FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Berkshire Pulse ballet students to audition for Moscow Ballet soloist Nataliya Miroshynk Tuesday, October 4

Twelve students to perform side-by-side with cast of 40 in Great Russian Nutcracker tour premiere

For high-resolution images:
http://www.nutcracker.com/promo

Contact:
Sally Michael Keyes sally@nutcracker.com  (413) 499-1733 x21

(Berkshires, MA) Aug 31, 2011 – Moscow Ballet and Berkshire Pulse Center for the Creative Arts announce auditions for 7 to 16 year old ballet students to perform side-by-side with the 40 Russian professionals in the premiere performances of the 2011, 60 city tour. The Tuesday, October 4 audition is exclusive to Berkshire Pulse students and only 12 will be selected to perform the children’s roles. Moscow Ballet soloist Nataliya Miroshynk will conduct the auditions and rehearse with the young dancers for several days. Students will then attend weekly rehearsals with Ballet Director Ruby Aver. Aver comments, “It is an honor to have the opportunity for our students to work alongside the Moscow Ballet in performance and to have the artists training in the studios with our students, only compounds this already rich experience.”  The twelve selected dancers will perform in the Great Russian Nutcracker at Great Barrington’s Mahaiwe Theatre Thursday and Friday, November 10 and 11, 7:30pm. Secure tickets via www.nutcracker.com/buy-tickets. Contact Berkshire Pulse 413-274-6624 for audition and enrollment information on becoming a student.

Nataliya Miroshynk charms audiences each year with her dancing of the athletic Chinese variation in Act II of the Great Russian Nutcracker.  She graduated in 1988 from the Kiev Academic Choreographic School in Ukraine and is an expertly trained ballerina.  Immediately on graduation Nataliya was invited to join the company  of the Odessa State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater  of the Ukraine and gained a tremendous amount of experience touring the world.  Nataliya’s repertoire includes  classic ballets such as Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadere, Don Quixote and, of course, The Great Russian Nutcracker.  She has danced as a soloist with Moscow Ballet for over 5 years. She is also an Audition Director traveling across North America auditioning and training young dancers to perform with the professionals in the great Russian Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet. In 2011 she was the Moscow Ballet Summer Intensive teacher giving Vaganova method training for advanced and pre-professional American ballet students.

Berkshire Pulse, a 501 C (3) not-for-profit organization, is dedicated to building community life through programming in performing, movement and creative arts, scholarships are available. Dance educator, founder and choreographer Bettina Montano says, “Beginnings are always exciting, but the beginning of a national tour of the Moscow Ballet is an extraordinary event. We are thrilled that Berkshire Pulse students will be a part of these dynamic performances which will be historic for our region.” Berkshire Pulse, a not-for-profit organization in Housatonic, MA, is a dance and creative arts education center dedicated to building and strengthening community life through diverse and accessible programming in performing, movement and creative arts.

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker tells the beloved Christmas story of the girl who falls in love with a Nutcracker Prince – with Russian flair. Praised by the NY Times Chief Dance Critic as “thrilling and expansive” and “elegant…brimful with feeling” the 40 impeccably trained Russian dancers leap, spin and lunge bringing the traditional story to life. The Act I Christmas party enchants with its magical toys, evil Mouse King and a journey through the glittering Snow Forrest. Unique to the Great Russian Nutcracker, Russian folk characters Father Christmas and the Snow Maiden escort Masha (aka Clara) to the Land of Peace and Harmony in Act II where she and the Nutcracker Prince are honored by emissaries from heritages the world over; African, Russian, Asian, European and Hispanic. Set to Pytor Tchaikovsky’s famous score, Moscow Ballet’s production features lavish costumes, nine hand-painted backdrops with 3-D ornamentation and fanciful, larger-than-life puppets designed by Russian puppet master Valentin Federov. A must see show for everyone in the family this holiday season! Group rates are available for ten or more, call 800 320 1733. For single tickets go to www.nutcracker.com or call 800-745-3000.

Moscow Ballet – History
Moscow Ballet is known for its annual, touring Great Russian Nutcracker and full-length productions of the classic story-ballets; Swan Lake, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and others. Created by award-winning Juilliard alumnus, composer/conductor and theatrical producer, Akiva Talmi, the organization evolved out of Talmi’s all-star Russian “Glasnost Festival Tour” (1986-92). Moscow Ballet made its debut in 1993 with the Great Russian Nutcracker which was directed and choreographed by soloist Stanislav Vlasov of the famous Russian Bolshoi Theatre. In 1994, Moscow Ballet invited the Moscow State Theatre of Natalia Sats, and the theatre’s full orchestra, to expand the company to an 88-artist tour which was billed as the “19th Century Classical Nutcracker.” In 2003, Moscow Ballet announced the appointment of Anatoly Emelianov, winner of the Diagelev award, and Vladimir Troshchenko, director of Odessa State Ballet and a pivotal figure in the ballet world, as co-artistic directors. Moscow Ballet continues to feature top graduates of Perm, Vaganova, Moscow State Academic Choreographic and Kiev schools in its productions.

*Follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/Moscow Ballet) & Twitter (@MoscowBallet)

East and West Tours as of 6-2-11

one potato, two potato

When: September 2-3, 2011
Where: Doris Duke Theatre, Jacob’s Pillow

In cooperation with Jacob’s Pillow Community Dance Programs and Community Access to the Arts, choreographer Dawn Lane presents one potato, two potato a movement event that will premier at the Doris Duke Theatre at Jacob’s Pillow on September 2nd at 8PM and September 3rd at 2pm and 8pm.

one potato, two potato draws on aspects of Irish culture & history (i.e. knitting, the famine and Irish dance) as a metaphor for examining perceptions of excess, wastefulness, having enough, or nothing. The cast includes Lorimer Burns, Jane Goodrich, Dawn Lane, Bettina Montano, Leslie Nelson, and Diane Prusha, as well as dancers of mixed abilities from CATA’s Moving Company.

The work also includes still photography of Ireland by Great Barrington photographer, Elaine Radiss, and special effects video of The Famine Road in County Clare, Ireland shot by Lane and digitally composited by John Whalan of Black Ice Entertainment.

Donations to the project are welcome and can be made by calling or stopping by the CATA office.

Tickets are $25 (Plus a $2 handling fee per ticket for online purchases)
Tickets are also available at our office located at:
40 Railroad Street, Suite 6, Great Barrington, MA .

For more information visit www.communityaccesstothearts.org
or to purchase tickets by phone, call (413) 528-5485.

Photo by Richard Migot.

July 27, 2011

For immediate release

For more information, contact:

David R. Guenette,

aHa! Art Walk Organizer

P. O. Box 676

Housatonic, MA 01236

413-854-1118

info@housatonicartists.org/

http://housatonicartists.org/

Housatonic Galleries and Artists Art Walk and Group Show: Back and Better than Ever, August 20-21, 2011

What:              aHa! Art Walk

Where:            Village of Housatonic, Great Barrington, MA

When: Saturday, August 20 and Sunday, August 21, 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

Seven galleries, a number of open studios, and Berkshire Pulse are inviting all to drop on by Saturday, August 20 and Sunday, August 21, from 11:00-6:00. This year’s aHa! Art Walk also includes be several special shows and events, including a group show of a dozen local artists being presented at Berkshire Pulse, at 410 Park Street.

Housatonic, a village of Great Barrington, MA, has long been the home of galleries and artists’ studios. Art Walk, by aHa!—the Association of Housatonic Artists—has been produced for dozens of years to celebrate the galleries and artists of Housatonic.

New with this year’s aHa! Art Walk is a group show highlighting Housatonic artists whose studios are too far flung to be part of a convenient open studios route, and these and other artists will exhibit at Berkshire Pulse during the Art Walk.

Other shows are being presented at the Housatonic galleries, including an ad hoc gallery space at the corner of Main Street and Front Street, include watercolors of the Berkshires, by Bob Taylor; sculpture, by Peter Barrett; and furniture, by Chris Hogan. Also being shown in this space is work by Dan Mead and Sally Eagle, widely published travel and nature photographers, whose stunning work has gained wide recognition, including, most recently, as a finalist in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010 category, from the Natural History Museum, London, England. Local artists featured in the aHa! Group Show at Berkshire Pulse include Sandra Muss, Sherry Steiner, Dan Karp, Gabrielle Senza, Jeff Kramer, Karen Dolmanisth, David R. Guenette, and others.

Special and ongoing shows from Housatonic galleries and studios, including Lauren Clark Fine Arts; Deb Koffman Artspace; Kate Knapp’s Front St Gallery and Studio; Lorimer Burns Ceramics/ Borealis Studio; and Mimi Hassett’s Porch 204, are also featured destinations.

Additional announcements for opening receptions, talks, Art Walk Map, artist information, and show updates can be found at http://housatonicartists.org

Decadancetheatre at Jacob’s Pillow
Friday, July 29 • 6:15pm • FREE

Berkshire Pulse Instructors, Artistic Director, Jen Weber, and The all female hip-hop troupe Decadancetheatre returns with a rousing program featuring Sky Breaks (2011 Remix), depicting dancers in an urban, abstract world of b-boying, popping, and house dance.
This season’s Inside/Out performances will take place on the new and improved stage! The new Henry J. Leir Stage re-opened on June 22 with a community-wide ribbon cutting event; click here to see the new stage.
Expand your Jacob’s Pillow experience: see a performance in the theatres, observe The School, enjoy free talks, tours, and exhibits, explore the Archives, or dine at the Pillow.

Read the full Moscow Ballet Press Release here!
Dance educator, founder and choreographer Bettina Montano says, “Beginnings are always exciting, but the beginning of a national tour of the Moscow Ballet is an extraordinary event. We are thrilled that Berkshire Pulse students will be a part of these dynamic performances which will be historic for our region.” Ballet Director Ruby Aver adds, “It is an honor to have the opportunity for our students to work alongside the Moscow Ballet in performance and to have the artists training in the studios with our students, only compounds this already rich experience.”
Tickets on sale NOW for Thursday and Friday, November 10 and 11, 7:30pm performances of Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. Call 413-528-0100 or go to www.nutcracker.com/Tickets.php . Tickets range from $50.00 to $102.00 and group discounts are available for 10 or more, contact www.nutcracker.com/Contact_Page.php or 800-320-1733.

Flamenco Dance Workshops

w/Kati Garcia-Renart
Sunday, May 1st
2:30-4:00 PM – Intro to Flamenco
4:00-5:30 PM – Advanced Beginner/Intermediate Flamenco
$25 per class
or $45  w/option to attend SOLEDAD BARRIO & NOCHE FLAMENCA at Mahaiwe Theater 7PM

**TAKE BOTH CLASSES for the special price of $40 or $60 w/option to attend SOLEDAD BARRIO & NOCHE FLAMENCA at Mahaiwe Theater 7PM

Introduction to Flamenco for Absolute Beginners is the ideal workshop to start dancing flamenco. This hour and a half  class will introduce students  to the main elements of flamenco dance:  vocabulary,  footwork, upper body coordination,  compás, palmas (hand clapping) and the proper postural attitude uniquely associated with this dance form.

Advanced Beginner’s/Intermediate Workshop is open to students  with previous flamenco dance experience.   Students will dive deeper into all elements of flamenco working on their basic skills and coordinating footwork, upper body, compas and marcajes.

What to Wear: Flamenco shoes, or any comfortable shoes with sturdy, wide heels and comfortable clothing.

SOLEDAD BARRIO & NOCHE FLAMENCA
at Mahaiwe Theater

“…it is the depths of the soul and its unfathomable mystery to which these fine artists aspire. They confront nothing less than the mystery of life.” -John Heilpern, The New York Observer

The mission of Noche Flamenca is to create a diverse theatrical body of performance through song, music, and dance that expresses a rigorous, spellbinding aesthetic in the form of flamenco. Under the direction of Martin Santangelo, the award-winning Noche Flamenca has become Spain’s most successful, and the most authentic, flamenco touring company. Formed in 1993 by Santangelo and his Bessie Award-winning wife, Soledad Barrio, the company regularly tours throughout the globe. The mission of Noche Flamenca is to create a diverse theatrical body of performance through song, music and dance that expresses a rigorous, spell-binding aesthetic in the form of flamenco; one that exceeds the highest artistic expectations.

World Music Program Fundraiser at Berkshire Pulse

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: D. Curto
(413) 274-6624
|
Housatonic, MA – Berkshire Pulse is pleased to present a World Music Program Fundraiser, as part of an effort to raise funds, in order to purchase drums for the World Music and Dance Program. This much anticipated event is planned for Friday, April 29th, 2011; at Berkshire Pulse from 7:30-9:00 pm. Live entertainment, with members of Gaia Roots World Music, and Berkshire Pulse faculty and students of the World Music and Dance Performing Arts Program, will feature West African and Afro-Caribbean Drum, Song and Dance. Local businesses are generously donating pastries and beverages in order to show their support.

During this World Music Program Fundraiser Celebration, which will take place at Berkshire Pulse, 410 Park Street in Housatonic, MA, a selection of Afro-Caribbean concoctions, coconut coffee and orange tea, from the Housatonic Corner Market, and coconut milk smoothies from Aberdale’s Market, will be provided. A tasting of pastries will be offered by French Chef Jean Yves and his wife, Berkshire Pulse dance student, Yulia Bougouin – who are the proud owners of the new Lenox pastry/bakery shop –Patisserie. Berkshire Pulse Community Class passes, Ski Butternut tubing passes, and other items, will be raffled throughout the event. Suggested donations of $10-$20+ will be accepted at the door, with matching funds encouraged! The show is open to the public, and is supported in part by a grant from the Great Barrington Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

“Drum and dance are universal languages common to every culture throughout the world”, said Aimee Gelinas, Co-Founder of Gaia Roots, an all women’s world music ensemble. “They bring communities together, bridging generations in a unique way that encourages respect, cooperation and communication.  “Gaia Roots supports programs such as Berkshire Pulse,” continued Gelinas, “because our vision is to co-create joyful community experiences through drum and dance. As a Berkshire Pulse instructor for over 10 years, and the director of the World Music Program, I am focused on preserving these ancient traditions, by passing them on to the next generation.  This fundraiser will help to purchase instrumentation for our students of all ages, to practice and perform these ancient traditions.”

Founded in 2004 by dance educator and choreographer Bettina Montano, Berkshire Pulse is dedicated to building and strengthening community life through diverse and accessible programming in performing and creative arts. Located in Housatonic, in the historic Barbieri Mill building, Berkshire Pulse is a performing arts center known for its multidisciplinary dance programs.  It offers year round instruction for youth ages 4-18, and weekly classes for teens/adults in Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Tap, Afro-Caribbean Dance and World Music, Zumba, Scottish & English Country Dance, Latin, Flamenco, Cardio Strength/Yoga, Tai Chi, Bellydance, and more.

“The world music and dance classes have played an essential role in our performing arts program for many years, both on site and in area public schools, said Bettina Montano, we are very excited to be hosting Gaia Roots, while celebrating our talented Pulse students, musicians & dancers, and welcoming our community to help us raise funds for new instruments.”

For information contact D. Curto 413.274.6624, email  berkshire.pulse@gmail.com or visit www.berkshirepulse.org

Please join us for a Great Barrington 250th Celebration – Night of The Arts – Queen & Court

View the GB 250th event poster here!

AN EVENING OF THE ARTS
with the QUEEN & COURT
April 15 at 7 pm
at Crissey Farm
Stockbridge Road – Great Barrington

Renaissance Arts School
Visual Arts from local students
Steiner Baroque Ensemble
Directed by Sigrid Mitchell performing Vivaldi
Berkshire Pulse Dancers
Performing excerpts from their upcoming
Spring Performance Celebration
MMRHS Musical Participants
With a theatrical performance directed by Linnea Macé
Crowning of the Queen & Court

Admission $5

Year-Long Sponsor
Iredale Mineral Cosmetics
Great Barrington 250th Anniversary Event Sponsors
Barrington Brewery and
Greylock Federal Credit Union

Marilyn M. Sylla

PLEASE JOIN US for
An Afternoon of African Drumming & Dance
w/Bamidele Dancers & Drummers Director, Marilyn M. Sylla & Artistic Director, Sekou Sylla

Saturday, April 2
Ages 10+
Drumming Workshop 3:15 – 4:00 PM – $20
Dance Workshop 4:00 – 5:15 PM – $25
Drumming Workshop & Dance Workshop 3:15 – 5:15 PM – $40
(Advanced drummers participating in the Drummer Workshop,
may drum for the Dance Workshop, at no extra charge)
Pre-registration required – 30 Students maximum

Join us for a reunion celebration, with Marilyn M. Sylla & Sekou Sylla.
We are so happy to welcome them back to Berkshire Pulse!

Sekou Sylla

The Bamidele Dancers & Drummers (BDD) are art educators, composers, musicians, dancers and choreographers from Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean who are dedicated to the preservation of African and African rooted cultures through dance, music and song.

PLEASE NOTE: Pre-Registration is NOW OPEN, and this Workshop is guaranteed to fill up fast. Please stop by Berkshire Pulse to register and pay for this amazing workshop, as there is a 30 student maximum for this class, on a pre-register & pre-pay, first come, first served basis!

Congratulations to those students of the Berkshire Pulse Performing Arts Program, who have been accepted to the following Summer Dance Intensives:

American Ballet Theater
Boston Ballet
North Carolina School of the Arts
Walnut Hill
Saratoga Summer Dance Intensive
North Carolina Dance Theater
Contemporary Program at North Carolina School of the Arts

Many of these auditions were nationwide!

Moscelyne ParkeHarrison will attend
the North Carolina Dance Theater’s
Summer Intensive.

Iler McGrath will attend the Contemporary Program at North Carolina School of the Arts.

Mary McGrath
will attend the American Ballet Theater’s Summer Intensive,
which will culminate with a performance in the renowned Detroit Opera House.
Photo Credits: Shana ParkeHarrison

Congratulations to these young artists!!!