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Choreographing for Dance and Theatre
by Jenny Mays, Fiscal and Arts Administration Specialist

 In late August, Rose Pasquarello Beauchamp, lecturer and Head of Dance, traveled to the Berkshires in Massachusetts to create, collaborate and explore.  Rose and a group of choreographers worked together with theatre directors to produce original and inventive dance theater pieces.  Over several weeks, the two groups pooled their knowledge and skills to explore the creative possibilities that arise when dance and theatre meet. 

 “It was a pretty remarkable experience to be in one place with so many people interested in cross boundary collaboration,” said Rose. 

This unique experience took place at Jacob’s Pillow, an internationally celebrated center of dance history, creation and collaboration.  Each year, the Pillow hosts a beloved dance Festival where choreographers, dancers and dance-lovers flock from around the world for live performances, lectures, classes, workshops, exhibits and much more. 

“It was incredible to be a part of the continued history of Jacob's Pillow,” said Rose.  “I had the chance to see a LOT of dance, take varied classes, and browse through the Pillow’s archive. Actually, the archive is one of the best parts! Now knowing that I am a part of that history is great.”

Rose’s work was accepted into the Jacob’s Pillow Choreographers Lab Program. This year was the first year that a Dance and Theater Collaboration Lab was offered at the Pillow. Annie-B Parson and Paul Lazar from Philadelphia’s Big Dance Theatre facilitated the lab, and through a competitive application process, they chose six choreographers, six directors and seven dancers all interested in collaborative dance and theatre work.

The goal for the lab participants was to work together to create dance theater pieces on the dancers provided. Every couple of days, the directors and choreographers were charged with a new task and asked to create a new piece.  With various source materials- movies, music, environment, poems, speeches, plays- Rose and her peers explored how dance can support, enhance and challenge theatre.  They created movement material around dramatic works to study dance’s affect on theatre and its characters, stories, conflict, relationships, etc.  The Lab Program culminated in a live and public performance on The Pillow’s Inside/Out Theatre. 

“My co-participants were varied from the US, England and Russia, and we were all interested in interdisciplinary collaboration” explains Rose. “By the end of the Festival, I had a chance to work with 6 other directors and dancers, and I had the opportunity to show my work to patrons of the Festival. I came away with some great ideas; the experience was just amazing!”

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