Berkshire Pulse Announces Summer Programs

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. —  Berkshire Pulse unveiled its Summer 2026 schedule of dance, music, and creative arts classes for area youth, teens, and adults.

Berkshire Pulse provides opportunities for dancers of all ages and experience levels to learn, grow, and be inspired. 

For the complete program schedule, please visit the Pulse website: 

https://berkshirepulse.org/summer-intensive-programs/

Dance Discovery (Ages 8-13)
July 6-10 | half-day option for ages 8-9 (mornings only)
Monday to Friday, 9am-3pm; 9am-12pm half day

An exciting journey into the engaging and rewarding world of dance, this week-long program provides an introduction to dance forms including ballet, modern, African, and more. Dancers will also have a chance to practice dance-making of their own!

Dance Adventure (Ages 4-7)
July 13-17 | half day
Monday to Friday, 9am-12pm

This program for our youngest dancers invites them on an expedition into the exciting, engaging, and rewarding world of dance. Classes will include creative dance, storytelling, drumming, and more!

Hip Hop and Street Style (Ages 10-adult)
July 20-24 | All levels
Monday to Friday, 9am-3pm

In this week-long program, dancers will learn foundational movements and techniques of hip-hop and street style dance, alongside discussions about the cultural meaning and significance of these dance forms. 

Musical Theater (Ages 10+)


July 27-August 1 (six days) | All levels
Monday to Saturday, 9am-3pm

This week-long program gives students the opportunity to jump right into the world of musical theater with classes in broadway jazz, voice, acting, and improvisation. 

Young Dancers and Choreographers Intensive (Ages 11+)
August 3-7 and August 10-14
Monday to Friday 9am-4pm
This intensive is for dancers with at least two years of dance experience.

This two week-long program will focus on interdisciplinary dance technique, including classes in ballet, modern, Simonson Jazz, African, Salsa and Flamenco. The second will focus on contemporary forms, dance-making, dance filmmaking, improvisation, and partnering.

Pre-Registration opens in February, pre-register by calling 413-274-6624, or going to our website at berkshirepulse.org

Pulse Accessibility Initiatives

Pulse is committed to making our programs affordable and accessible to all. New, prospective, and returning students and their families should be aware of the following Access offerings to support their ongoing participation: 

  • TUITION ASSISTANCE: Partial or full tuition waivers are available to any student with demonstrated financial need, 100% automatic waivers for EBT/WIC recipients. Visit the TA page on our website to learn more and apply. 

  • DANCEWEAR: Pulse maintains an inventory of clean, dress-code appropriate dancewear for youth students to borrow, whenever needed.

  • DANCE SHOES: Pulse maintains an inventory of gently-used tap, character, jazz, and flamenco shoes in youth and adult sizes for borrowing, whenever needed. 

  • SPANISH-TRANSALATION SUPPORT: Enrollment and tuition assistance applications are available both in English and Spanish. 

  • ADA-ACCESSIBLE FACILITY: There are several ADA parking spaces available at the front and side of the building, plus an elevator to the studios on the 3rd floor for anyone with mobility issues. 

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pryor & Peacock's Whimsical Furniture Environmentally Friendly

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
 

The company uses digital printing to create the upholstery fabric, saving water and saving vintage furniture from ending up in landfills.

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — A unique furniture store has popped up on Elm Street this month.

Mom-and-daughter store Pryor & Peacock is hosting the pop-up storefront from Aug. 13 to Aug. 25 at 6 Elm. The New Marlborough business is co-founded by Rosalina Wright and Luca Shapiro, who is also the creative director. 

Their online shop was created in 2024 but they wanted people to see the pieces in person, so they're renting the space for a limited time before a long-term tenant moves in.

The store sources prints to create unique fabrics and reimagines vintage and antique furniture acquired at auctions, local shops, and online.

"We source prints from all over the world that date from the late 1600s up through mid-20th century, and Luca turns those prints into fabric by manipulating them, scanning them, oftentimes has to add or subtract things, and then we manufacture the fabric using only digital printing, which is very environmentally friendly, unlike traditional textile printing," Wright said.

Upholstering the furniture can take weeks of work. Shapiro looks for the perfect design for each piece and, if need be, uses Adobe Photoshop to extend the art work to fit or enhance the print.

"One of the most difficult parts comes in marrying the fabric to a piece of furniture because we only use antique and vintage frames also to be earth friendly, and they're also more beautiful and durable than new furniture," Wright said. "So the image has to go with the furniture, so that takes a lot of work."

One of Pryor & Peacock's missions is to be environmentally friendly. Digital printing doesn't use the same amount of water as traditional textile productions do nor does it contaminate water with ink according to their website.

Not only are they saving water, but they are saving furniture from going into the landfill while also using more durable furniture that doesn't break as easily as current pieces. They started their business to create something unique and to help the environment together.

"It's creating something nobody else is doing. People can't continue to buy throwaway furniture. Six percent of American landfills is furniture, and digital printing not only opens up the possibility of being able to put unique images on a piece of furniture, but it also is, as I said, environmentally friendly. So, for us, the excitement is to take an old East Lake settee that somebody's going to store in their barn and forget about, and make it something completely new and surprising," Wright said.

They hope their furniture helps bring a pop of fun to someone's home.

"We think our furniture is very whimsical and surprising, and most furniture today is oatmeal colored couches and gray neutral chairs, and it's boring," she said.

The two named their business after their mothers' maiden names to honor them and believe the name reflects their pieces.

Shapiro works in interior design outside of the business and the two liked working together and thought it would be great to start a business together. Shapiro says they can work well together and that her and her mother, Wright, has flipped houses before and have the same eye for design.

"So it's very easy for us to work together. When we see something, generally we agree on whether it works or doesn't work on a piece. We agree on the color schemes and that sort of thing. So it's very fun and fulfilling to work together," Shapiro said. 

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