Jacob’s Pillow to throw Latin dance party
Pittsfield — Jacob’s Pillow Dance will present a Latin dance party with members of Ballet Hispánico on Saturday, May 13, at 7 p.m. at Shire City Sanctuary.
The one-night-only event will open with a one-hour salsa, merengue, and bachata dance lesson taught by Ballet Hispánico’s artistic director Eduardo Vilaro, followed by a social dance party with members of Ballet Hispánico and event attendees, and live music by Brooklyn-based band Los Hacheros. Ballet Hispánico’s rehearsal director Johan Rivera and company dancers Lyvan Verdecia and Melissa Fernandez will join Vilaro for the event.
Recognized for her achievements by the National Medal of Arts, Tina Ramirez founded Ballet Hispánico in 1970. Ballet Hispánico’s New York City headquarters house a school of dance and state-of-the-art dance studios for its programs and the arts community. In August 2009, Ballet Hispánico welcomed Eduardo Vilaro, founder and leader of Chicago’s Luna Negra Dance Theater, as its artistic director. Ballet Hispánico will perform at Jacob’s Pillow in Becket Wednesday, July 26, through Sunday, July 30.
Tickets are $10. For tickets and more information see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact Jacob’s Pillow at (413) 243-9919 x164 community@jacobspillow.org.
–E.E.
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Olga Dunn Dance Company to present ‘Bach, Time, Laughs and Gospel’
Great Barrington — The Olga Dunn Dance Company will present “Bach, Time, Laughs and Gospel,” a show featuring a collage of dance styles, on Saturday, May 13, at 7 p.m. at Saint James Place.
Noted dance company board member Cora Portnoff, “This is a production with no intermission, about an hour in length, that I feel will fly by for the audience. And, true to the company’s reputation, there is something for everyone. Even the complimentary reception afterwards with refreshments, a live jazz quartet, and a chance to meet the performers, should prove memorable.”
The company presented a dance concert accompanied by the Berkshire A Cappella Chorus a St. James Church in the 1980s, which was reviewed enthusiastically by the Berkshire Eagle and drew a capacity crowd, and considers this performance a triumphant return that will mark the group’s 40-plus years as well as the preservation of the church.
Tickets are $15 and $25. For more information, contact Olga Dunn at (413) 528-9674 or olgadunndanceco@gmail.com.
–E.E.
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Gospelfest 2017 at Hotchkiss School
Lakeville, Conn. — The gospel choir of the Hotchkiss School will host Gospelfest 2017 in the Katherine M. Elfers Hall of the school’s Esther Eastman Music Center on Sunday, May 14, at 3 p.m. Led by music director Michael Whitney Brown, the event strengthens and deepens community ties. This year’s special guest choir is the Chorus Angelicus, directed by Laurie Ellington, who serves as the music teacher at Sharon Center School. Gospel choirs of other area boarding schools Westover, Taft and South Kent will also perform. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call (860) 435-4423.
–E.E.
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Ventfort Hall to host ‘Revolutionary Fashion’ talk
Lenox — Fashion historian and vintage clothing shop owner Lynda Meyer will present the talk “1900 to 1925: Revolutionary Fashion” at Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum on Saturday, May 13, at 3:30 p.m. The presentation willl be followed by a Victorian tea.
Meyer calls the first quarter of the 20th century “the most revolutionary generational transition in fashion history.” Through her talk, Meyer will examine how the circumstances of art, technology, a world war and woman’s suffrage forced the world to be reconfigured, creating new roles and aspirations as well as new looks in fashion. Her presentation will include original period clothing, photographs and period magazines.
Tickets are $35 and reservations are recommended. For information or reservations, contact Ventfort Hall at (413) 637-3206 or info@gildedage.org.
–E.E.
