SF BALLET RETURNS TO JACOB’S PILLOW DANCE FESTIVAL
- History
Learn about the historic festival that launched SF Ballet onto the world stage
For the first time in 70 years, San Francisco Ballet returns to the historic Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, August 5–9, for an expansive two-stage engagement featuring choreography that spans both the classical canon and contemporary repertoire.
The Company’s performances mark a meaningful return to a place that significantly shaped its history. In July 1956, under the direction of Lew Christensen, SF Ballet made its East Coast debut at Jacob’s Pillow during a three-week engagement that generated international acclaim and led directly to a U.S. State Department-sponsored tour of 11 countries throughout Asia and the Middle East.
Nestled in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts, Jacob’s Pillow is one of the world’s most celebrated dance destinations. Founded in 1933—the same year as SF Ballet—by modern dance pioneer Ted Shawn, Jacob’s Pillow began as a mountaintop retreat for Shawn and his company of all-male dancers before it evolved into the oldest continuously operating international dance festival in the United States. The 220-acre campus, whose property dates back to the 1790s, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2003, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark by the federal government and remains the only dance venue in the US to hold this distinction.
The Pillow played a pivotal role in legitimizing modern dance, expanding its audience, and establishing the expressive art form in the American cultural landscape. A launchpad for dance luminaries across generations—from Martha Graham to Twyla Tharp—and the site where seminal works like Alvin Ailey’s Revelations made their premiere, Jacob’s Pillow remains, in its own words, “a place that is both deeply rooted and always evolving.”
That spirit resonates strongly with SF Ballet. For nearly a century, the Company has pursued that same balance: honoring tradition while embracing risk and pushing the boundaries of what dance can be. Returning to the Pillow is a continuation and celebration of that shared commitment.
The programs presented across the Ted Shawn Theatre and Henry J. Leir Stage reflect the full breadth of the Company’s artistic identity, pairing beloved classics with contemporary choreography by some of today’s most influential artists. Over five days, the Company will perform works by Hans van Manen, SF Ballet Artistic Director Tamara Rojo, George Balanchine, Akram Khan, and William Forsythe.
Seven decades ago, Jacob’s Pillow changed the trajectory of SF Ballet. This summer, the Company is honored and thrilled to make a second appearance at the festival and continue advancing the art of dance.
Jacob’s Pillow Festival
Becket, Massachusetts
August 5-9, 2026
