Jewish Federation of the Berkshires presents ‘Anna Sokolow: A Jewish and Modern Dance Hero for our Times,’ a virtual presentation by Samantha Geracht, artistic director of the Sokolow Theater Dance Ensemble
Pittsfield— On Thursday, January 22nd at 7 p.m., Jewish Federation of the Berkshires presents ‘Anna Sokolow: A Jewish and Modern Dance Hero for our Times,’ a virtual presentation by Samantha Geracht, artistic director of the Sokolow Theater Dance Ensemble.
Sokolow was a Jewish cultural icon, daughter of immigrants and social activist whose powerful theatrical choreography shaped American modern dance over the course of a 70-year choreographic career. She believed that dance could be more than entertainment and explored the pressing issues of her day. She spoke truth to power as early as the 1930s when she saw Hitler’s political rise.
This presentation will explore Sokolow’s life and her choreographic creation of dramatic contemporary imagery showing both the lyric and stark aspects of the human experience, threading her commentaries on humanity and social justice throughout her work.
Samantha Géracht, MFA and artistic director of the Sokolow Theater Dance Ensemble, performed with Anna Sokolow’s Players’ Project for eleven years and is a founding member of the Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble. Her virtual presentation will be on Thursday, January 22nd at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Registration and more information can be found online.
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Great Barrington Public Theater’s Chat GBPT Series returns with ‘Theater on the Edge, How Do We Meet the Moment?’ with guest panelists Jim Petosa and James Nicola
Great Barrington— On Tuesday January 27th at 7 p.m., Great Barrington Public Theater’s Chat GBPT Series returns with ‘Theater on the Edge, How Do We Meet the Moment?’ with guest panelists Jim Petosa and James Nicola, and moderated by the Great Barrington Public Theater Artistic Director team Judy Braha and Jim Frangione.
Producing theater in a dynamic and meaningful way has never been easy. Particularly since the pandemic, theaters have been struggling to continue their missions, encourage audiences to leave their homes and come to in-person events, retain subscribers and donors, and cultivate new work as well as new audiences. How does Great Barrington Public Theater navigate these political and societal pressures and meet the moment to insure the future of this powerful art form?
The discussion is on Tuesday January 27th at 7 p.m. at St. James Place, located at 352 Main Street in Great Barrington. Admission is free with a suggested donation. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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‘The Sensitive Art of Reading Tarot’ with Chelsea Gaia returns to Ventfort Hall
Lenox— On Sunday, January 25th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., “The Sensitive Art of Reading Tarot” with Chelsea Gaia returns to Ventfort Hall.
Have you ever been curious about the divine and mysterious art of reading Tarot cards? With roots dating back to the early 15th century, Tarot evolved and debuted in mainstream American and European culture in the New Age and Spiritualism movement of the Victorian Era and the early 20th century.
At this introductory workshop, you’ll learn a brief history, the Ryder-Waite-Smith system, structural basics, and the beginning etiquette of reading Tarot. This is a mostly lecture-style workshop with independent and collaborative practice time with the instructor present.
Chelsea Gaia is the Director of Programming & Events at Ventfort Hall. Openly neurodivergent, she has a wide range of skills and studies which she enjoys sharing and teaching. A student of Tarot for 25 years, she offers her unique and personal insights to the art as well as standard practices and intuitive advice to any curious interpreter.
The workshop is on Sunday, January 25th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ventfort Hall, located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox. There will be tea and light snacks. Bring your own notebook, pen, and basic Ryder-Waite system Tarot Deck, or the Ventfort Hall gift shop is stocked with all you need to begin. Registration and more information can be found online.
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Pittsfield Office of Cultural Development welcomes submissions for its ‘WOMEN IN ART’ group show
Pittsfield— The Pittsfield Office of Cultural Development welcomes submissions for its “WOMEN IN ART” group show, which will be on view at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts in March.
Berkshire County women artists are invited to submit work celebrating the creativity, perspectives, and voices of women (cis & trans) working across all media. This exhibition aims to highlight the diversity of women’s artistic practices: bold or subtle, experimental or traditional.
The submission deadline is February 18th. The exhibit will be on view at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts, located at 28 Renne Avenue in Pittsfield from March 4th through the 27th. There will be an artists reception on International Women’s Day, Sunday, March 8th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. More information, including submission guidelines, can be found online.
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Becket Arts Center presents improv class series with Ken Cheeseman and Paula Langton
Becket— On Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., beginning on Thursday, January 22nd, Becket Arts Center presents a six week improv class series with Ken Cheeseman and Paula Langton.
Ken Cheeseman, an actor who is currently a guest lecturer at Columbia University, and Paula Langton, an actor and Professor Emeritus at Boston University, will show how to build a narrative through improvisational games, exercises, scene-setting, and story-telling. Both actors were mentored by Keith Johnstone, author of Improv and Improv for Storytellers.
The classes are on Thursday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., beginning on Thursday, January 22nd. Registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. No experience is needed. Registration and more information can be found online.
