Lookback: Five Senses Festival 2019

Lookback: Five Senses Festival 2019

August 5, 2019

Our second annual Five Senses Festival! has come to a close and we’re still buzzing from all the up-close experiences we shared with friends and neighbors from near and far.

To all the incredible artists, musicians, writers, thinkers, builders, partners, dancers, restaurateurs, movers, makers, advocates, donors, volunteers, audiences, staff, board, and members of our incredible community — THANK YOU for helping us bring this dream to life! You came in the rain and you braved the heat, and you connected in surprising, wonderful ways. You made our festival so much more than we ever imagined:

4,300 tickets, 1,000 new visitors, 155 artists,
and 75 events in 7 days on one incredible field...
and over 1 million dollars of impact in our community.

Stay tuned for info on Five Senses Festival 2020!

To see our touring performance schedule, visit our Tour page.
To learn more about workshops, intensives, and community events, visit our Workshops page.

And of course, visit fivesensesfestival.com to learn more about our summer festival in Washington CT.

 

Pride

WorldPride NYC – Stonewall50

July 1, 2019

We closed out our Joyce season by joining The Joyce Theater in marching for NYC Pride 2019 | WorldPride NYC | Stonewall50. Our dancers and staff alike took to the streets, joining millions of New Yorkers and international visitors in recognizing the history of LGBTQIA+ fights for equality, and celebrating a bright future!

Stonewall 50 – WorldPride NYC 2019 was a series of LGBTQ events and celebrations in June 2019, marking not only the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots, but also the first time WorldPride was held in the United States.

What a joy to close out our season by connecting with and supporting so many people from all walks of life!

To see more upcoming community events in New York and on the road, visit our Workshops page.

 

Looking Back on our Season at The Joyce

Looking Back on our Season at The Joyce

June 29, 2019

What an incredible season we shared at The Joyce Theater in New York City! We shared two programs, with works including On the Nature of Things (2014), Walklyndon (1971), Rushes (2007), Gnomen (1997), Branches (2017), Untitled (1975), Symbiosis (2001), and Day Two (1981) – closing out the season with a march in the Stonewall 50th Anniversary Pride March with the Joyce team!

Thank you to everyone who joined us! Hope to see you all next time at The Joyce!

To see more upcoming performance events in New York and on the road, visit our Tour page.

 

Pilobolus Returns to The Joyce

Pilobolus Returns to The Joyce

March 18th, 2019

This summer, we're making our highly anticipated homecoming to The Joyce Theater in New York City. Our two programs highlight Pilobolus’s unique blend of dazzling surrealism, poetic movement, and sheer physical strength, featuring vintage audience favorites from across the decades:

Program A:

On the Nature of Things (2014)
Walklyndon (1971)
Rushes (2007)
Gnomen (1997)
Branches (2017; Joyce Premiere)

Program B:

Untitled (1975)
Symbiosis (2001)
Rushes (2007)
Day Two (1981)

Performances run June 11-29th. Tickets are now on sale.
Visit our Joyce page for the full performance calendar.

To see more upcoming performance events, visit our Tour page.

 

Pilobolus at World Science Festival Brisbane

Time and the Creative Cosmos in Brisbane

March 8th, 2019

Pilobolus is heading back down under! Reviving this collaborative creation between Pilobolus and World Science Festival 2017, Time and the Creative Cosmos celebrates the human spirit of exploration and discovery. This thrilling fusion of science and art highlights our collective longing to transcend the boundaries of space and time. Through original choreography, eclectic musical and stage performances, acclaimed physicist Brian Greene unveils the mysteries of life and the universe.

Performance is March 23rd at 8:00 PM.

Tickets are available here.

Created by World Science Festival and Pilobolus
Conceived and Written by Brian Greene
Featuring Brian Greene, Pilobolus, famed violinist Joshua Bell, renowned opera star Renée Fleming, singer David Draiman from the iconic hard rock band Disturbed, Broadway leading man Brian Stokes Mitchell, and string trio Time for Three, among others.

To see more international performance events, visit our Tour page.

EOY Campaign

Looking back on an incredible year!

December 17, 2018

Pilobolus puts human relationships in motion. We use our bodies to share stories and build live connections – through local gatherings, traveling workshops, and interactive activities, transforming audiences into artists. 

This year we performed in 45 theaters, in 38 cities, for 100,000 people around the world. And we stepped off the stage with Pilobolus@Play, sharing ideas and engaging communities in creative activities for all ages and abilities. 

This summer, we launched the inaugural Five Senses Festival –a celebration of world-class art, experiences, and ideas– engaging the senses, celebrating nature, and inspiring our local community in Washington, CT.

Our new touring show, Come to Your Senses, honors the festival spirit, drawing ideas from collaboration, sensory awareness, and the natural world. 

You can help us continue to turn crowds into communities. 

Support our efforts to brighten people’s lives with art and wonder by making a tax-deductible donation today.

Thank you, from the many moving parts of Pilobolus.

Photo by Megan Moss Freeman.

Five Senses Festival Holiday Pop-Up

Five Senses Festival Holiday Pop-Up!

December 7, 2018

Winter is fast approaching, but we’re already finding ways to reconnect with our favorite part of summer – the Five Senses Festival!

We’re hosting a Five Senses Festival Holiday Pop-Up – indoors, at the beautiful Washington Club Hall – Sunday December 16. It’s free, and open to the whole family!

We'll stay nice and toasty as we share warm drinks, movement classes, sing-alongs, winter crafts with Jessica Russell, a live performance by Pilobolus, and a fun family movie! ⁣

Five Senses Festival Holiday Pop-Up
Sunday December 16, 11:00am - 6:00pm (schedule here)
Washington Club Hall, 92 Green Hill Rd, Washington CT
FREE and Family Friendly. No tickets required.

Visit fivesensesfestival.com for full schedule, or to learn more about the full Five Senses Festival!

Photo by John Kane.

In the Studio with WIRED Magazine!

In the Studio with WIRED

November 14, 2018

We recently connected with WIRED to film an episode for their new streamable video series, WIRED Masterminds.

"GOOD IDEAS ARE LIKE A MOUSE IN YOUR HOUSE."

- Co-Artistic Director Matt Kent

WIRED joined us for a full day of rehearsals, taking a close look at the Pilobolus creative process, how we build shapes and shadows out of human bodies, and how collaboration shapes our outlook.

We chatted about the surprising physicality of shadow theatre, and shared a rare behind-the-scenes look at how our shadows are created.

“IF THERE'S ONE PERSON WHO'S NOT PAYING ATTENTION, THE WHOLE THING CAN COME CRASHING DOWN.” 

- Co-Artistic Directors Renée Jaworski and Matt Kent

Check out the full story on WIRED.com or the WIRED Masterminds series on YouTube. And if you love the show, you can watch the next episode now exclusively by downloading the WIRED OTT app on Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV.

To see Pilobolus onstage, check out our Tour Calendar. Or join us at a Workshop to explore the Pilobolus creative process yourself!

Photo courtesy of WIRED Masterminds.

CTYS Tour

Eyeballs RBG 2550.jpg

Come to Your Senses – now on tour!

October 6, 2018

Our fall season kicked off with performances at White Bird in Portland, OR, and then on to a tour up the California coast, as we launch our new repertory show, Come to your senses.

Our 2018-19 tour season will certainly keep us on our toes, as we send four separate performances programs on the road:

  • Come to Your Senses – an all-new repertory show featuring Pilobolus classics alongside two new Pilobolus works, including our first ever women’s trio!

  • Shadowland - our original shadow show, featuring the iconic dog girl – loved by over a million fans!

  • Shadowland: The New Adventure - a new shadow show, pushing the limits of the form, as it follows two factory workers and their quest to save a magical bird

  • Pilobolus is a Fungus - an interactive performance and exploration of movement – created for kids, loved by audiences of all ages!

  • PLUS we’re bringing our workshops and community programs on the road, hosting community workshops, dance intensives, and collaborative art experiences including UP! The Umbrella Project!

This winter we’re heading overseas for performances and special events across Europe and Asia. And then we’ll be back in the states, with performances all across the U.S.A. Be sure to visit our Tour page to see our full performance lineup…..and check back often, as we’re always adding tour stops!

Check out our Tour Calendar to see our full performance schedule.

To learn more about workshops and community events, visit our Workshops page.

A Music Video with Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn!

A Music Video with Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn!

August 23, 2018

It's been hard to keep quiet about our incredible collaboration with Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn – but we're finally ready to share!

Last summer, we collaborated with the music duo on Echo in the Valley, a live Pilobolus performance, performed to music by Béla and Abby.

This summer, we've released a new collaboration - a full music video featuring Béla, Abby, and Pilobolus!

Check out the full story, and watch the complete music video on Rolling Stone and The New York Times! 

Looking Back on the Five Senses Festival

What a summer!

August 6, 2018

We’ve just wrapped up our inaugural Five Senses Festival!

To all the incredible artists, musicians, writers, thinkers, builders, partners, dancers, restaurateurs, movers, makers, advocates, donors, volunteers, audiences, staff, board, and members of our incredible community —

Thank you for helping us bring this dream to life!

You came in the rain and you braved the heat, and you connected in surprising, wonderful ways. You made our festival so much more than we ever imagined.

We’re already looking forward to doing it again. Stay tuned for info on the 2019 Five Senses Festival !

To see our touring performance schedule, visit our Tour page.
To learn more about workshops, intensives, and community events, visit our Workshops page.

And of course, visit fivesensesfestival.com to learn more about our summer festival in Washington CT.

Come see us this summer!

Come see us this summer!

June 5, 2018

We hope you’re ready for an incredible summer. We’re thrilled to be partnering with three of the most storied dance festivals in North America within the span of a single month – before we launch our own festival right here in Litchfield County, CT!

We’re kicking off the season at American Dance Festival in North Carolina, with two Pilobolus World Premieres.

Next, we head to Jacob’s Pillow in Massachusetts, and on to Victory Dance, Lake Placid, and Chautauqua Institution in New York state, before heading west for performances in New Mexico and Colorado, at the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet.

And finally, our summer culminates with the premiere of our new fall tour, Come to Your Senses, at Pilobolus’s inaugural Five Senses Festival – a multi-arts extravaganzaon a farm in our rural home.

Keep your eyes and your ears open for an announcement you won’t want to miss! 

To see our full performance schedule, visit our Tour page. To learn more about workshops, intensives, and community events, visit our Workshops page.

DRA + Dance Camera West

Where we’re headed next

March 28, 2018

We’re flying coast to coast this April to collaborate with some of our favorite dance organizations.

First, we'll be joining Dancers Responding to AIDS in the Hudson Valley for a mimosa brunch, where we'll help kick off their fundraising season with a performance of Symbiosis, followed by a post-performance chat with our dancers! 

Sunday April 8, 11am – Hudson Valley, NY
Tickets here.

Then we're heading to the west coast as a part of Dance Camera West's "To the Sea: Dance Concerts on the Pier" co-curated with Jacob Jonas Dance Company. Meet us at the Santa Monica Pier, where we're sharing a special performance of On the Nature of Things. The event is free, but RSVPs are required.

Friday April 13, 6:30pm– Santa Monica, CA
RSVP here.

To hear more about how you can bring Pilobolus to your organization, visit our Tour page or check out our Workshops.

Gibney

Pilobolus @ Play | NYC PopUp at Gibney

March 16, 2018

This spring, we’re bringing our Pilobolus workshop programs to NYC. Gibney’s drop-in partnering classes on Wednesday mornings from March 21 to April 11 will be a PiloboPopUp devoted to creative partnering techniques, expanding awareness and opening the senses.

Bold dancers looking for a more immersive Pilobolus experience are encouraged to join us April 14-15 for a two-day intensive exploring the rules of group improvisation, and providing participants with the building blocks for impactful collaborative choreography. Learn more. 

For the older among our NYC Pilobolus fans, we’re extending the pilot program for our wildly successful Connecting with Balance classes at the West Side Y in NYC. CwB teaches older adults to become mindful of balance, and we provide exercises that provide fun ways to enhance balance and coordination by engaging in a communal creative process. Learn more.

Our Pilobolus @ Play workshops tour too! We are connecting with communities of all ages, through our upcoming workshops in Florida, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and more!

Check out our Workshops Page to learn more about upcoming workshops and intensives – or how you can bring Pilobolus into your community.

On a Snowy Day

on a snowy day

March 7, 2018

We just wrapped our winter tour with performances and workshops in California, Florida, Vermont, New York, South Carolina, and Kentucky, only to return home to a winter storm.

But warmer weather is just around the corner, and when it comes we zoom off to storied festivals around the country: catch a new premiere at the American Dance Festival in Durham this June...and then come see us during our week at Jacob’s Pillow or Chautauqua in July.

After that we’re back home to the woods of Washington, Connecticut, where we’ll make new work, train our dancers, teach workshops, and this summer for the first time, do a series of tent shows on a farm! Stay tuned for more on that, but mark your calendars:

June 21 - June 23: American Dance Festival – Durham, North Carolina

June 27 - July 1: Jacob's Pillow – Becket, Massachusetts

July 17 - July 19: Chautauqua Institution – Chautauqua, NY

July 21 - Pilobolus Ball – Washington, CT

And be sure to keep an ear out – there's so much more to come!

Check out our Tour Page for a full list of upcoming engagements – or follow us on Facebook for the latest tour and events news.

Training 2018 | Duke CE

TRAINING 2018 | DUKE CE

February 19, 2018

Last week, a group of dancers and directors went down to Atlanta to join DukeCE and Training magazine to bring Pilobolus’s creative methods of “network leadership” to the field of corporate training.

Introduced by a brief performance of Shadowland Inside Out, executive producer Itamar Kubovy gave a keynote about how a small company can innovate through collaboration and fluid leadership. Our education director Emily Kent then joined Itamar to conduct workshops for more than 50 HR and Learning executives that leveraged group movement as an immersive tool to model different kinds of leadership. The relevance was immediate and the connection of ideas to action was highly accessible.

We look forward to more opportunities to contribute to making work better for a new generation of people.

To learn more about Pilobolus collaboration and partnerships, check out our work page.

And if we met you at Training 2018, we'd love to stay in touch. Shoot us an email, and let us know where these ideas are taking you.

Opening Doors!

Opening Doors!

February 5th, 2018

This weekend we opened our doors to share a Pilobolus experience with friends and neighbors in the Washington Depot area. We connected with our community in a movement exercise, followed with a studio performance of Symbiosis and Rushes.

To all those who joined us, thank you for sharing your Sunday afternoon with us – and for all your support (especially the physical kind)! We loved having you in our studio home.

Stick around....we may have some exciting news to share with you soon.

To be the first to hear about similar events, be sure to sign up for our mailing list!

Notes from the Road

Notes from the road...

January 26th, 2018

We’ve just wrapped up an incredible tour of Europe and Asia, that led us from the Akropolis in Greece to the Great Wall of China. It’s been incredible to connect with a community that spans the globe, see old friends, and make new ones.

Pilobolus was recently invited to perform at the largest women’s university in the world: Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

We were honored to share this singular experience of cross-cultural exchange – as the first western dance company to perform in Saudi Arabia. Pilobolus loves to discover what is possible when people join together. Diversity and trust inspire our work, and we take advantage of every opportunity to perform for new audiences. In a moment when values about women’s roles and independence are shifting globally, our mixed-gender performance of Shadowland, a work exploring a young girl’s imagination, took on special meaning.

Our Saudi hosts graciously shared their beautiful country and culture with us, inviting us to see landmark buildings, and even race across the desert on horseback. We hope these personal connections and historic performances herald a new era of cultural partnership and arts access.

To find out where we’re headed next, check out our Tour page, or follow us on Facebook.

Hands-On

HANDS-ON CONNECTIONS...

January 19th, 2018

This winter, we’ve found new ways to connect with our audiences and fans – and not just metaphorically. We’re sharing the Pilobolus experience with attendees from New York to Boston to Hilton Head to Vegas – through fun creative classes and workshops exploring movement, balance, connection, and community.

It’s been so inspiring to work with so many curious, engaged movers and dancers, and we hope our participants are feeling more connected with our work and process. We’re feeling closer to you than ever, and we can’t wait to continue to engage and share as we build opportunities for collaboration and connection.

To learn more about similar programs, check out our Workshops page.

Ford | CES

Another side of movement...

January 12th, 2018

Not all of our work happens on stage. We recently partnered with Alex McDowell (designer of Minority Report) and his company, Experimental, along with Ford's creative agency, Civic, to create a live experience for Ford at CES. 

Together we created a street corner of the future, wired with cutting-edge mobility technology.  Pilobolus was responsible for scripting and directing 20 actor/citizens that brought the street to life. The booth made quite a splash, making it into many best of lists for CES this year. 

We love being at the forefront of new ideas, and were excited to join the conversation on movement, technology, and how we can improve lives and strengthen human connections.

To learn more about partnerships and special projects, visit our Work page – or you can contact us with an idea.