Main Street News

Making movement and dance accessible at Berkshire Pulse

By Published On: February 4th, 2025

Photo above by Avida Love Photography

“Having an outlet to express yourself in a way that is creative and meaningful to you, and to connect with other people is important,” said Veronica Bone, the community and in-school program manager for Berkshire Pulse. “Everyone should have access to that if it’s something they’re interested in.” This concept is the driving force behind Berkshire Pulse’s community-based programs. 

Berkshire Pulse is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Housatonic, MA, whose mission is to “build and strengthen community life through diverse and accessible programming in performing, movement, and creative arts. By promoting participation in these educational and health-sustaining activities, we enrich the lives of families and individuals of all ages throughout the region.” 

Berkshire Pulse first began in 1995 as an afterschool program for children at the Eden Hill Recreation Center in Stockbridge, MA. The programs offered children a chance to experience dance, music, and theater as a method of self-expression and as a way of connecting with others. The need for programs like this was quickly apparent, and Berkshire Pulse rapidly expanded to accommodate classes in additional locations throughout the Southern Berkshires. 

Though Berkshire Pulse has grown over the past 30 years that they’ve been in existence, their core mission and values have never wavered. “We started with an intention to make the arts more accessible and we’ve stayed true to that promise,” Berkshire Pulse founder Bettina Montano writes on their website. “To date, we have offered free programs to thousands of children in public schools throughout the region, affordable studio space to hundreds of emerging artists, and countless performances for audiences in our tristate community.” 

Photo by Avida Love Photography

Making dance accessible through community programs 

Berkshire Pulse’s community-based programs bring the joy of movement and creativity to people of all ages through a variety of classes, performances, and workshops. These programs are provided free to the community, and serve to make dance more accessible to those who otherwise may not be able to afford such classes. 

Some of Berkshire Pulse’s offerings include the Afterschool Dance Program at the Boys & Girls Club of the Berkshires, which offers a weekly range of different styles to Pittsfield Public School students and those with a Boys & Girls Club membership; a weekly partnership for the employees of Extra Special Teas, a tea shop employing young adults with intellectual and developmental differences; and Trans Dance Class, a partnership with Seeing Rainbows, a Berkshire non-profit whose mission is to produce and present liberating art and experiences by and for trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people in the region. 

Veronica is particularly proud of the partnership with the Boys & Girls Club in Pittsfield, as she fondly recalls the impact dance presentations had on her when she was a child. “I remember various arts assemblies in my elementary and middle school experience, and one guest workshop can make you think that this is something that you’re interested in and want to pursue,” she explained. “The goal is that students who experience dance with our in-school programs can continue and deepen their experience at the Boys & Girls Club.” 

Now in its second year, the classes at the Boys & Girls Club are essentially a mirror of the classes that are taught in Berkshire Pulse’s studio. “We want to make sure that we have the same amount of depth in the community-based programs that we do at our regular classes in the studio. We’re constantly thinking about those long-term, deeper partnerships with our communities,” Veronica shared. 

“Watching the kids learn a dance move and be excited about it is really rewarding to see,” she continued. “I love going on site for programs. I’m very lucky to have access to that all the time. It’s super inspiring to witness.” 

In the studio 

As for the studio classes, Berkshire Pulse offers a wide range of dance styles, including but not limited to African dance, contemporary, Flamenco, hip hop, modern, salsa, Scottish country dance, and swing. Veronica notes that Berkshire Pulse has seen an increase in their beginner adult community. “People say all the time, ‘I used to take this style of dance as a kid and I wanted to come back to it as an adult,’ or they’ve never tried dance before and want to give it a shot. There’s not a lot of places where you can do that as an adult, so it’s incredibly important to us that we offer that. The mentality at Pulse is that you’re a lifelong dancer.” 

This year, Berkshire Pulse is leaning into showcasing the intergenerational aspect of dance. For their spring performance, which takes place at Simon’s Rock Theater in Great Barrington, they’re integrating three teen and adult community classes into the performance alongside their studio students. On stage, there will be adult dancers performing alongside the youth students, highlighting the concept of being a lifelong dancer. 

Tuition assistance programs 

Since beginning in 1995, Berkshire Pulse has offered a tuition assistance program. “No one has ever been turned away from Berkshire Pulse due to an inability to pay – inclusivity, accessibility, and creativity are truly the beating heart that sustains our Pulse. Everyone deserves to experience this.”

Tuition assistance is available for studio classes, as community-based programs are offered free of charge. Due to economic changes, the need for tuition assistance continues to grow each year. Participants are awarded between 20-100% assistance, ranging from $120 to $3,000 per student. Currently, about 1 in 6 participants (both youth and adults) receive some level of tuition assistance. 

On the Berkshire Pulse website, you can find four different tuition assistance applications: a general tuition assistance application, an application for Massachusetts EBT/WIC/Wonderfund cardholders, an application for Massachusetts ConnectorCare cardholders, and an application for non-Massachusetts EBT/WIC cardholders. 

“Anyone that applies for tuition assistance will get some kind of support,” Veronica said. “There are a lot of programs – we have something for everyone.” 

To learn more about Berkshire Pulse and its classes + programs, visit their website berkshirepulse.org for more information. 

Photo by Avida Love Photography