Jacob's Pillow Announces 2026 Season Opening Gala Performers, Honoring Tiler Peck

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Tiler Peck will receive the Jacob's Pillow Dance Award, presented by Susan Stroman

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Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival has announced its full evening of performances at the annual Season Opening Gala in Becket on Saturday, June 20, 2026. During the event, New York City Principal Dancer Tiler Peck will be honored with the 2026 Jacob's Pillow Dance Award, presented by five-time Tony Award winning director Susan Stroman , in recognition of her impact and leadership as part of the summer season's celebration of groundbreaking women in dance.

Gala performances in the Ted Shawn Theatre will include Peck and New York City Ballet principal dancer Roman Mejia dancing George Balanchine 's virtuosic masterpiece Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, as well as the world premiere of a new work by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa performed by The School at Jacob's Pillow Contemporary Ballet Performance Ensemble, underscoring the Festival's commitment to the next generation of dancers. Chicago-based tap dance collective M.A.D.D. Rhythms will feature alumni of The School performing an excerpt of fellow Pillow alum Caleb Jackson's WONDER, and the revered Martha Graham Dance Company will present an excerpt of Letter to Nobody by Xin Ying, a dance and technology work in honor of Graham's centenary and the celebration of the company at Jacob's Pillow this summer.

The evening will begin with a cocktail hour and a festive pop-up on the Great Lawn by local Brazilian percussion troupe Berkshire Bateria. As part of the evening's line-up, Los Angeles-based dance company BODYTRAFFIC, in one of their final performances, will feature an excerpt of Secret Goodbye by Trey McIntyre as the company sunsets this summer following 19 years of dynamic creation, presentation, and touring across 20 countries and 30 states.

“The Season Opening Gala has always supported and ensured that Jacob's Pillow remains a vibrant gathering place for local and global communities, celebrating dance while invigorating the cultural landscape of the Berkshires and beyond.” said Artistic and Executive Director Pamela Tatge. “We are thrilled to present the Jacob's Pillow Dance Award to Tiler Peck of the New York City Ballet and to showcase esteemed artists including BODYTRAFFIC, Martha Graham Dance Company, New York City Ballet, M.A.D.D. Rhythms, and The School at Jacob's Pillow. The gala sets the tone for the season, builds momentum for a brilliant summer of dance, offers a glimpse of the range of performances that audiences can expect from Jacob's Pillow, and brings together some of the most accomplished and promising dancers in the world.”

In-person tickets and table sponsorships to the Season Opening Gala are now on sale and anticipated to sell out in advance of the event. Additionally, the Gala performance will be livestreamed and accessible for free, with the option to donate. To learn more, reserve Gala tickets and tables, or register for the free livestream, visit jacobspillow.org/gala .

The performance of Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, a Balanchine Ballet, is presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style and Balanchine Technique Service standards established and provided by the Trust.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Jacobs-Pillow-2026-Season-Opening-Gala-Full-Performer-Lineup-Revealed-20260505)._