Workshops
with Festival Artists

Workshops with Festival Artists

Workshops with Festival Artists offer unique experiences for movers to explore repertory, genres, and techniques from leading dance artists. Walk-ups and quiet observation welcome, pending capacity. Registration will open later this spring.

Schedule of 2025 Workshops

Classes will be held Sundays, June 29 through August 24, from 10-11:30am in the Perles Family Studio.

Club Culture & Freestyle with Ephrat Asherie
June 29, 10-11:30am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 12+
Come catch some New York City club vibes with Ephrat Asherie’s high energy community workshop. Participants will learn about NYC club culture, including the importance of freestyle, connecting with the music and each other! Wear comfortable clothing; sneakers recommended.

BODYTRAFFIC
July 6, 10-11:30am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+
Join Joan Rodriguez, dancer with BODYTRAFFIC, for an all-levels movement class exploring the company’s dynamic and rhythmic repertory. This joyful, community-driven experience invites dancers of all abilities to embody expressive storytelling while building confidence and community connection through movement. Wear comfortable clothing; socks or bare feet recommended.

Trinity Irish Dance Company
July 13, 10-11:30am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 12+
Taught by Chelsea Hoy, Associate Artistic Director of Trinity Irish Dance Company, and Company Member Francisco Lemus, workshop participants will learn the fundamentals of Irish dance and engage in Irish dance history through exploring excerpts of Trinity Irish Dance Company’s diverse repertoire. Experience first hand the company’s unique genre of ‘progressive Irish dance’ and distinct approach to the form! Wear comfortable clothing; socks or tennis shoes recommended.

The Sarasota Ballet
July 20, 10-11:30am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 12+
Join Jessica Lang, The Sarasota Ballet’s Artist in Resident and frequent Jacob’s Pillow visiting artist, for a community workshop exploring Lang’s world premiere ballet repertoire. Participants can expect a ballet barre warm-up, followed by creative movement explorations, and culminating in learning an excerpt from Lang’s world premiere ballet presented by the company at the Ted Shawn Theatre. Wear comfortable dance attire; ballet shoes or socks recommended.

Elle Sofe Company
July 27, 10-11:30am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+
Join artist Nora Svenning of Elle Sofe Company for a contemporary dance workshop investigating how we develop power and massiveness through conscious use of weight and gravity, both individually and in groups. Svenning will incorporate voice with movement in simple ways through some of the exercises, inviting participants into the artistic landscape of the company’s work. Wear comfortable clothes; sneakers recommended.

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company
August 3, 10-11:30am
Intermediate/advanced dancers, ages 16+
Join Jacoby Pruitt and Hannah Seiden from Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company for a workshop integrating the principles of American modern dance, the exploratory nature of postmodern movement, and the demands of current company repertoire. Focusing on understanding anatomical functions, reconnecting with form, and reinterpreting familiar movement pathways, the workshop emphasizes dynamic alignment, head-tail connection, and core stability as key drivers of movement. It begins by grounding the body in space, finding fluidity, and activating muscle groups essential for supporting the skeleton. From there, it progresses into exercises that develop spinal articulation and uncover sequential movement patterns. As the class advances, it incorporates larger movements through space that apply the learned principles and explore the company’s expansive and versatile repertoire of phrase work. Wear comfortable clothing; barefoot or socks recommended.

Tap with Derick K. Grant
August 10, 10-11:30am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 12+
Join Tap artist and choreographer, Derick K. Grant for an exhilarating tap class that celebrates rhythm, technique, and expression. With a famed dance career spanning three decades and starring in iconic productions like Bring In ‘Da Nois, Bring In ‘Da Funk and Imagine Tap, Grant brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for storytelling through sound and movement. Wear comfortable clothing; sneakers or hard soled shoes/tap shoes recommended.

Ballet BC
August 17, 10-11:30am
Intermediate/Advanced dancers, ages 16+
Taught by Ballet BC company artist Vivian Ruiz, this workshop will explore movement language from Ballet BC’s world premier piece, Obsidian, the latest work by choreographers Bobbi Jene Smith and Or Schraiber. Wear comfortable clothing; socks recommended.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
August 24, 10-11:30am
Open to all dance experience levels, ages 16+
Taught by a member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater artistic staff along with two AILEY dancers, this community workshop will consist of a warm-up and exercises based on the Lester Horton technique and other modern dance techniques. Participants will also learn choreography from Alvin Ailey’s masterpiece, Revelations, and other works from the AILEY repertory. As Alvin Ailey said, “Dance came from the people and should be delivered back to the people.” We look forward to sharing the joys of Ailey to our community at large. Wear comfortable clothing; bare feet recommended.

2025 Waitlist Policy
If a class is unavailable, we encourage you to continue checking our website for released tickets and/or call the Community Engagement department at 413.243.9919 x163. If you purchase a ticket and cannot attend the workshop, please contact the Box Office as soon as possible to allow for spots to be released. If you require a refund due to illness or cancellation of a workshop, please contact the Box Office prior to your workshop start time so we may accommodate you with a refund, including all fees. We thank you in advance for being courteous to those around you and keeping our campus safe.

Refund Policy
Please visit the Box Office Policies page to learn more.