Better watch where you’re going in downtown Pittsfield November 12-18, and mind you don’t bump into a dancer. That’s the week Mill Town Foundation, in association with Jacob’s Pillow, will be producing the first annual Wandering Dance Festival. The community dance fest is a celebration of movement, rhythm and culture, with the mission to bring together people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. That means that you, too — no matter your shape, size, gender, age, or any other variable — are invited to get moving at free workshops exploring an eclectic lineup of dance styles.

The free workshops and classes include Zumba, jazz, drumming and dancing, breakdance, swing, salsa and more, taught by the dance artists in Berkshire County. Participating organizations include Berkshire Yoga Dance & Fitness, Berkshire Pulse, The Funk Box Studio and individual choreographers and teachers. Most are walk-ins, excpet for the November 12 Family Zumba and Adult Jazz, which requires preregistration, and the November 14 Breaking 101 at The Funk Box Studio.

The event will culminate in the Wandering Dance Festival Showcase at The Colonial Theatre on Saturday, November 18. Headliner for the festival showcase is choreographer, performer, and dance educator Shakia “The Key” Barron, whose has choreographed and directed more than 50 Hip-Hop, Funk, Modern, and African dance works at universities and festivals throughout the country. Also on the lineup are Berkshire-based dance artists Berkshire Dance Theatre, dysFUNKcrew, Erica Dankmeyer & Clara Pollock, Fern Katz & Co., Sarah Daunt, The Funk Box Dance Studio, Vincent Brewer, and Qualia Dance Collective. Following the performance, you're invited to wander over to the Festival’s after party at Hot Plate Brewing Co.

Affiliated with Jacob’s Pillow since was a 16-year-old student there, Shakia “The Key” Barron is now on the dance faculty of Mount Holyoke College. Her work, she says, is more community based than performance based, so when a festival or program is focused on bringing people together, she is a first call. Besides headlining at the Festival Showcase — with performances by company dancers from The Key Dance Company, her newly established venture, as well as a group from the Five College Dancers, an auditioned ensemble that she choreographed a piece for — she’ll be teaching a Wandering Dance Festival masterclass on November 17. “It’s for everyone,” she says. “Whether people have experience or not, the way I bring people into the space, they will learn something.”

Why a dance festival now, and in Pittsfield? "It’s a way to highlight the incredible dance artists that live and create in the Berkshires,” says Andy Wrba, program manager at Mill Town Foundation. “The goal of the week is simple: to create community connections, share meaningful experiences, and celebrate dance together.” It’s wandering across downtown Pittsfield, where dance studios, the Berkshire Athenaeum, Zion Lutheran Church and even some bar/restaurants have the space and faculty to host the many dance sessions.

The Wandering Dance Festival is also in keeping with Mill Town’s mission. The private foundation is based in Pittsfield and provides support and funding to local community groups and cultural institutions. In this initiative, it is partnering with Jacob’s Pillow, Berkshire Pulse and the exceptional dance artists in the area to bring new experiences to locals who might want to shake things up a bit.

Click here for the full schedule and the Festival's Facebook page for updates. Tickets for the Festival Showcase at The Colonial Theatre on November 18 are offered at various price points and further financial assistance is available upon request.

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