FOR MORE INFORMATION AND PHOTOS CONTACT: Mariclare Hulbert, Director of Marketing and Communication 413.243.9919 x130 mhulbert@jacobspillow.

org -orAlyssa Mayfield, Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator 413.243.9919 x132 amayfield@jacobspillow.org
JACOBS PILLOW PRESENTS ACCLAIMED KUCHIPUDI DANCER SHANTALA SHIVALINGAPPA, JULY 3-7 June 25, 2013 (Becket, MA) Jacobs Pillow presents preeminent Kuchipudi dancer Shantala Shivalingappa from July 3-7 in its Doris Duke Theatre. Born in India and raised in Paris, Shivalingappa "erases cultural boundaries with her lightness, wit, and musicality" (The New Yorker). Her vivid interpretations of the classical South Indian dance style, Kuchipudi, are steeped in expressive narrative with flowing lines, nimble leaps, and percussive footwork. Joined by four master musicians, Shivalingappa presents the U.S. premiere of Akasha, a program showcasing her artistry with five solos, all inspired by ancient Hindu poems. Ella Baff, Executive and Artistic Director of Jacob's Pillow comments, "Shantala Shivalingappa is star dancer. She embodies the grace and virtuosity of classical Indian dance, which is as challenging and precise to perform as classical ballet. It also requires a deep understanding of music. The dance and the music depend on one another, and together they express emotion, beauty and soul." Akasha, featuring choreography by Shantala Shivalingappa and Vempati Ravi Shankar, son of Shivalingappas Kuchipudi guru Vempati Chinna Satyam, is a program of five Kuchipudi solos, each performed by Shivalingappa and accompanied by live singing, flute, and percussions. In Sanskrit, the classical language of India and Hinduism, Akasha means Sky or Space and is regarded as Luminous and the Source of All. Each work in Akasha is inspired by a traditional Hindu poem, with one particular poem dating back to as early as the 13th century, describing various Gods. Om Namo Ji Adya, danced and sung by Shivalingappa, begins the program as a salute to Ganesh, the elephant-headed God who isknown as the light that enlightens themind. Krishnam Kalaya is inspired by Krishna, the Supreme God, Light of the Universe, and conqueror of demons. Next in Jaya Jaya Durge, she praises Durga, a form of the Goddess mother who embodies power and the destruction of Evil. Challenging herself in Kirtanam, Shivalingappa depicts herself as two characters, telling the story of a love quarrel between Alamelu Manga, the narrator, and her husband, the God Venkateshwara. Rounding out the program is a final solo entitled Bhairava, representing an aspect of the God Shiva (also the lord of the Dance) in its terrible and destructive form as the Divine Protector. The daughter of acclaimed dancer and choreographer Savitry Nair, Shantala Shivalingappa has been compared to the dancing glow of a flame, which enlightens us (Paris Vogue). After being raised in Paris, Shivalingappa returned to India at 16 to receive training in the Kuchipudi form of dance that she now brings to the Pillow. "Dance for me is joy and beauty, Shivalingappa said in an interview for European magazine Culture Kiosque I want to change the stereotyped image that some people have of Indian dance. I don't only dance for myself, but for my musicians and my audienceit doesn't matter if people don't understand the story or the significance of certain gestures." She has performed Kuchipudi in Portugal, France, Morocco, Italy, Belgium, and New York City. Though she is trained

classically in Kuchipudi, Shivalingappas work is influenced by contemporary choreographer Pina Bausch, in whose company she has performed, appearing in many works including O Dido and Bamboo Blues. Kuchipudi is a classical dance form of South India characterized by its rhythmic, vibrant style, full of quick, intricate footwork, and jumps. Originally a sacred mens dance, Kuchipudi is a combination of abstract and narrative movements based on Hindu mythology. The focus is on the use of gestures, facial expressions, and body language; the hand gestures, or mudras, are codified into a very precise language. Vempati Chinna Satyam, Shantala Shivalingappas guru, is regarded as Kuchipudis most influential practitioner, and is credited with spreading knowledge of Kuchipudi worldwide. FESTIVAL CONNECTIONS Shantala Shivalingappa performed at the Pillow in 2008 and 2010 and is also featured in the documentary Never Stand Still, which is slated to air nationally on PBS on July 26. PERFORMANCE AND TICKET INFORMATION Shantala Shivalingappa Doris Duke Theatre Wednesday, July 3 through Saturday, July 6 at 8:15pm Saturday, July 6 and Sunday, July 7 at 2:15pm Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacobs Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered on theDoris Duke Theatre porch 30 minutes before every performance. A Post-Show Talk with Shantala Shivalingappa and a Pillow Scholar will take place onstage on Thursday, July 4. Tickets $22$38. Under 35 Friday Tickets are available for $19 on Friday, July 5 (ages 1835), two per person, must show I.D. when picking up tickets. $10 Youth Tickets, sponsored by ALEX, are available for Saturday, July 6 and Sunday, July 7 at 2:15pm (must be accompanied by an adult ticket). Now on sale online at jacobspillow.org, via phone at 413.243.0745, or in person at the Jacobs Pillow Box Office. Under 35 Fridays Tickets and Youth Tickets areavailable by phone and in person only. Box Office hours: Monday and Tuesday, 11am5pm, Wednesday through Saturday 11am8pm, and Sunday 11am5pm. Jacobs Pillow is located at 358 George Carter Road in Becket, MA, 01223 (10 minutes east on Route 20 from Mass Pike Exit 2). The Jacobs Pillow campus and theatres are handicapped-accessible.

RELATED EVENTS Master Class with Shantala Shivalingappa Doris Duke Theatre July 7 at 10am For intermediate/advanced dancers, ages 16+.$15 per class.($10 per class for dance teachers with appropriate I.D.) $80 for a 6-Class Card. Pre-registration required. Call the Community Dance Hotline, 413.243.9919 x5. Registration opens the week of class; no early registration.

Sunday Film Event: Never Stand Still Blakes Barn July 7 at 4:30pm Legendary dancers and choreographers, including Shantala Shivalingappa, appear alongside new innovators to reveal the passion, discipline, and daring of the world of dance in Never Stand Still. Filmed at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, this thrilling documentary took home "Best Documentary" honors at Dance Camera West and the San Francisco Dance Film Festival and features amazing performances by world-renowned artists interwoven with intimate interviews, behind-the-scenes insights, and rare archival footage. Never Stand Still immerses us in the lives of extraordinary artists and the power of dance.Tickets $10, available at jacobspillow.org and via phone 413.243.0745. IN THE TED SHAWN THEATRE, JULY 3-7 Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet Ted Shawn Theatre Wednesday, July 3 Saturday, July 6, 8pm Saturday, July 6 & Sunday, July 7, 2pm Sleek, strong, and daringly athletic--the dancers of Cedar Lake are phenomenal. Company members hail from Brazil, Korea, France, Portugal, Romania, and across the U.S.; they have worked with major international dance companies such as the Royal Danish Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montral, and Batsheva Ensemble, as well as within commercial forms including television and music videos. The New York Times calls Cedar Lake "the country's most innovative contemporary ballet troupe with an A-list repertoire, and an accent on creation that few companies worldwide can match." Showcasing classical technique and popular appeal, these fiercely talented performers present Alexander Ekmans Tuplet, Jacobs Pillow Dance Award-winner Crystal Pites Grace Engine, and Jo Strmgrens spirited and theatrical Necessity, Again. Tickets $39-$75, available at jacobspillow.org and via phone 413.243.0745. FREE EVENTS AT JACOBS PILLOW, JULY 3-7 Inside/Out Performance: Art of Motion Dance Theatre Wednesday, July 3 at 6:15pm The Art of Motion Dance Theatre (AOMDT) is a repertory company performing original works by artistic directors Lynn Needle, Olivia Galgano, and guest artists. Hailing from the Nikolais and Ballet Russe legacies, Needle and Galgano have created works defying logic. The multidisciplinary company features exotic handmade costumes conceived and constructed by visual and performing artist Annie Hickman. The company will premiere Heaven & Earth, a delight for the senses. The program pays homage to eastern and western aesthetics, resulting in a fresh vocabulary. The suite embodies the mysticism of the heavens and the glory of planet earth. FREE Inside/Out Performance: Sayat Nova Dance Company Thursday, July 4 at 6:15pm The Sayat Nova Dance Company (SNDC) of Boston was formed in January 1986 as an independent, non-profit dance ensemble under the direction of Apo Ashjian. The company takes its name from the famous 18th century troubadour, Sayat Nova, whose beautiful music and poetry captures the essence of the Armenian spirit. The SNDC mission is to preserve and promote the Armenian culture, primarily through the art of dance. Apo Ashjian has been active in Armenian dance for more than 40 years, studying dance in Armenia with renowned choreographers and ethnographers and receiving a diploma in Armenian dance choreography from the Khachatur Abovyan University. FREE

PillowTalk: Beyonc and Beyond Friday, July 5 at 5pm Since his summer as a Jacob's Pillow student, award-winning choreographer Jeffrey Page has enjoyed wide exposure on television and the concert stage including choreographing for the TV show So You Think You Can Dance and for Beyonc music videos, and now he's back on faculty at the Pillow discussing it all. FREE Inside/Out Performance: Pasin y Arte Flamenco Friday, July 5 at 6:15pm Pasin y Arte Flamenco (PyA), founded in 2000 by Elba Hevia y Vaca, has created and self-produced five original, full-length, flamenco-based dance pieces. Drawing upon a mastery of flamenco along with other dance forms, mixed media, and experimentation in narrative and symbolic storytelling, PyA embraces the tensions between modern and traditional approaches. This all-female ensemble performs Cmplicesis, the first commissioned work by Spanish Flamenco artist Rosario Toledo, with original composition by Spanish Flamenco composer/guitarist Dani de Moron and Cuban-based composer/percussionist Francois Zayas. FREE PillowTalk: CN U TWEET REVUS? Saturday, July 6 at 4pm An examination of current online trends in responding to dancewhether via Twitter, online publications, or bloggingand how this differs from traditional dance reviewing, as interpreted by an expert panel. FREE Inside/Out Performance: The School at Jacob's Pillow Movin' Commercial Program Saturday, July 7 at 6:15pm To conclude their study in the Movin' Commercial Program, dancers of The School at Jacob's Pillow present commercial dance variations coached by program director Jeffrey Page. FREE Exhibit: Christopher Duggan: Inside/Out Doris Duke Theatre Lobby Open 60 minutes pre-performance As the Pillows Festival Photographer since 2006, Christopher Duggan has now documented literally thousands of indelible dance moments. Focusing specifically on Inside/Out for an exhibit last summer at Saratogas National Museum of Dance, these images are now coming home for the first time. Duggans superb extra-large prints show off an incomparable setting in an unforgettable way. FREE Exhibit: Jordan Matter: Dancers Among Us Ted Shawn Theatre Lobby Open 60 minutes pre-performance By showing dancers in everyday surroundings, photographer Jordan Matter demonstrates just how extraordinary the human body can be. Theres no photo manipulation hereno trampolines, no gimmicks, no trickswhich makes these images of roadside leaps and high kicks on the subway all the more remarkable. Including recognizable dance figures and relative unknowns, this collection truly communicates the excitement of having dancers among us. FREE Exhibit: Shooting Stars Blakes Barn at Jacobs Pillow Open June 19 Aug 25 Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 10pm, Tuesday and Sunday, noon to 6pm

To experience dance through the eyes of other dancers is a rare treat, and this exhibit encompasses uncommon sights and vantage points, photos taken by professional dancers, that will be totally new to most viewers. New York City Ballet star Wendy Whelan reveals what goes on in the dressing rooms of New York City Ballet while Miguel Anaya shares his backstage view from last seasons production From the Horses Mouth: The Men Dancers, Amber Star Merkens shows the backstage world of the Mark Morris Dance Group and both Francisco Graciano and Sean Patrick Mahoney chronicle the Paul Taylor Dance Company. FREE Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival Archives Blakes Barn at Jacobs Pillow Open June 19 Aug 25 Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 10pm, Tuesday and Sunday, noon to 6pm This informal library and reading room allows Pillow visitors to view videos, browse through books, access the Pillow's computer catalog, or peruse permanent collections of Pillow programs and photographs. Pillow Interactive, the popular touch-screen kiosk, provides instant access to rare film clips ranging from the present day back to the 1930s, and the Dance Heritage Coalition's new Secure Media Network features videos from other archives throughout the country. FREE
Jacobs Pillow, celebrating its 81st Festival in 2013, is a National Historic Landmark, recipient of the National Medal of Arts, and home to America's longest running international dance festival. The Festival includes more than 50 national and international dance companies and 350 free and ticketed performances, talks, tours, classes, exhibits, and events. The School at Jacobs Pillow, one of the most prestigious professional dance training centers in the U.S., encompasses the diverse disciplines of Ballet, Cultural Traditions, Contemporary, and Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance, as well as an Intern Program in various disciplines of arts administration, design, video, and production. The Pillows extensive Archives, open year-round to the public, chronicle more than 80 years of dance in photographs, programs, books, costumes, audiotapes, and video. Year-round Community Programs enrich the lives of children and adults through public classes, residencies in area schools, and more than 200 free public events. Through Jacobs Pillow Curriculum in Motion, a nationally-recognized program, artist-educators work with Berkshire County teachers and students grades K-12, transforming curricula such as biology, literature, and history into kinesthetic and creative learning experiences. Creative Development Residencies, in which dance companies are invited to live and work at the Pillow and enjoy unlimited studio time; choreography commissions; and the annual $25,000 Jacobs Pillow Dance Award all support visionary dance artists and choreographers. Virtual Pillow is aimed at expanding global audiences for dance and offers the opportunity to experience dance and Jacob's Pillow from anywhere in the world via online interactive exhibits, global video networks, and social media. As part of the Virtual Pillow initiative, Jacobs Pillow Dance Interactive is a curated online video collection of dance highlights from 1936 to today. On March 2, 2011, President Obama honored Jacobs Pillow with a National Medal of Arts, the highest arts award given by the United States Government. Jacobs Pillow is the first dance presenting organization to receive this prestigious award. For more information, visit www.jacobspillow.org.

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