2012 Company/Class Leader Guidelines & Application:  http://tinyurl.com/BDTAuditionInfo 

All students in levels I-V are invited to attend the auditions.  Directions to the ’62 Center can be found here.

Please attend the information meeting before auditioning, to be held on Sunday, December 11th at 6:00pm.  For more information on that meeting, please go here.

Students are asked to arrive for check in at 11:45am.  Auditions will end promptly at 7:00pm.  A detailed schedule of the day will be posted shortly.  Please check back soon for more information.

For details on the new venue, please visit the ’62 Center website: here

More information on the 2012 Production will be posted here shortly.  Check back soon and watch our e-news for more information!

Adult Jazz with Fran Steinert- begins Wednesday, November 30th, 6:30-7:15

Adult Hip Hop with Jamal Ahamad and Becky Clemons- begins Thursday, December 1st, 7:30-8:30

Both classes will focus on introductory levels of the various styles of jazz and hip hop.  No previous dance experience required, just be prepared to move and have fun!  Please contact the office at 413-743-4645 for more information and to register! Don’t miss out on the fun- come try a class!

BA Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, MA

Becky graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in English/Communications from MCLA in North Adams, MA.  She teaches advanced hip hop at Karen’s School of Dance in Adams, MA.  She is also former co-president, choreographer, and lead dancer of MCLA’s Dance Company.  She was an active member of NeXXus, MCLA’s step team, and has learned to teach, choreograph and perform the art of step-dancing.  She has been heavily involved in fundraising for organizations such as The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and The Jimmy Fund.  She is currently the Assistant Choreographer for The Jimmy Fund’s annual benefit performance entitiled, “Romance Soul and Rock ‘N’ Roll”.  She is a seasonal employee at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and viewed the majority of their 2011 summer program.  She has studied different styles of dance through MCLA Dance Company such as ballet, tap, jazz, modern, African, break-dancing, and many other forms of hip hop.

Fran Steinert formally trained with Fred Benjamin, Lynn Simonson, Ann Reinking, Pat Hall, Richard Gonzalaz and various members of the Paul Taylor Dance Company. More noteworthy, however, was her training at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and Luigi Jazz Center. At the same time she traveled extensively throughout the U.S. to choreograph and give artistic direction to the most prestigious pre-teen and teen talent shows in the country.

Fran is also a national champion of competitions in Latin and Ballroom dance styles. She has taught in many dance schools in Berkshire County and New York State. After nearly 10 years of professionally teaching dance, her dedication to dance education inspired her to create the Flowering Child Performing Arts Program at Eden Hill in Stockbridge, MA, now known as Berkshire Pulse. She has reached out further into the community with teaching residencies and workshops, and performing arts camps throughout Berkshire County. Currently, she is choreographing the Barrington Stage Company, Kids Act Summer Camp.

Fran Steinert is founder, artistic director, and principal choreographer of DanceCo.Caliente which offers its students an extensive Modern Jazz dance education program and community outreach and arts in education program throughout Berkshire County. DanceCo.Caliente has a very popular Afro Cuban/Latin Dance and Percussion Group, Dance & Drum Co.Caliente. Dance & DrumCo.Caliente’s success has come from fundraisers, private parties, performances, demonstrations and special events.  Berkshire Dance Theatre is happy to welcome Fran to our faculty for her first year at BDT!

This year, we are incorporating demos and sample classes, giving young students the opportunity to explore and experience our spaces and dance, offer shopping options for dance and gym wear, enjoy refreshments and free giveaways, and have a relaxing and welcoming time in our studios.

Bennington – Tuesday, 8/23

4:00 doors open

4:15 Gymnastics demonstration

4:30 Open gym class

5:00 open children’s class with Naina

5:30 open musical theatre class with Kathleen

6:30 open hip hop class with Jamal

7:00 open Alexander Technique class with Naina

8:00 end of Open House

Adams – Thursday, 8/25

4:00 doors open

4:00 Hoop Dance with Stefanie

5:00 Gymnastics demonstration

5:15 Open gym class

5:30 open children’s class with Naina

6:00 open musical theatre class with Kathleen

7:00 open hip hop class with Jamal

7:30 open Alexander Technique class with Naina

8:00 end of Open House

Williamstown – Monday, 8/29

4:00 doors open

4:15 open children’s class with Olivia

5:00 open hip hop class with Jamal

5:30 open musical theatre class with Kathleen

7:00 End of Open House

Erica started dancing at BDT when she was six years old and continued dancing through her freshmen year of high school. She studied Tap, Jazz, Modern, Ballet and Pointe. Many years later she came back to BDT and joined the Adult Jazz class and also joined a local gym where she was given the opportunity to further her love for music, movement, and fitness by becoming a ZUMBA^® Fitness Instructor and LES MILLS BODYFLOW® Instructor. She currently teaches ZUMBA^® Fitness classes and LES MILLS BODYFLOW® classes at Fitness Now located within Anytime Fitness in Bennington, VT.

Over the past years, she has begun to share her love of dance through teaching and is very excited to begin teaching ballet at BDT.