Dance professor and former department chair Gerald Casel is joining the Jacob’s Pillow leadership team as the new Carole and Dan Burack Director of The School at Jacob’s Pillow. The dance center, educational, and performance space in Becket, Massachusetts, has been in existence for nearly a century and is listed as a National Historic Landmark District.
According to Jacob’s Pillow, the role “guides the creative development of all School programming and will work with Pillow leadership and School staff to spearhead new year-round in-person, hybrid, and online initiatives.”
“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to cultivate a space where innovation, deep practice, and joy intersect, and to help the next generation of dancers find their voices within a global community of artists and educators,” Casel says. “What excites me most is the opportunity to foster a culture of collaboration—where dancers, choreographers, and educators come together to push boundaries, share knowledge, and co-create a vibrant, inclusive community rooted in artistic excellence.”
Alumni of the school include MacArthur Grant-winner Meredith Monk, recent winner of FOX’s television show So You Think You Can Dance, Joshua Allen, and Robert Swinston of Merce Cunningham Dance Company.