Bettina holds a BFA in Dance, Cum Laude, from Temple University.
In Philadelphia, she performed professionally with Philadelphia’s Sybil Dance Company, Artistic Director Eva Gholson, and Dance Conduit, Artistic Director Ann Vachon, for the reconstruction of Doris Humphrey’s “Dawn in New York.”
In the Berkshires, Bettina performed with choreographer Dawn Lane, Artistic Director Community Access to the Arts, as an independent choreographer and as a member of choreographer/film maker Laurie McLeod’s Victory Girl Productions with whom she performed extensively throughout the Berkshires, New York, and abroad.
Bettina’s dance training began with her mother Christa Montano, a student of renowned dancers Mary Wigman, Herald Kreuzberg, Martha Graham, José Limón and Louis Horst. Her early training continued under the direction of Truda Kashman, Martha Graham technique with Debra Zall, with various teaching artists at the Murray Louis and Alwin Nicolais Dance Lab and later with Educators/Choreographers Eva Gholson, Ann Vachon, Hellmut Gottschild and Marilyn Middleton Sylla. Bettina’s passionate belief in accessible dance education led her to teaching and inspired the creation of The Flowering Child Performing Arts Program in 1995 — which ultimately evolved into Berkshire Pulse in 2005. Bettina has been teaching classes in modern dance for students of all ages and levels throughout her 27-year directorship of the organization.
Shannon Nulf (she/her) is a movement artist and arts administrator whose work reflects her commitment to human connection and community building. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a BFA in Dance and minors in Movement Science and Performing Arts Management. At U-M, she worked with artists Urban Bush Women, Rosie Herrera, and Joel Valentin-Martinez, U-M Faculty Missy Beck and Charli Brissey, and MFA candidates Fabiola Torralba, Sydney Schiff, Kelly Hirina, Jen Peters, and Melissa Brading. After graduating in 2021, Shannon worked as a Community Engagement Intern for the 2021 Summer Festival at Jacob’s Pillow and then as Community Engagement Fellow until September 2022. She has performed and presented work at multiple venues in the Berkshires, including Jacob’s Pillow, The Foundry, and Chesterwood. She currently teaches Ballet, Modern, and Contemporary at Berkshire Pulse, having studied dance education and pedagogy at U-M.
Abigail (Abi) Rollins is an arts executive and nonprofit leader with nearly 20 years of experience
in the nonprofit performing arts sector. Her track record as a strategic thinker, creative problem-
solver, and “Jane of all trades” administrator, has enabled her to successfully manage and grow
small, founder-led arts companies into professional mid-size organizations.
Abi is originally from Athens, Ohio, where she began her dance training at an early age. She
went on to study Dance and Psychology for her undergraduate studies at Kenyon College and
earned a Master of Arts Administration degree from Boston University in 2010.
Abi moved to the Berkshires in the fall of 2019 to join Berkshire Opera Festival as Executive
Director and was elected President of the Board of Directors in 2023. Abi has been fortunate to
have worked, interned, or volunteered with many wonderful organizations throughout her career
including, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Lyric Stage Company of Boston, Boston
Ballet, Trisha Brown Dance Company, and Danspace Project.
Abi was first introduced to Berkshire Pulse when she started taking community classes there in
2023 following a nearly 15-year hiatus from dancing. She was immediately struck by the warmth
and encouragement she received from her teacher and the other intergenerational students in
the class which has inspired her to resume her dance journey. She is thrilled to be joining the
team at Pulse and for the opportunity to apply her skills and experience as their first Executive
Director.
Diana Steele is a lover of the arts who is passionate about making things run smoothly. Her professional background is in office logistics and workplace dynamics. Most recently she worked in the Human Resources department at The New York Times. She left that role to move to the Berkshires where she rediscovered her love of theater, especially Shakespeare. She has starred in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Cherry Orchard, Julius Caesar, and The Winter’s Tale.
Diana graduated from Wesleyan University in 2014 with a BA in Economics and East Asian Studies, where she was a member of the varsity squash team. When she is not at work, she enjoys taking long walks with her dog, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and curling up with a good book.
