Saturday March 1st at First Congregational Church of Williamstown

A. Youth Session 10AM-12:30PM Ages 8 to 14 (with Adult)
Tuition: $35 for pair

B. Teen/Adult Session 1:30-4PM Ages 14 to Adult
Tuition: $35

“Hey… What’s so funny?”

Let them laugh at you… Take a moment to slow down time to see whats funny and why. Learn about physical comedy to engage and mesmerize your audience. Play, generosity, and timing are the keys! Learn how to tune up your comedic timing, find the magic of repetition, and develop a stronger sense of the comedy inside yourself for all to see… come ready to play!

“Hit them where it hurts”

The skill of safe stage violence is essential to most theatre, but how do we approach it passionately? Come learn slaps, punches, falls, and more taught with techniques developed by the Society of American Fight Directors. Get on your feet and learn the illusion violence, including how to choreograph it in your next show. Come ready to move… this is a Let’s Do It! workshop. All skill levels welcome.

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Bio:

Christopher Beaulieu is an Actor/Director/Fight Choreographer/Teacher with over 20 years of experience teaching and directing students in various areas of theater. Co-founder of the physical theatre company, Creatively Independent, Chris tours 250+ days/year performing and teaching the performing arts. He has taught internationally in Germany, Scotland, England, Portugal and Prague, as well as nationally. Beyond the stage, Chris teaches at multiple conferences: Performing the World, Florida State Thespians, North Carolina State Thespians, Florida Assoc. of Theatre Educators and the prestigious Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (SE Region), as well as clown/performance skills and Road Show Artistic Director, under the Big Top for Circus Smirkus. Chris has trained and taught with the internationally recognized Shakespeare & Co. education program and is an accredited Advanced Actor/Combatant in 8 weapons with the Society of American Fight Directors. Chris graduated from the prestigious Physical Theatre Program at Dell Arte International School of Physical Theatre in 2005.

 

Saturday March 8th at the Williamstown Youth Center

A. Youth Session with Nicole Rizzo 10-11:30AM Ages 6 to 12
Tuition: $20

B. Teen/Adult Session with Becky Clemons 12-1:30PM Ages 12 to Adult (or 2 years’ experience)
Tuition: $20

Workshops will begin with physical stretch warm up, followed by basic movements of hip hop and ending with a dance sequence. Technique includes isolations of the body, pop and lock movements and rhythm work. Hip-Hop explores the evolution of urban jazz fused with African dance. Join Nicole and Becky for a fun, upbeat and high energy Hip Hop experience!

REGISTER for this Workshop

Bios:

Nicole Rizzo has been studying dance and theatre since childhood, dancing with Berkshire Dance Theatre and then went on to study at Circle in the Square Theatre School in NYC with a concentration in theatre and dance. In New York, Nicole danced in various theatre and dance shows which included the New York Fringe Festival where she was featured in the New York Times. She later moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career and was asked to choreograph The Pointer Sister at the Henry Fonda Theatre for the City of Hope Foundation. Nicole currently choreographs, directs and performs in her own cabaret troupe in addition to teaching. She has taught dance and movement workshops for the renowned Wanderlust Festival, Bang on a Can at MASS MoCA, and teaches musical theatre, dance and acting programs at Minerva Arts Center and Berkshire Dance Theatre. Nicole is also a certified yoga teacher.

Becky Clemons currently works as an instructor at Berkshire Dance Theatre, and is one of the founders of a community dance crew called dysFUNKcrew, which has performed at the African American Gather-In and numerous venues throughout Berkshire County. Becky has choreographed a Flash Mob and presented numerous other pieces of choreography at the world renowned MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA. The time and dedication that she has invested into her craft, shows through in her passion for teaching Hip Hop.

Saturday March 15th First Congregational Church of Williamstown

A. Youth Session 10-12PM Ages 8 to 12
Tuition: $25 Limited to 10 students

B. Teen/Adult Session 1-3PM Ages 12 to Adult
Tuition: $25 Limited to 10 students

Everyone is a singer, and music is the universal language. In this workshop, learn techniques to improve your sound, breath, and articulation of your voice. Learn how to support your singing, and have a great presence for audition or performance. Workshop will include vocal warm up techniques, range, and exploration of a vocal selection.

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Bio:

Teresa Lorenco has been acting, singing and dancing since childhood, and is a child of musical artists, growing up backstage at the Boston Opera Company. While residing in Vermont, Teresa performed in The Vagina Monologues, An American Machine, and worked with Spielpalast Cabaret, a home grown group of cabaret performers in Burlington. More recently in Massachusetts, Teresa worked with the Majestic Theater in the production Piecemeal, and then played “Mary Magdelene” in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Academy of Music in Northampton. Teresa is and songwriter and is currently working on a CD. Teresa performs throughout the Pioneer Valley in a duet band Spunk N’ Sass with her husband John.

Saturday March 22th at the Williamstown Youth Center

A. Youth Session 10-12PM Ages 8 to 12
Tuition: $25 (includes tap shoes) Limited to 15 students

B. Teen/Adult Session 1-3PM Ages 12 to Adult (or 2 years’ experience)
Tuition: $25 (includes tap shoes) Limited to 15 students

Youth Session: Bring along your favorite song and learn how to Tap Dance with it like a pro. Pick up some new tricks and tools to express yourself. Explore new ideas for making cool and cutting-edge Tap Dances alone or with your friends.

Teen/Adult Session: What is that song that gets stuck in your head these days? Bring it to this workshop and learn how to get it out of your head and into your feet using your entire body.

REGISTER for this Workshop

Bio:

Stefanie Weber is an action-based dance artist who specializes in creative choreography and leading communities to dance. Tap Dancing since the age of 8, Weber discovered the wonderful world of Jazz & Rhythm Tap in her 20’s and has been in love with it ever since. Having studied with legends of the form, she enjoys passing on the lessons learned while also adding her own unique flair in order to help evolve the form and keep it alive and growing.

www.fertileuniverse.com

Saturday March 29th at the Williamstown Youth Center

A. Bollywood Workshop with Nicole Rizzo
Youth Session 10-12PM Ages 8 to12
Tuition: $20

B. Belly Dancing Workshop with Joslyn Robinson
Teen/Adult Session 1-3PM Ages 12 to Adult
Tuition: $20 (includes coin belts)

Bollywood Workshop – This workshop is a fusion of Bollywood, Hip Hop, Jazz, Funk, Contemporary and Bhangra choreographed to some of the latest and greatest Bollywood sounds. The class focuses on posture, dance technique, coordination, isolations, across the floor work, and quality of movement through choreography.

REGISTER for this Workshop

Belly Dancing Workshop – Modern tribal belly dance pulls from ancient traditions and from a vast range of cultures. This workshop is an accessible, energizing, fun, and freeing improvisational class. It is designed for all shapes, ages and dance experiences. Belly dance improves spinal health, posture, ease of movement, body image, self-confidence and much more! Class includes warm ups, some instruction, improvisational dance, and cool down.

REGISTER for this Workshop

Bios:

Nicole Rizzo has been studying dance and theatre since childhood, dancing with Berkshire Dance Theatre and then went on to study at Circle in the Square Theatre School in NYC with a concentration in theatre and dance. In New York, Nicole danced in various theatre and dance shows which included the New York Fringe Festival where she was featured in the New York Times. She later moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career and was asked to choreograph The Pointer Sister at the Henry Fonda Theatre for the City of Hope Foundation. Nicole currently choreographs, directs and performs in her own cabaret troupe in addition to teaching. She has taught dance and movement workshops for the renowned Wanderlust Festival, Bang on a Can at MASS MoCA, and teaches musical theatre, dance and acting programs at Minerva Arts Center and Berkshire Dance Theatre. Nicole is also a certified yoga teacher.

Joslyn Robinson has been teaching and performing Tribal Style Bellydance in the Bennington area since 1999. She is the creator and founder of Sisters of the Shawl and co-creator of Bennington Beledi. She has also been casually referred to by professional Bellydance troupes in the Burlington area as “the woman who brought American Tribal Style Bellydance to Vermont”. She is a massage therapist at Green Mountain Oasis where she specializes in Ayurvedic Massage and Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultation. Joslyn is currently completing an MFAW in Creative Writing at Goddard College.