Jacob’s Pillow Future Figures Symposium Explores Dance and Tech

The second Future Figures symposium took place at Jacob’s Pillow in the Berkshires, uniting choreographers, presenters, producers, academics, and funders to explore the intersection of dance and emerging technologies. This event was hosted in the newly reconstructed Doris Duke Theater, which reopened in 2025 following a fire in 2020. Sydney Skybetter served as the emcee, while artists such as Andrew Schneider and Sarah Silverblatt-Buser showcased their work through talks and performances. Keynote speaker Todd Machover from MIT Media Lab emphasized that AI has the potential to boost creativity and encouraged attendees to imagine a brighter future. Skybetter also pointed out the necessity for a supportive framework for tech-savvy artists, citing a 2021 NEA report, Tech as Art, which highlighted the lack of adequate support.