FAQs

We are located at 420 Park Street in Housatonic, MA. Our studios are on the third floor of the historic Rubin Mill building, accessible by stairs or by elevator.

Parking is available in the diagonal spaces to the right of the building or on the street.

Our Youth Performing Arts Program (PAP) provides an in-depth, interdisciplinary learning experience to young dancers ages 4 to 18. From the start of their training, students are introduced to dance practice with an equal emphasis on technical development as well as artistic exploration. As they progress in age and level, a comprehensive curriculum encourages students to expand their creative language while challenging their intellectual, technical, and artistic abilities. Learn more here.

Berkshire Pulse’s Community Class program offers a wide range of creative classes for people of any age or ability, from beginners to professionals. We are proud to offer an intergenerational program, with students ranging from teenagers to those in their 80s. Our Community Classes are available through a class pass or drop-in class (except where otherwise noted). Learn more here.

Yes! Berkshire Pulse offers many classes that require participation in only one class. 

For youth students, all our Foundations level classes can be taken on their own once per week. For more information on all our once-per-week options, please visit our Youth Performing Arts Program page and view this year’s registration guide.

For teens (12+) and adults, our Community Class program is drop-in based and does not require multiple classes per week. Please refer to our Community Class Program page for classes and schedule.

The Youth Performing Arts Program is an interdisciplinary program, which means that we encourage and require our youth dancers to take classes in multiple styles. Our Interdisciplinary training begins by choice in the Foundation Level and by requirement starting in Level 1. Participating in multiple classes and styles of dance per week ensures a more consistent practice, which, in turn, supports injury prevention and allows the student to experience steady and satisfying progress.

We encourage Youth dancers only interested in one style of dance to step outside their comfort zone. Community Classes are an option for teen dancers who may only want to take one style of dance.

Our Community Class program is interdisciplinary as well but does not have any class requirements.

We have a dress code for our Youth Performing Arts Program. It is available online or at the Front Desk. Community Classes don’t have an overall dress code, but youth participants taking a Community Class as a required class are expected to meet the Pulse Dress Code. Community Class teachers may recommend specific clothing/footwear for their classes.

We have a selection of gently used dancewear for borrow for those who may need it, as well as a selection of ballet, tap, flamenco, and jazz shoes to use – please inquire at the Front Desk.

Yes! We have a limited selection of dress code dancewear and shoes for sale at the Front Desk and are also happy to place an order for you.

We have a selection of gently used dancewear for borrow for those who may need it, as well as a selection of ballet, tap, flamenco, and jazz shoes to use – please inquire at the Front Desk.

The Young Choreographers Program, made up of the Young Choreographers Workshop (YCW) and Initiative (YCI), was established in 2016 as a platform for students, ages 12-21, to create works that give voice to the issues affecting their generation, connect with community members outside of Pulse, and address important topics such as anxiety, body image, isolation, and joy. The program is directed by Susan Quinn. Learn more here.

Youth Performing Arts Program: Registration for classes opens a few weeks prior to the start of an upcoming session (Fall, Spring, Summer). Please note that to make sure registration is equitable, we cannot officially accept registrations until the registration period has opened. Following the pre-session registration period, registrations are accepted on a rolling, case-by-case basis for classes that have already started. 

Community Classes: Registration for classes opens a few weeks prior to the start of an upcoming session (Fall, Spring, Summer). Please register in advance to express interest in a class and be added to the class email list. Because Community Classes are drop-in based (except where otherwise noted), participants are welcome to come whenever is possible for them and can begin mid-session. 

Berkshire Pulse offers multiple options for registration: online, in-person, and over the phone.

To register online, log in or make an account, complete the ‘Account details‘ section of the My Accounts page and make sure that all of your information is current (including for any children you will be registering for classes), add the class products to your cart, and check out. 

To register in-person, please visit Berkshire Pulse during our office hours (M-F 9am-4pm) OR during a designated in-person registration period. 

To register via phone, please call Berkshire Pulse at 413.274.6624 and inquire about registration. Berkshire Pulse staff will take down the necessary information and assist you in acquiring all necessary registration documents to get you/your student registered.

Please be sure to read Pulse’s policies before registering. New students must have a completed Policies and Information Waiver (Form A). New and returning students must have a completed Registration Form (Form B). Underage participants (age 11-17) in the Youth Performing Arts Program must have a guardian complete the Premises Permission Form (Form C). Registrants can satisfy each of these Forms by registering online.

Pulse’s Tuition Assistance program assists families who cannot afford tuition to attend the movement, music, and theater classes of their choice at Berkshire Pulse. There are many options for Tuition Assistance. 

If you have an EBT, WIC, or Wonderfund card, you are automatically eligible for 100% TA by providing proof of your card and completing a short one page form.

If you have a ConnectorCare card, you are automatically eligible for 50-100% TA by providing proof of your card and completing our full tuition assistance application. 

If you don’t participate in any of these programs, you are still encouraged to apply for Tuition Assistance! We offer many families regular Tuition Assistance in the amount of 20-100% TA. Please complete a full tuition assistance application to be considered. Pulse has never turned away a student for an inability to pay. In fact, about 1 out of 5 current participants (both youth and adults) receive some level of tuition assistance.     

For full information and application links, please visit our Tuition Assistance page.

Tuition Assistance may not be used for the following: performance fees, late registration fees, fees for private lessons, summer intensive registration fees, payment of overdue tuition owed for prior sessions, dancewear or merchandise, workshops, or gift certificates. For full information and application links, please visit our Tuition Assistance page.

Class is not open to observation by parents, guardians, siblings, friends, etc. It is our firm policy that class time be the student’s time (learning as opposed to performing). We do hold end-of-session class observations for all classes that you are welcome to attend.

Usually, yes! We offer rolling enrollment for most classes. Some classes fill up during our registration period and are open to waitlist registration only. But some classes still have spots available and pending teacher approval/placement approval, students may join late in the session. Please note, however, that this is not guaranteed and again, must be approved by Pulse staff and the teaching artist for the class.

Yes! Our Dance Foundations 2 and Dance for Boys classes serve students ages 10-13 as once-per-week introductions to dance. For teens 13+, we have a variety of Beginner-Level Community Classes.

Placing students correctly is a core aspect to the Berkshire Pulse Youth Performing Arts Program curriculum. For placement and class recommendations, we carefully consider a wide variety of factors: specific interest, physical skill, peer group, emotional maturity, years of previous study and age. Each student is placed where we believe they will have the greatest potential for fulfillment and growth. 

Enrollment in Levels 1 through 4 requires placement from Pulse teaching artists and staff. New students can take a placement class, or a “trial class,” to determine their level (this class costs $20). After class, the teaching artist and programming team will meet to determine placement for each student. No decision will be made on the spot. Please do not ask our teaching artists about class placement. Students who would like to try a class, or are seeking class recommendations, can contact us for more information. Adjustments in class placement occasionally may be necessary after initial attendance.

To request an accommodation, or for questions about accessibility, please contact us.

The performance is not required. While not required, the end-of-year performance is a special way to celebrate the culmination of the hard work and artistic expression of our community of dancers. If a dancer chooses not to participate in the performance, they may be asked to participate in the class in an understudy capacity.