By Lauren Mechling
Photo by Cherylynn Tsushima
When Jacob’s Pillow set about rebuilding the Doris Duke Theatre, which was destroyed by a fire in 2020, the storied dance center opted to go tech-forward, building a snazzy (and fire-resistant) 20,000-square-foot structure equipped for dance performances that take place beneath astrological simulations or with “responsive digital sculptures” that get in on the boogieing.
The newly reopened theater will be a hotbed of activity during the dance destination’s first ever official Spring season. For two weekends, The Duke will host performances by a pair of visiting artists. First up, from April 24–26, is the world premiere of Havana-born Irene Rodríguez company’s dramatic “Flamenco Soul.” The following weekend will see eight male dancers perform Hari Krishnan’s “Rowdies in Love,” a queer contemporary and Indian classical mash-up that was developed in part during a 2024 Pillow Lab residency.
Jacob’s Pillow is also launching a pair of online courses this spring: Dance History 101 and a course in interpreting dance as an audience member. While you’re at your computer, we highly recommend you check out the center’s online archive, which has a sensational library of dance performances at the compound dating back to the 1930s.
