The Dance Keeper

NORTON OWEN’S 50-YEAR LEGACY AT JACOB’S PILLOW IS MARKED BY AN EXHIBITION

By Samantha Anderson 

FOR 50 SEASONS at Jacob’s Pillow, Norton Owen has ensured that every pirouette, jeté, and moment of artistic brilliance is remembered, celebrated, and passed forward. As the Pillow’s director of preservation, Owen isn't just an archivist—he's a mythmaker, a historian, and a guardian of memories who has dedicated his life to preserving the ephemeral art of dance. 

Norton Owen danced in Echoes from the Tempest in 1977 choreographed by Norman Walker and performed on the Ted Shawn Stage. Photo by John Van Lund

This summer, a special exhibition titled Connecting Through Time will pay tribute to Owen's extraordinary contributions. Opening June 14 at Blake's Barn on the Pillow campus, the exhibition is a carefully crafted narrative that embodies Owen's unique approach to preserving dance history. 

The exhibit—which is free and unticketed—is planned by guest curator Wendy Perron, who was an instructor and commissioned choreographer at the Pillow in the 1980s and who also served as associate director in the 1990s. The exhibition will feature more than 120 objects—rare photographs, intricate costumes, and even delicate assemblages of embalmed butterflies and small bugs created by modern dance legend Paul Taylor who would give them to dancers as tokens of gratitude. 

A collaborative labor of love, Perron worked closely with Patsy Gay, the Pillow's archivist who was trained by Owen himself, and Laura DiRado as designer. Together, they have assembled a display that tells a rich, nuanced story of dance history. 

"I hope people will feel this exhibit at different levels," Perron says. "From the heart, from the bones, from the brain, and even the legs. I hope they feel their whole selves involved." 

To celebrate Norton Owen’s remarkable 50 years of contributions at Jacob’s Pillow, this year he received the prestigious Jacob's Pillow Dance Award—a fitting tribute to a man who has redefined what it means to preserve dance history. The special presentation of the 2025 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award will be made at the Pillow’s Season Opening Gala on June 21. Past recipients of the award include Camille A. Brown, Bill T. Jones, and Merce Cunningham. 

The Exhibition, Connecting Through Time: 50 Seasons with Norton Owen

Built on three fundamental principles that Norton pioneered—juxtaposing old and new, uplifting dance artists, and making history an active part of the present day at Jacob’s Pillow—the exhibit promises to be a compelling experience. Perron's curatorial approach is both systematic and playful. Perron describes how much fun she’s had curating what she calls “inspired by Norton.” She has enjoyed creating her own juxtapositions, sifting through the Pillow’s archives and making connections—pairing images of dancers leaping or floating in similar ways. Through her eye, she’s crafted these thoughtful links, hoping they will help visitors see new connections and deepen their understanding of the Pillow’s rich history. 

Owen’s gotta dance, too, at the 2018 exhibition, “Gotta Dance,” at Jacob’s Pillow.

Reflecting on Owen’s long-standing dedication to enhancing the audience’s connection to the art, Perron explains that he has always thought about how to enrich their experience. She recounts that, during his early tenure at the Pillow in 1977, he found ways to deepen performances taking out costumes from storage, displaying historical items—all to help audiences connect more deeply with the art. 

Perron explains how Owen sparks new artistic experiences by drawing on his deep archival knowledge, inspiring dancers to explore fresh creative directions. Reflecting on a moment when Owen suggested that Taylor Stanley perform “Mourners Bench,” a Talley Beatty piece from the 1940s, she says, “This is one of the ways that Norton instigates. He makes things happen just by pulling up the archives and being so close to the history.”

The Accidental Archivist

Owen's journey to becoming the heart and soul of Jacob's Pillow's archives is a story of serendipity and passion. In 1976, he arrived as a young dance student, wide-eyed and curious, with no inkling that he would become the custodian of one of the most important dance archives in the world. Those early days were marked by unexpected encounters that would shape his career. 

"When I first arrived at the Pillow, everything felt like a discovery," Owen recalls, his eyes lighting up with the same enthusiasm that has driven him for decades. "The place was rich with untold stories, waiting to be uncovered.” 

His transformative moment came through conversations with legends like Jess Meeker, the composer and accompanist for the pioneering all-male dance company, Ted Shawn and His Men Danc- ers, who would then go on to become the founder and first artistic director of Jacob’s Pillow. Meeker shared stories that ignited Owen's lifelong passion for dance history—stories that most would have overlooked, but which Owen recognized as precious threads of artistic heritage.

From top, The Norton Owen Reading Room in Blake's Barn at Jacob's Pillow; and Owen with American ballet dancer and choreographer Edward Villella.

Throughout the 1980s, Owen began to reshape the very concept of archival work. While serving as the Pillow’s director of educational programs, he conceived a groundbreaking project that would become a defining moment in dance preservation. Securing funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, he embarked on a mission to restore silent films of His Men Dancers. Much of the music for the piece was written by Meeker, with newly created soundtracks for these historic works composed as close to the originals as possible, ensuring that the precious performances would resonate with future generations. It was more than preservation—it was a resurrection.

"Norton sees what others miss," explains Pamela Tatge, the current executive and artistic director of the Pillow. "He under- stands that archives aren't about collecting dust. They're about keeping art alive, keep- ing memories breathing.”

The Norton Owen Legacy

Long before digital engagement became a mainstream concept, Owen was already reimagining how historical materials could be shared and experienced. In 2011, he spearheaded the creation of Jacob's Pillow Dance Interactive, an innovative online platform that threw open the doors of the archives. The impact was monumental.

When Tatge traveled to Taiwan in 2023 and presented a slide deck prepared by Owen featuring Taiwanese dance companies that had performed at the Pillow, faculty members were moved to tears, seeing their artistic legacies honored and remembered. "That's Norton's magic," Tatge says. "He makes everyone feel seen. He validates the artistic journey of every performer who has ever graced our stages."

Marge Champion dances with Norton Owen at the 2014 Jacob’s Pillow gala. Norton Owen during a "Pillow Talk" with Pamela Tatge, executive and artistic director of Jacob’s Pillow.

Owen not only preserves history—he bridges generations by creating living conversations between past and present. His approach is refreshingly organic, rejecting rigid narratives in favor of multiple entry points that allow visitors to discover the Pillow's rich history on their own terms. 

The archives are housed in the building adjacent to the exhibit hall in Blake’s Barn, with the aptly named Norton Owen Reading Room. This inviting space features an extensive library and video viewing rooms, all open to the public. Owen describes his goal of making the archives accessible and welcoming, rather than a closed-off, exclusive space. He emphasizes the importance of allowing visitors to engage with the material in their own way, highlighting the archives as a place of discovery and surprise, where unexpected insights foster personal connections to the Pillow's history. 

"It's about those moments of unexpected discovery," Owen explains, "when someone stumbles upon a photograph or a performance video and suddenly feels a deep, personal connection. That's when history comes alive.” 

This approach is particularly powerful, given Jacob's Pillow's unique history. Unlike many arts institutions that have relocated, the Pillow has remained in the same location since 1933. The land itself is part of the story—a living archive where history is embedded in every blade of grass, every wooden floor, every architectural detail. 

Owen in 1987, preparing photos for a showing in the Bakalar Studio at The Pillow.

Owen's influence extends far beyond his archival work. He has mentored more than 50 interns, some of whom have gone on to lead arts organizations and shape the field in profound ways, including Ailina Fisk, archivist for the New York City Ballet, and Hallie Chametzky, archives and preservation specialist for Dance/USA. Owen feels his greatest impact on aspiring archivists has been inspiring possibility. He explains, “We built our resources one step at a time over many years, so none of this happened over- night. It can be inspirational for anyone to see what's available here and imagine what might be possible elsewhere. I take great satisfaction in knowing that we have been a model for others.”

His encyclopedic knowledge spans choreographers, historical performances, and archival best practices. "He is an artist himself," Tatge emphasizes. "That gives him a unique perspective on what it takes to sus- tain a life in dance. His work is fueled by a sense of wonder, humility, and an incredible intellectual curiosity.”

Owen's journey is a testament to the pow- er of passion, curiosity, and deep respect for

artistic legacy. He has shown us that history is not a static collection of memories, but

a dynamic, evolving conversation between past and present.

Dance is fleeting, but its spirit is eternal. Through Norton Owen’s life's work, that spirit will continue to dance—forever mov-

ing, forever inspiring, forever alive.