Cultural correspondent Bess J.M. Hochstein reports from Becket: In a departure from the past few rainy years, on June 19 sunshine greeted a resplendent crowd gathered for the kick-off of the 78th anniversary of Jacob's Pillow's world-famous dance festival. Guests assembled for cocktails on the lawn before heading into the Ted Shawn Theatre, where students from the Pillow¹s ballet program performed a striking new work by choreographer Karole Armitage, followed by other dancer/choreographers whose work will be presented in the season to come. Executive director Ella Baff bestowed the 2010 Jacob¹s Pillow Dance Award on Bill T. Jones (left), who literally swept his petite hostess off her feet. Baff also introduced a trailer for a documentary-in-progress on the Pillow, in hopes of inspiring well-heeled audience members to help filmmaker Ron Honsa finish the project. After dinner in the tent, Boston's E-Water Band turned on the funk and brought the crowd to its feet, confirming the Pillow's reputation for throwing the parties where everybody dances.
Pillow internsBridget Wright, Kelley Small, Lucy Mallett, and Nicole Contaxi
Jim Nejaime and Heidi Nejaime; Mitch Nash, punch drunk from the evening's final performance by Monica Bill Barnes, with his wife Caitlin Nash.
Monique Cordasco, a nurse from NYC, with choreographer Karole Armitage; the Pillow's Director of Preservation Norton Owen with photographer David Dashiell
Steve Picheny and architect Stephan Green; Acutonics practitioner Elfi Six with Paul DesLauriers and Kathleen Cardella
Art dealer Christopher Boswell with Women's Times publisher Eugenie Sills; Brad Spear, Census Office Manager for Pittsfield and Ellen Spear, executive director of Hancock Shaker Village
Julie Chase, the Clark's director of special projects with glass artist Tom Patti, his wife Marilyn Patti and Stuart Chase, executive director of the Berkshire Museum
Don Quinn Kelley with dancer-choreographer Kyle Abraham, who performed at the gala; Pillow marketing and communications assistant Toni Bolger, Ginger Mead and director of communications Mariclare Hulbert
Phil Deely and Hilary Deely; theatre dirctor Maggie Mixsell and Karole Armitage with gala co-chair Hunter Kerr Runette Sisters Liz Williams and Pert Merriman cut the rug;
Former Pillow director Liz Thompson with gala co-chair Hunter Kerr Runette .
Jacob's Pillow director emeritus Marge Champion, star of stage, screen, and still dancing at age 90 with octogenarian tap dancer Miriam Nelson
Alexis Picheny, Ilene Mandel and Helice Picheny, the co-chair of the gala; Doug Shufelt and Louise Hirschfeld, widow of illustrator Al Hirschfeld.
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
