Jacob’s Pillow invites ASU dance alumni to perform their work

Two Arizona State University dance alumni will perform their work at a one-night-only performance in August 2019 as part of the Inside/Out series at Jacob’s Pillow.

For the fourth consecutive year, Jacob’s Pillow, known as a “hub and mecca of dancing,” will include a concert featuring highlights from American College Dance Association regional festivals as part of its Inside/Out programming. Emily Laird and Quinn Mihalovic, who both recently graduated from the School of Film, Dance and Theatre in ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, presented a piece called "Inevitably, they exist,” as undergraduate students at the American College Dance Association West conference last year, and that duet was selected for the Inside/Out: American College Dance Association Highlights concert.

“Having been chosen for this opportunity is still unbelievable," Laird said. “This opportunity is a means of professional networking and exposure that is perfect as we are exiting college and entering the professional dance world.”

Milhalovic said getting to perform at Jacob’s Pillow is a goal for most dancers/choreographers in contemporary dance.

“To have this opportunity to launch my professional career is something I did not expect,” he said. “I am extremely grateful. It’s definitely an affirmation of all of the questioning and doubts and choices that I have made so far as an artist, and I hope to use this opportunity as a catalyst to a lifelong career in dance.”

At each regional ACDA conference around the country, a panel of expert adjudicators select works in an anonymous process to be performed at a gala performance which concludes the conference. The dances are choreographed by undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and guest artists. Selected works from each region go on to be presented at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts before highlights are selected for the Inside/Out stage. Jacob’s Pillow reviews recordings of the dances and selects which dances will be performed on the Inside/Out stage.

“Jacob’s Pillow is living dance history,” said Karen Schupp, assistant director of dance in the School of Film, Dance and Theatre. “It has ignited the careers of several notable dance artists since it was established in the 1930s and remains a critical venue for emerging dance artists. We are honored to have Emily and Quinn represent ASU in such a prestigious capacity.”

The Inside/Out: American College Dance Association Highlights concert in August also includes dancers from Slippery Rock University, Florida Southern College, El Camino College, Loyola Marymount University and San Jose State University.