Real Good For Free: Free Dance Performances at Jacob’s Pillow

Jacob’s Pillow in Becket is revered as a summer nexus for dance, with everything from ballet, tap, and early modern works to showcases of cultural traditions and cutting-edge experimental pieces. Don’t believe me? Check out their nifty new interactive historical archive here.

Their season is already in full swing; Slated for this week is Kidd Pivot Frankfurt RM’s production of Dark Matters, a mystery triller told in dance of a lonely artist who creates a puppet with fateful results, as well as Tangueros del Sur a must-see for tango lovers. Also on display is Annie Leibovistz: Dance, an exhibition of the noted photographers portraits of such luminaries as Suzanne Farrell, Darci Kistler, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham and David Parsons.

But even if you’re on a strict budget this year (or even if you’re not), The Pillow has ensured that you can still take in some exciting, world-class dance performances with an extensive schedule of free dance performances. Did you hear me when I said FREE?

Here’s the schedule:

(performances at 6:15 unless otherwise noted. Full details here.)

Today (July 6): Mark Stuart Dance Theatre

July 7: University of Massachusetts Amherst Touring Company with guest artists from Something Positive

July 8: Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre

July 9: The School at Jacob’s Pillow: Samba

July 10: 10:45am New England Tap Ensemble

July 10: 11:45am Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Company

July 13: Oyu Oro

July 14: Helen Hatch

July 15: Northern California Dance Conservatory

July 16: The School at Jacob’s Pillow: Contemporary

July 20: Baker & Tarpaga Dance Project

July 21: Abakuá Afro-Latin Dance Company

July 22: Stefanie Batten Bland/sbb birdlegs

July 23: The School at Jacob’s Pillow: Contemporary

July 27: Alexandra Beller/Dances

July 28: Korean Traditional Music and Dance Institute

July 29: Decadancetheatre

July 30: The School at Jacob’s Pillow: Contemporary

August 3: Kawamura the 3rd

August 4: Rainwater Dances

August 5: Jennifer Archibald-Arch Dance Company

August 6: The School at Jacob’s Pillow: Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance

August 10: WalkingTalking/Catherine Miller

August 11: Loni Landon-projects

August 12: Flamenco Dance Project

August 13: The School at Jacob’s Pillow: Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance

August 17: Zehnder Dance

August 18: Dorrance Dance

August 19: Lucky Plush

August 20: The School at Jacob’s Pillow: Jazz/Musical Theatre Dance

August 24: Urbanity Dance

August 25: CONTINUUM Contemporary/Ballet

August 26: John Heginbotham

August 27: Juxtapower

MORE REAL GOOD FOR FREE SHOWS, 2011:

Stoptime Louis Armstrong Festival @ various locations, Saratoga Springs (Wednesday, July 6)
Freedom Park, Scotia (7pm on various days)
NYS Summer Writers Institute @ Skidmore College’s Palamountain Hall, Saratoga Springs (8pm on various days)
Monday Night Concerts in the Park @ Veteran’s Memorial Field, Thurman (7pm on Mondays)
Music in the Park @ Schodack Town Park, Schodack (6pm on Tuesdays)
Music in the Park @ Riverfront Park, Rensselaer (6pm on Tuesdays)
Concerts On the Lawn @ the Clark Art Institute, Williamstown (6pm on Tuesdays)
Tuesday Nights in the Park @ Cook Park, Colonie (6:30pm on Tuesdays)
The SCA Summer Concert Series @ the Outdoor Entertainment Center, South Glens Falls (6:30pm on Tuesdays)
Music on Mainstreet @ NBT Bank, Canajoharie (7pm on Tuesdays)
Rockin’ On the River @ the Hedley District Riverfront Parking Lot, River St., Troy (5pm on Wednesdays)
Live On the Lake @ Burbank Park, Pittsfield (6pm on Wednesdays)
Lake George Summer Concert Series @ Shepard Park, Lake George (7:30pm on Wednesdays)
Jazz On Jay @ Jay Street, Schenectady (12noon on Thursdays)
Alive at Five @ Corning Preserve’s Riverfront Park, Albany (5pm on Thursdays)
Concerts in the Park @ Wiswall Park, Ballston Spa (6pm on Thursdays)
Guilderland Performing Arts Center @ Tawasentha Park, Guilderland (7:30pm on Thursdays)
UpBeat on the Roof @ Skidmore College’s Tang Museum, Saratoga Springs (7pm on Fridays)
Improv Records’ Free Fridays @ Shepard Park, Lake George (7pm on Fridays)
Music at Sunset @ Greenport Town Park, Hudson (7pm on Fridays)
Concerts in the Park @ Riverfront Part, Athens (7pm on Fridays)
Canal Square Summer Concert Series @ Canal Square, Cohoes (7pm on Fridays)
Summer Sounds of Salem @ the Main Street Gazebo, Salem (11am on Saturdays)
Performing Arts at the Common @ the Clifton Park Common, Clifton Park (7pm on Sundays)
Skidmore Summer Jazz Institute Concert Series @ Skidmore College’s Zankel Music Center, Saratoga Springs (June 28-July 8)
Jazz at the Lake: Lake George Jazz Weekend @ Shepard Park, Lake George (Saturday-Sunday, September 17-18)