

Our work with students of all abilities was highlighted with our partnership with CATA’s Moving Company, a mixed-ability dance ensemble in Great Barrington, MA. Pilobolus teaching artists Emily Kent and Derion Loman collaborated with CATA artists in weekly movement sessions leading toward celebratory performances scheduled for May 2026. This is just one of the myriad educational experiences Pilobolus facilitated throughout the year, including moving with students at Greater Hartford Arts Academy, Taft School, Chance2Dance, Washington Senior Center, Fight Cancer Like a Dancer, and more.

We also launched three new class offerings:

• Kids Class Series for children ages 7–11, using movement games and creative prompts to explore collaboration and physical literacy.

• Pilobolus Continuum for ages 13 and up, an intergenerational class where participants explore movement together regardless of prior dance experience.

• Bounce Back for older adults to build confidence, balance, and mobility through gentle movement and balance exercises.

These classes brought Pilobolus’s movement philosophy into local community spaces and expanded access to creative movement for all ages.

Pilobolus also returned to Dartmouth College for the celebration of the newly redesigned Hopkins Center for the Arts. Activities included Connecting with Balance and the Pilobolus Alphabet Dance Workshop, immersive site-specific performance throughout the building, and collaboration with the Dartmouth Dance Ensemble.

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WHY SUPPORT PILOBOLUS MATTERS

Pilobolus’s performances, new work, educational initiatives, community classes, and collaborative programs all depend on contributed support. Donor generosity sustains touring, teaching, creation, and outreach efforts that bring movement into communities, classrooms, and stages across the USA and the world.

Your support helps make this possible. If you value the experiences Pilobolus shared in 2025 onstage, in studios, and in your backyard, please consider making a donation to ensure the work continues into 2026 and beyond.

Pilobolus Brings Movement to CATA

All images taken by Jeremy Lovelett/CATA except for the image of Derion Loman posing with a student (lower left in the gallery) by Christina Lane.

Pilobolus is thrilled to be working with Community Access to the Arts (CATA), a nonprofit in Great Barrington, MA that “nurtures and celebrates the creativity of people with disabilities through the arts.” Since September, Pilobolus has been working with CATA's Moving Company, a mixed-ability dance ensemble and one of many arts programs CATA provides for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Pilobolus believes that everyone can learn, grow, and find joy through movement; Pilobolus Teaching Artists Emily Kent and Derion Loman have been working with CATA artists to do just that every Friday since September 2025. Each session is building towards CATA’s celebratory May 2026 performances.

Recently, Pilobolus’s Artistic Director Matt Kent and dancers Connor Chaparro, Ryan Hayes, Isaac Huerta, Darren Robinson, and Jessica Robling dropped in for a special class on November 5. The room was full of bold ideas, playful exploration, and that unmistakable spark the CATA artists bring every time we’re together. Our team left energized, inspired, and grateful to be part of this ongoing collaboration.

With Pilobolus and CATA's shared values of inclusion, creativity, and transformation through connection, this pairing has been an utter joy. We’re excited for the months ahead and honored to be in motion with CATA.