ABOUT US
Founded in 1971 by a group of non-dancers at Dartmouth College, Pilobolus defies traditional ideas of what dance can be. We blend movement, creativity, and imagination to create stunning, visually captivating performances that push the boundaries of dance, theater, and physical expression.
Our artistic programming focuses on the creation of new work, national and international touring, and engaging with artists across mediums. The Company invites a wide range of artists to join
54 years breaking boundaries
our directors and dancers in the studio and use the Company’s choreographic practices, focused on collaboration and iteration, to create new works together. Over the past 54 years, the Company has developed and toured over 160 original works in more than 65 countries.
But we’re more than just our performances. Pilobolus also teaches, sharing our unique methods with dancers and non-dancers alike, empowering people of all ages to discover their creative potential. Whether we’re performing our
160+ works developed & performed
Create, perform, and preserve dances applying the collaborative creative methods of Pilobolus.
Expand and diversify audiences
through projects of all types and scales—in live performance, film, and digital media, characterized by the qualities of our namesake fungus— adventurous, adaptive, athletic, surprising, and revealing of beauty in unexpected places.
Teach
dancers,
non-dancers,
and organizations how to harness the creative potential of groups using Pilobolus’s methods.
education shows, practicing balance with seniors, or leading workshops in schools, we aim to engage and inspire, bringing the joy of movement to everyone we encounter.
Through all activities, Pilobolus inspires and informs more than 60,000 people each year!
To have a deeper understanding of us, we point to our name, Pilobolus, as an explanation. We are named after a phototropic fungus, pilobolus crystallinus, which translated from Greek means
65 countries toured
“Hat Thrower.” This refers to its spores that accelerate 0–45 mph in the first millimeter of their flight and adhere to wherever they land. When our very first dance piece was made in 1971, the father of one of the company’s founders was studying pilobolus, the fungus, in his biology lab. The name was apt, and it stuck. We continue to embody its qualities of strength, flight, and freedom in our work today.
60k patrons delighted per year
“WE
APPLAUD EXECUTIVE/CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, RENEE JAWORSKI AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, MATT KENT FOR THEIR IMPRESSIVE LEADERSHIP.” - marina kennedy, broadway world
Dear Friends of Pilobolus,
As we reflect on this past year and set our sights on the future, we are filled with immense gratitude for your unwavering support, which has been the foundation of all we have achieved. With your help, we have continued to push boundaries, forge unexpected connections, and inspire audiences across the globe with the transformative power of movement and collaboration.
2024 was a time of growth and innovation for Pilobolus. We have taken exciting steps in the expansion of our education initiatives, with the goal of bringing the joy of movement and social connection to new communities by empowering and teaching educators to share our unique approach to dance. Our Education Director, Emily Kent, has created a partner program for our popular mobility and balance class Connecting with Balance®, called Bounce Back, with a focus on learning how to fall and recover safely. After the success of our duet Bloodlines and full company piece Tales from the Underworld, we launched into 2025 on a creative high premiering two new works: Flight, inspired by founding dancer Lee Harris as well as an evening-long piece to David Lang’s love fail with the Lorelei Choral Ensemble. We are excited to be working on a Pilobolus variation of Martha Graham’s Lamentation to join in the celebration of her company’s 100th Anniversary. Each project and program has deepened our commitment to artistic excellence and reinforced the values of inclusivity, creativity, and resilience that define Pilobolus in the dance world.
Whether through groundbreaking performances, innovative community programs, or global partnerships, we are committed to nurturing the creativity that sparks connection and joy in our audiences and collaborators.
None of this would be possible without the generosity of our supporters. Your belief in our mission fuels every launch, lift, and laugh that happens on and off the stage. You are an integral part of this journey, and alongside us, the Pilobolus Board of Trustees and staff sincerely thank you for the trust and faith you place in us.
With your continued partnership, we are poised to make the coming year a celebration of art, community, and connection. Together, we will steward Pilobolus into the future as a beacon of innovation, collaboration, and inspiration.
With Appreciation,
Renée Jaworski, Executive/Co-Artistic Director
Matt Kent, Artistic Director
ARTISTIC EXPRESSION
Local middle school students joined Pilobolus for a rehearsal viewing in our Connecticut studios this past fall for their alternative learning program. After seeing Pilobolus rehearse our recently premiered new work, Flight, one young student exclaimed,
I think I might start taking dance classes again because I didn’t know girls on stage could be that strong and powerful.
Since 1971, our work has shifted perspectives and subverted stereotypes. Performing our classic repertory pieces and creating new works each year allows us to continue this legacy of boundary-pushing modern dance.
It can be difficult to quantify and understand the impact of our new work and performances. Often, people think of our education programs as the only direct services we offer. Stories like this girl’s school trip to our studios help us define our influence.
Our donors make these reorientations of societal beliefs possible, making change for the better.
Supporting Pilobolus’s artistic pursuits helps us serve our audiences by building community, sparking creativity, expanding the mind, and feeding the soul.
“THE WHOLLY ORIGINAL PILOBOLUS RELIABLY DELIVERS VISUALLY APPEALING THEATRICAL DANCES THAT COMBINE WHIMSY AND A MUSCULAR PHYSICALITY.”
- the new york times
“BEFORE TAKING THE PILOBOLUS CLASS, I WASN’T EXACTLY SURE OF WHAT TO EXPECT. WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, DIDN’T. TAKING THIS CLASS HAS REALLY EXPANDED ME MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY AS A DANCER… DANCING IS AN ART FORM THAT CAN BE USED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.”
- masterclass student
EDUCATION’S INFLUENCE
Scholarship student Amanda’s outlook on life shifted after attending Pilobolus’s Summer Workshop Series. Our education programs use the principles of creativity, communication, and collaboration to not only teach movement skills but life lessons.
I’d thought I was going to the workshop to learn dance, but I learned so much more than that.
The Pilobolus workshop was a lesson in how to live with honesty, compassion, persistence, imagination, and joy.
Pilobolus education programs give people of all ages and abilities a chance to unleash their creativity and learn the art of collaboration through movement. From the second you step into a Pilobolus class, you’re not just moving—you’re connecting. In our 2023/2024 season, we helped 7,800 students move and grow.
Unlike many movement classes where students imitate the teacher, our classes are all about prompted improvisation, so everyone makes their own choices and creates something unique based on guidance given by our Teaching Artists. Students learn to work together through their own choices, becoming more mindful of the space and the people around them.
Culminating in collaboration, students work together to create dance works representative of their collective perspectives. Our classes inspire connection, enhance awareness, and empower people to explore their unique voice through movement.
Amanda closed their reflection on their time with Pilobolus by stating, “The workshop taught me a way of affirming, trusting, and working with people that cannot be done without the beauty of all the time, space, and movement we shared.”
OUR SUCCESS
Education made a big impact.
school-age kids & families were impacted by classes, residencies, & educational shows 7k
aging adults benefited from 176 sessions of our life-saving class, balance-focused class, Connecting with Balance® 440
adult students attended 3 sold-out weeks of our Summer Workshop Series 75
Milestones
Pilobolus celebrated our 53rd year of bringing joy and dance to the world.
Executive/Co-Artistic Director Renée Jaworski was named as one of Connecticut’s Arts Heroes of 2024.
Performance dazzled the world.
2 NEW WORKS DEBUT
Pilobolus premiered two new works, Bloodlines and Tales from the Underworld, met with critical and audience acclaim.
112 shows perfomed 55k audience members
across the USA & Europe
3-WEEK RESIDENCY DELIGHTS
Pilobolus returned to The Joyce Theater stage for a nearly sold-out three-week residency, where musician and composer Stuart Bogie accompanied select performances with live music.
EU TOUR AWES
Received standing ovations on two tours in Spain of our re:CREATION show and a six-week stint in Germany of our beloved Shadowland performance.
And we also dazzled virtually.
300k followers reached across social platforms
18k subscribers stayed in touch via email
154k website visitors learned more about Pilobolus
132M views across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, & Facebook
Dear Pilobolus Friends,
I am going to let you in on a little secret.
We have something big in the works.
Pilobolus’s education programming is expanding.
We have wanted to build our educational offerings for a while now. I firmly believe that the lessons we teach are as impactful and singular as what we perform on stage.
For the last year, we have been working behind the scenes to explore the possibility of creating Pilobolus learning hubs in communities across the country. We are finally at the stage where we are taking the first steps to making this a reality.
I couldn’t be more thrilled. I’ve dreamt of the day our education reach is just as robust as our performances because arts education is important for civic, community, health, and wellness outcomes. To know we are on the path to building stronger communities, providing continuing education to Teaching Artists nationwide, and positively impacting thousands of students in countless ways is everything I could ask for.
I can’t give too much away yet, but I hope you are as excited as I am at this sneak peek of what is to come and that you stay connected to hear more about this initiative in the future.
I’ll see you in the studio!
Sincerely,
Emily Kent Education Director
If you would like to learn more about this program or support it, please contact us at info@pilobolus.org.
GIFT IS TRANSFORMATIVE.
When you donate to Pilobolus, your impact is expansive. Donations directly benefit our team members, audiences across the globe, and students near and far from our home in Connecticut. Pilobolus’s impact on modern dance and throughout artistic genres is immense, and we could not do it without you!
To make a contribution, please scan the QR code, mail a check to the address below, or contact our Development Team at development@pilobolus.org or (860) 868-0538 for other ways to give.
Pilobolus PO Box 388 Washington Depot, CT 06794
“THE COMPANY STARTED AS SOMETHING OF A STUNT AND HAS STAYED ON TO BECOME SOMETHING OF AN INSTITUTION.” - clive barnes, the new york times
FY24 BY THE NUMBERS
Oct 1, 2023 - Sept 30, 2024
If you would like a more in-depth review of our financials, our Executive/Co-Artistic Director Renée Jaworski welcomes you to a conversation. She can be reached at artistic@pilobolus.org.
STAFF & BOARD
Thank you to our Board of Trustees, Staff, Dancers, and Crew, who are all an integral part of what we do! These lists represent our team today in 2025, except where noted.
Board of Trustees
Shauna Holiman, Board Chair
Monica Richter, Vice Chair
Gary Johnson, Treasurer
Howard Weinberg, Secretary
Ciara Burnham
Maria Campbell
Frances Katzen
David Mechlin
Anna Santoleri
Evan Sturza
Conna Weiner
Tyler Wibstad
Staff
Renée Jaworski, Executive/Co-Artistic Director
Matt Kent, Artistic Director
Emily Kent, Education Director
Kirsten Leon, General Manager, Touring and Business
Anna Bate, General Manager, Production and Finance
Emily Denaro, Marketing Director
Rya Greene, Community Development Director
Derion Loman, Artistic Associate
Abra Leonard, Office Assistant
Dancers
Hannah Klinkman, Dance Captain
Connor Chaparro
Ryan Hayes
Isaac Huerta
Darren Robinson
Jessica Robling
Production Crew
Evan Hausthor, Production Stage Manager
Gabriel Esparza, Lighting Supervisor
Max Jabara, Deck Manager
Additional Crew and Dancers of the 2023/2024 Season
Nathaniel Buchsbaum, Dancer
Quincy Ellis, Dancer
Marlon Feliz, Dancer
Eriko Jimbo, Dancer
Sean Langford, Dancer
Zachary Weiss, Dancer
Danielle DeVito, Stage Manager
Yannick Godts, Lighting Supervisor
Teaching Artists
Megan Boyd
Krystal Butler
Erin Dooley
Kingsley Ibeneche
Eriko Jimbo
Jordan Kriston
Lila Kushner
Paul Liu
Barbara McAlister
Matt Del Rosario
THANK YOU!
PILOBOLUS THANKS THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, FOUNDATIONS, AND CORPORATIONS FOR CONTRIBUTING TO OUR PROGRAMS AND PERFORMANCES.*
Visionary $50,000+
The Shubert Foundation
Benefactor $25,000 - $49,999
Thompson Family Foundation
Evan Sturza and Stephanie Guilpin
Shauna Holiman and Robert Hackney
Barbara and Gary Johnson Anonymous (1)
Patron $10,000 - $24,999
Christine Armstrong and Ben Nickoll
Jody and John Arnhold Foundation
Hudson Bay Capital
Ciara Burnham and John Healy
Maria and Woody Campbell
Connecticut Community Foundation
O'Donnell Green Music and Dance Foundation
Stephanie and Tim Ingrassia
Frances Katzen
Jean and Julien Levy Foundation for the Arts, Inc.
Connecticut Office of the Art, Department of Economic & Community Development
Anya Peterson Royce
Sara and Robert Savage
Marie and Mark Schwartz
Howard Weinberg and Joanna Seddon
Sponsor $5,000 - $9,999
Cultural Alliance of Western Connecticut
The Anglo-American Charitable Foundation
Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation
Lily Cowles
James R Dougherty Jr Foundation Inc
Margery Feldberg
Judy and Douglas Hamilton
Molly Butler Hart and Michael D. Griffin
Lilah Hilliard Fisher Foundation
The Maximilian E and Marion O Hoffman Foundation
Rachel and Mike Jacobellis
Elise Jaffe
Kathryn Meister
Monica Richter and Wolfgang Guenther
The Abraham & Beverly Sommer Foundation
Ilaria Vigano and Francis Gerard
Sustainer $1,000 - $4,999
Bank Of America
Peter Bakstansky and Georgia Steele
Inma Barrero and Ion Yadigaroglu
Dr. Damon Bayles and Clinton Kelly
Leigh Butler
Joanne Berger-Sweeney
Nancy Marx and James Better
RBC Capital Markets
Leslie Chang and Benjamin Appen
Michele and Abhay Deshpande
Nancy Evans
The Offensend Family Foundation
Kirsten Feldman and Hugh Frater
Dash Financial Technologies LLC
Karen Florini and Neil Ericsson
The Ballet Foundation
Adam Frankel
Alison French
Nancy and Stephen Gabriel
Soren Gandrud
Ron Garfunkel
Nancy Gault
Joanna and Joe Gitterman
Gary Goldring
Michelle and Michael Gorra
Kathy and Steve Guttman
Susan Haber
Ellen Knowles Harcourt Foundation
Robert Harrison
Nuvance Health
Gordon Hoppe
Lela Ilyinsky and Sam Funk
Maureen Jerome
Robert Kasdin
Allen Kovac and Nicole Tongue
LesserEvil
Alison M. Locker
W. Matthew Lynn
Jessica Masters
Tony and Sally Mann
Amie Mckay
Sherman and Chris Meloni
Isabel and Chris Murphy
Helen and Fred Norman
Anita Parry
Brigitte Paulick
Barbara Page and John Liu
Lloyd Peterson
Rodney Pleasants and Steve Godwin
Elizabeth Richebourg Rea
Bonnie and Lee Richards
Jerome Robbins Foundation
Lisa Roumell and Mark Rosenthal
Piper Sandler Companies
Anna Santoleri
John and Carol Santoleri
Union Savings Bank
Dennis Schrader
Amy L. Segal
Leslie Siegel
Steven Silverstein
Steven Simmons
Mark and Glynn Snow
Consulate General of Spain
Leslie and Greg Warner
Conna Weiner and Eric Evans
Tyler Wibstad and Mark Adams
Tony and Sally Zunino
Anonymous (1)
Supporter $500 - $999
Krensavage Asset Management
Leslie Bakke
June Baldyga
Richard Bell
Dr. Andreas Boker
Kate Bolduan and Michael Gershenson
Stephanie Campbell and Amol Naik
Netflix Corporate Giving
Emily Dalton and Matthew Karpas
John Davies
Sandra and Charles Drimal
Ellen and Frank Estes
Arethusa Farm
Betsy Fitzgerald
Victoria and Toby Fossland
Brian Gaffney
Alexa Geovanos
Dave Gildea
Linda Irving
Susan G Karchmer
Ellen Kim
Mr. David Lukoff
Ecton and Betsy Manning
Jenny Mendez
Jean and Terry Prahl
James Ramsay
Lili Richter
Cindy Roe and Eugene Pinover
Libby Savill
Jackie Beth Shilcutt
Jennifer and Andrew Smith
Anthony and Rosa Leader Smith
YardScapes
Friend $100 - $499
Maximilian Alexander
Aspetuck Animal Hospital
Betty Arnold
Julia Askin
Laura Bailey
Steven and Annette Banks
Pamela Bate
Amy Julia and Peter Becker
Robert Bernstein
Barbara Birshtein and Howard Steinman
Matt Black
Pamela and Scott Bowman
Bantam Bread
Joy Brown
Lauren Brown
Steph Burr
Marty's Cafe
Caraluzzi's
Christine and Jeremy Chase
Lucy Commoner and Richard Berry
Adele Conner
Sarah Cooke
Joseph Criscione
Elizabeth Day
Steven Dell
Jeffrey DeMarco
Depot Dog Boutique
Rebecca and Philippe Doh
Home Depot Foundation
Chris Durkin
Mary Emerton
VanWyck Family
Jane Flanagan
Washington Food Market
Ellen Forman
Madeline “Doodle” Funk
Jane Funk
Liz and Steve Funk
Megan Garguilo
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Dana Gluck
CT Gold and Silver
Paula Graham
Stephen Hay
Mejias Health & Wellness PLLC
VP Hedderel
Annie Hoffman
George Home LLC
Quincy Horan
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Fraser Hunter
5 Janes
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Kathryn and John Kehoe
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Susan Mandler and Robby Barnett
Dana Manning
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Anne-Marie Rosaler
Steven Rothe
Stephanie Ryan
Jason Sander
Studio Steel
Hickory Stick Bookshop
Washington Supply
Community Table Restaurant and Bar
Peter Talbot AIA Architects
Allin Tallmadge
Tom Tecklenburg
Jeffrey Tillou Antiques
Therese Tomaszek
Joanne Torti
Susan Townshend
Kevin Vilke
Susan Wadelton
Home Watch of CT, LLC
Greenhouse Wealth Management, LLC
Eric Weld
Pat Werner
Thomas Whitburn
Havilande and Jim Whitcomb
James Worth
David Zimmerman and John Lineberger
Anonymous (2)
Donor
Karen Anadol
Valentine Aprile
Jason Arcamone
Blaire Babcock
Sarah Bader
Katie Baer
Beverly Baldwin
Abby Bangser
Faye Barry
Randy and Sheila Bernard
Renee Betar
Donald Bickford
Lily Binns
Teresa Blier
Karen Bonanno
Meytal Burstein
Marie Butterly
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Anthony and Charlotte Champalimaud
Ryan Clair
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Andrea Cohen
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Ines de Seroux
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Jack Farrell
Alice Farrell
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penny George
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David Grant Richard
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Christine Harris
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Katherine I Johnstone
Mary Jackson
Alan Jarman
Anthony Jaworski
Elliott Jay
Michelle Kaufman
Carol Keegan
Bill Keegan
Jane Keltner de Valle
Art Khar
Maureen Kortrey
Ms. Laurie Brongo
Eitan Lvovski
Victoria M Cherniske
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Katherine Maghini
Julie Martinelli
Eddie Mathews
Julie McDonald
Laura McKinney
Veronique Mertl
Paula Meyer
Lori Miller
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Eszter Minar
Justyna Mrowiec-Chun
Marie Murphy
Michael Noga
FonLin Nyeu
Kadence O’Keefe
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Russ and Maxine Offenbach
Hope Oliver
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La Piccolina
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David Poe
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Ali Psomas
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Joyce and Harold Rannestad
Madeleine Ricci
Ilana Richichi
Gisele Rivera
Connie Rockman
Marcy Rosenthal
Emma Routhier
Victoria Rowan
Michael Royall
Rebecca Satterthwaite
Rachel Schaefer
Laura Schwartzberg
Alex Semkow
Kathy Solomon
Sarah Spear
Gregory St John
Missy Stevens
Brett Thompson and Ricardo Rinon
Nan Tuckett
Thomas Ungricht
Kathryn Vengrove
Lara Vincent
Michael Walsh
Saya Watkins
Thomas Weaver
Krisitna Weller
Christine Weydig
Katherine Wolman
KB Wrye
Kseniya Yershova
Angel Yim
Photos by Jim Coleman (1), Emily Denaro (2, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17), Ben McKeown (4), John Kane (5), Jason Hudson (7, 11), Krystal Butler (13), Alberto R Alvarez (18), Bryan Haeffele (19, 22)