Featured
Group Dance & Community
Group Dance & Community
Saturdays, April 13, 20, 27, and May 4, from 3 to 5 PM
$0-$60 for all 4 workshops, or $0-$20 per session
Taught by Joshua Swift
This class is open to individuals 18+.
Please email jtmswift@gmail.com with any questions.
REGISTER HERE: https://forms.gle/tusVPZzhMyfHxHr96
Four improvisational dance workshops focused on developing resources for group movement through connection.
Open to all levels, including folks with no dance experience, & advanced dancers looking to improve improvisatory technique. These workshops are also open to all levels of ability.
Participants will cultivate their improvisational natural movement resources as individuals and group members by developing freedom, awareness, and control using the principles of Mettler-based creative dance.
Mettler-based creative dance prioritizes accessible movement and teaches ways to liberate and cultivate the natural movement resources of individuals and groups through developing freedom, awareness, and control in improvisational group dances.
Joshua Swift (they/them/all pronouns) is a disabled dance artist and teacher. They have 7 years of dance training in modern, contemporary, and improvisational dance techniques, including Mettler-based creative dance and place-based dance via the lineage of Anna Halprin. Recently, Joshua attended the AXIS Dance Summer Intensive in 2023 to study in the company of other disabled dancers.
Joshua is a member of the International Association for Creative Dance, and is currently participating in the Mettler-based Dance Educator certification program with an expected program completion of summer 2025. Joshua studied dance and psychology at Hampshire College and works in Northampton at a small nonprofit.
Please email jtmswift@gmail.com with any questions.
Int/Adv Contemporary Modern Dance
Int/Adv Contemporary Modern Dance
Fridays 4:30-6:00pm, January 19 - May 31
Cost: $10-$25/class, sliding scale*
Are you an intermediate or advanced dancer looking for a little more modern technique in your life? Join a wonderful group of community and professional dancers who just want to keep moving! This is a new, drop-in, primarily non-improvisational technique class with a monthly rotation of teachers. You can expect lots of juicy movement, time to dig into other dance artists’ movement vocabularies, inspiration for your body and brain, and the chance to connect with other dancers in Western Mass. All intermediate level dancers and beyond are welcome, so don’t be shy, come dance with us!
*Class payments may be made by cash, check, Venmo @Northampton-CenterForTheArts, or Paypal here. Payments on the upper end of the scale help support our commitment to sliding scale rates and accessibility.
Winter/Spring Teaching Schedule:
January: Kelly Silliman (two classes only)
February: Michelle Marroquin
March: Madison Palffy
April: Maddy Sher
May: Jayme Winell
Dancing with Joy and Sorrow
Dancing with Joy and Sorrow
Six Mondays, March 18 - April 22, 5:30-6:45pm
Cost: $150-$250 sliding scale*
Dancing with Joy and Sorrow, taught by Madelyn Farr, is an offering of self-nurturing movement for older adults. In this six-class series, you will explore the power of music - joyful and bittersweet - to touch hearts and awaken a depth of expressive movement that is profoundly moving. There will be opportunities for self-directed and interactive movement designed to foster emotional safety and deeply felt bonding among participants. Individuals with limited mobility or in wheelchairs are welcome, along with all levels of dance/movement experience. Bring comfortable clothing, movement-friendly indoor-only shoes or bare feet, and come prepared to be inspired and uplifted!
To register, email programs@nohoarts.org or call the Center at 413-584-7327. Please include your name, address, and telephone contact. Course fees are payable in advance by check to “NCFA” and can be mailed to the Northampton Center for the Arts, PO Box 366, Northampton MA 01061, or by Paypal here.
*Payments on the upper end of the scale help support our commitment to sliding scale rates, as well as our low teacher/participant ratio. Financial aid is available through our Community Fund.
Madelyn Farr is a dancer/choreographer and expressive arts specialist, with a Masters in Dance-Movement Therapy. She has professional credits in her native Venezuela and in the northeast US. Madelyn explores the healing potential of Middle Eastern and other dance forms to enhance the soulful, sensual and expressive vitality of older adults - and brings her findings to her teaching practices. She is the creator of Wild Mushrooms: Aging with Art, a collaborative of older artists with a mission to inspire the artist in all of us, no matter the age!
Ballroom Dance Basics
Ballroom Dance Basics
Six Saturdays, March 2 — April 6, 9:00-10:15am
Cost: $90-$150 sliding scale
Want to feel more comfortable on the dance floor at formal events and semi-formal parties? Are you looking for a fun new skill? Or perhaps you want to hone your basic ballroom dance technique? This class is for you! Learn the fundamentals of social partner dancing in a fun and accessible environment. You don’t need a partner to take this class, and all levels are welcome. Come dance with us!
To register, email programs@nohoarts.org or call the Center at 413-584-7327. Please include your name, address, and telephone contact. Course fees are payable in advance by check to “NCFA” and can be mailed to the Northampton Center for the Arts, PO Box 366, Northampton MA 01061, or by Paypal here.
*Payments on the upper end of the scale help support our commitment to sliding scale rates, as well as our low teacher/participant ratio. Financial aid is available through our Community Fund.
Tom Silliman started dancing in 1995 with two “left feet,” which he thinks makes him a better teacher. He joined the Northeastern University Ballroom Dance Team the following year and began participating in ballroom dance competitions, as well as continuing to dance socially. Tom has taught private lessons and groups classes in ballroom and social dance for many years, at Desert Terrace Dance Studio (Tucson, AZ), Shergold Studio (Charlottesville, VA), The Dance Barn (Stanardsville, VA), and the Northampton Center for the Arts. By day, Tom works as a cyber security engineer.
Adult Modern Dance with Kelly Silliman
ADULT MODERN DANCE
Wednesdays 5:10-6:25PM
COST: $10-$25 SLIDING SCALE PER CLASS
DROP-IN, NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Winter/Spring 2024 schedule: 1/3 through 5/29 (no class 2/21 and 4/17)
This mixed-level contemporary modern technique class will really get you moving! Warm-up exercises will support alignment, strength, and creating healthy movement patterns. Combinations and choreography will focus on dynamic, free-flowing movement quality and individual expression, all in a welcoming creative environment!
Class payment may be made in person via cash, check, or Venmo. Questions? Email programs@nohoarts.org!
Kelly Silliman is the Center’s Program Director, and an experienced dance educator who emphasizes healthy alignment, integrated warm-ups, individualized attention, and having fun while exploring movement and music material. Students are encouraged to develop movement patterns intended to serve their bodies long term, and to think about why we move the way we do and how the lessons of dance class can apply to life outside the studio. She makes lots of jokes and believes it’s the job of dance training to work for YOU. Kelly has over 20 years of experience as a teacher, performer, director, choreographer and scholar. She holds a BA in Theatre Arts, and an MFA in dance from Smith College.
Adult Ballet with Kelly Silliman
Adult Ballet for EVERYONE!
Brush Up on Basics Ballet - Wednesdays 4:00-5:00pm
Mixed Level Ballet - Wednesdays 6:30-8:00pm
Cost: $10-$25 sliding scale per class
Drop-in, no registration required
Fall 2023 schedule: 9/13 through 12/13 (no class 11/22) Update: Class is cancelled 11/29! Classes resume at 33 Hawley December 6th!
Winter/Spring 2024 schedule: 1/3 through 5/29 (no class 2/21 and 4/17)
Brush Up on Basics Ballet: Has it been a while since your last dance class? Do you miss ballet but feel intimidated by the idea of jumping into an intermediate class? Or have you always wanted to try ballet but couldn't find a beginner option? This class is for you! In response to many requests, Brush Up On Basics is a brand new class at the Center that covers very basic ballet instruction focused on learning/relearning positions, steps, and vocabulary. We will also pay attention to building strength, healthy alignment, and having fun! No leotards necessary here, comfortable exercise-wear is just fine!
Mixed Level Ballet: This is a mixed-level ballet class that offers students a physical and mental workout while focusing on alignment and strength building in a healthy, welcoming environment. No leotards necessary here, comfortable exercise-wear is just fine! Geared towards adults but mature teens are very welcome! Beginners or those returning after a long absence from class are encouraged to check out Brush Up on Basics first.
Class payment may be made in person via cash, check, or Venmo. Questions? Email programs@nohoarts.org!
Kelly Silliman is the Center’s Program Director, and an experienced dance educator who emphasizes healthy alignment, integrated warm-ups, individualized attention, and having fun while exploring movement and music material. Students are encouraged to develop movement patterns intended to serve their bodies long term, and to think about why we move the way we do and how the lessons of dance class can apply to life outside the studio. She makes lots of jokes and believes it’s the job of ballet to work for YOU. Kelly has over 20 years of experience as a teacher, performer, director, choreographer and scholar. She holds a BA in Theatre Arts, and an MFA in dance from Smith College.
All Spring 2020 Dance Classes still available on Vimeo!!
Creative Dance, Creative Jazz, Adult Ballet, and Body Structure Fundamentals filmed during the early pandemic are available online! All classes can be found on our Vimeo page, or find direct links to classes below:
Creative Dance 3/25/20
Creative Dance 4/1/20
Creative Dance 4/8/20
Creative Dance 4/15/20
Creative Dance 4/22/20
Creative Dance 4/29/20
Creative Dance 5/6/20
Creative Dance 5/13/20
Creative Dance 5/20/20
Creative Dance 5/27/20
Creative Jazz 3/25/20
Creative Jazz 4/1/20
Creative Jazz 4/8/20
Creative Jazz 4/15/20
Creative Jazz 4/22/20
Creative Jazz 4/29/20
Creative Jazz 5/6/20
Creative Jazz 5/13/20
Creative Jazz 5/20/20
Creative Jazz 5/27/20
Adult Ballet 3/25/20
Adult Ballet 4/1/20
Adult Ballet 4/8/20
Adult Ballet 4/15/20
Adult Ballet 4/22/20
Adult Ballet 4/29/20
Adult Ballet 5/6/20
Adult Ballet 5/13/20
Adult Ballet 5/20/20
Adult Ballet 5/27/20
Body Structure Fundamentals 10
We are making this content available for free, but we hope you will consider making a donation to the Center. As a small nonprofit committed to serving our community, the Northampton Center for the Arts needs your help so that we can continue to provide affordable space for artists, performers, and educators after this crisis is over. Please consider making a donation of any amount through our website or Venmo @Northampton-CenterForTheArts.
Suggested donation: $15/class