Jacob’s Pillow Festival Finale Celebrates Ella
Amy Krzanik reports from Becket. Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival closed out its 83rd season on Saturday, August 29, but Ella Baff took her very final bow as the Festival’s executive and artistic director during the evening’s finale. After 17 incredibly successful and visionary years at the helm of the Pillow, Baff soon will be joining the Mellon Foundation in New York City. The evening began in the Ted Shawn Theatre with a performance by Martha Graham Dance Company, which is celebrating its 90th year, or the young company MADBOOTS DANCE in the Doris Duke Theatre. Prior to the performances, Baff was presented with a citation from Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and her very own Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award – an honor she has bestowed upon choreographers at Pillow season openers throughout her tenure. Afterwards, The Pillow Café was again transformed into “The Chocolate & Coffee Barre," with lush dessert spreads from Chocolate Springs, Becket Bakehouse, Haven and The Dream Away Lodge (okay, there were some vegetables there, too), along with a coffee selection from No. Six Depot. Down in the Bakalar Studio, DJ BFG took his place as the perennial mix master as dancers, both professional and amateur, took to the dance floor in honor of Ella.
Ira Lapidus, chairman of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and his wife, Fran Lapidus; Ilter Ibrahimof, Barbara Paley, RI's Mark Williams, who is the Pillow's board treasurer, and Liz Williams.
Terri Gutierrez and Edward Wright; Sue and Paul Epstein of New York City and Monterey, Mass.
Alex Reczkowski, Enrico Spada of Pittsfield Shakespeare in the Park, and Jeff Roudabush; Shela Hidalgo and Gary Levante.
Martha Graham dancers: Dani Stinger, Anne O'Donnell, Konstantina Xintara, Xin Ying and Leslie Williams.
Theresa Speziale and Steven Amash; Nel Shelby, a video producer at the Pillow, with Ellen Dennis, festival producer at the Onassis Foundation.
Tori Shea, Conor Jones, Cary Jones and James Griffiths; Photographer Ogden Gigli and Katherine DiPierro.
Sandra Burton and Jonathan Secor; Hilary Somers Deely and Phil Deely.
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