Berkshire Pulse Choreographers Present Intergenerational Performances At Chesterwood

Berkshire Pulse, South County's dynamic dance and performing arts education center located in the heart of Housatonic, is presenting Spirits of Chesterwood, an intergenerational dance project, at Chesterwood, the historic home, studio, and gardens of sculptor Daniel Chester French (1850-1931), on Thursday, July 27th at 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm, 4 Williamsville Road, Stockbridge, Mass. Tickets are available at www.chesterwood.org/schedule-2023 or by calling 413-298-2023.

Spirits of Chesterwood is an intergenerational dance project created by 7 local choreographers in the Berkshire Pulse community. This roving, site-specific performance will be presented as a part of Chesterwood's Arts Alive! series.

“Our participation in Arts Alive! is an extension of our enduring partnership with Chesterwood,” says Berkshire Pulse Founder & Artistic Director, Bettina Montano, “A place that has been so welcoming to us and inspired so many of our educational programs over the years.”

The Arts Alive! series began during the pandemic, and Berkshire Pulse has participated every year. 

“Arts Alive! was designed to be a resource to bring community together to experience the arts and feel connected,” states Chesterwood's Margaret Cherin, “As always, Berkshire Pulse's programs honor the deep tradition of creativity at Chesterwood while drawing inspiration from the beauty of the land. The gardens and woodland walks were a passion of French's, curated and crafted by him during the 30 years Chesterwood was his summer home and studio. Berkshire Pulse's programs bring the landscape alive with layers of emotions and associations.”

Each choreographic work honors Daniel Chester French's appreciation for the natural and peaceful beauty of the landscape, and many of the works are based on historic photographs of people, places, and captured moments on the Chesterwood grounds. Chesterwood's Curatorial Researcher and Collections Coordinator, Dana Pilson, helped gather historical research on how the spaces were used and by whom. Spirits of Chesterwood will celebrate the joy of dance by connecting local artists of all ages with sites of historic and natural significance in the Berkshires. 

The performance will happen twice, once at 4:00 pm and again at 6:00 pm, to allow an intimate group of audience members to follow the performers along the route. Beginning at the Barn Lawn, the performance will move as follows:

Choreography by Bettina Montano at the Barn Lawn

Choreography by Fiona Scruggs at the Outside Room

Choreography by Laura Coe and Music by Matt Diamond at the Glade

Choreography by Jordyn Cormier at the Fountain

Choreography by Gillian Ebersole and Shannon Nulf on the Veranda

Choreography by Veronica Bone at the hill by the Studio Garden

During this performance, audience members will move along the grounds at Chesterwood to six separate 5-10 minute performances over the course of 1 hour. Limited seating is available at each performance location, while ample standing room is available for those who are able. Along the performance's walking path, terrain may be rocky, with roots and plants in wooded areas. Docents will guide the audience. Wheelchair-accessible route available. For accessibility and accommodation questions, please contact Pulse at berkshire.pulse@gmail.com or 413-274-6624.

This event is made possible by the generosity of Chesterwood's Arts Alive! Sponsors,  especially Rick and Candance Beinecke, Dr. Owen Lewis and Susan Ennis, and the Tryon Family Foundation, as well as the Stockbridge Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. 

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