Great Barrington, Mass.—The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center will present acclaimed dance theater troupe Pilobolus on Feb. 8 and 9, 2019. The engagement includes a performance for children, a movement workshop for seniors at Berkshire South Regional Community Center, and a public performance of the company’s latest extravaganza.

“We can’t wait to welcome back one of the most innovative, acrobatic, and beautiful dance companies to Great Barrington,” says Mahaiwe Executive Director Beryl Jolly. “It’s a special opportunity to share their creative gifts with both local school children and the senior community, and we expect a packed house for the public matinee performance as well.”

“The dance company that no one can pronounce is thrilled to return to the theater that no one can pronounce, to share pieces new and old,” says Pilobolus Co-Artistic Director Matt Kent.

The engagement will kick off with a school-time field trip performance of Pilobolus is a Fungus on Friday, February 8 at 10:00am. In this interactive show for young audiences, participants take a journey through nature, perceiving the sounds, shapes, colors, and movements of birds, water, trees, and the company’s namesake fungus, in new and unexpected ways. With the help of the Pilobolus dancers, audience members learn to express their deep connection to the world through movement and dance. Pilobolus is a Fungus is recommended for all ages and grades. Tickets are $6 per student with school groups. Contact Mahaiwe Education Coordinator Judy Reinauer at education@mahaiwe.org. Mahaiwe education programs are sponsored by Berkshire Bank, Cain Hibbard & Myers, The Feigenbaum Foundation, and the Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation.

On Friday, February 8 at 3:30pm, Pilobolus Education and Community Engagement Manager Emily Kent will lead the company’s unique “Connecting with Balance” workshop in the Jaffe Auditorium at Berkshire South (15 Crissey Road in Great Barrington). This hour-long class is tailored to helping seniors reconnect with their bodies and environment in creative, movement-based ways. Exercises in movement and balance guide participants to maintain and improve balance, think creatively, and build community through social engagement. This class is open to all levels of ability—even those who remain seated throughout. There is no admission fee, but pre-registration is required as class size is limited. To register, stop by the Berkshire South front desk or call 413.528.2810 ext. 0.

Pilobolus will perform Come To Your Senses on Saturday, February 9 at 3:00pm. The company invites audience members to engage with childlike wonder in the miracle of the senses through both classic and brand new repertory that begins by examining human biology and ends by utilizing the senses in what they describe as a refreshing immersion in the biosphere. Tickets are $40 to $85. In addition, the Mahaiwe offers $15 youth tickets for everyone ages 30 and under, pending availability, by visiting or calling the box office.

Founded in 1971, Pilobolus tests the limits of human physicality to explore the beauty and the power of connected bodies. The company has performed on Broadway, at the Oscars and the Olympic games, and has appeared on television, in movies, in advertisements, and in schools and businesses, and created over 120 dance works. The company continues to propel the seeds of expression via human movement to every corner of the world, growing and changing each year while reaching new audiences and exploring new visual and musical planes.

The Mahaiwe is located at 14 Castle Street in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Box office hours are Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 4:00pm and three hours before show times. Purchase tickets and get more information, by going here or call 413.528.0100.

(press release sent to WSBS from Mahaiwe Media Contact/PR Consultant, Gina Hyams for online and on-air use)  

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