Eve Cameron recognized for teaching Israeli Dance

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Years ago a dance teacher told Eve Cameron that she should always dance. At the time she didn’t really feel the significance of that comment, but it seems maybe somewhere inside her the message stuck. Now, something else has told her that she should always be teaching: a Harold Grinspoon Foundation Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. The two are related since it’s her teaching of Israeli dance that won her this honor. The energy that has come from the second message has grabbed hold too. With the recognition from the Grinspoon Foundation comes a trip to Israel and a financial award, and with it she wants to take a dance tour of Israel. Meanwhile she’s also started taking more classes in Albany with the ultimate goal of teaching teachers how to give Israeli Dance instruction. Her Pittsfield based program at Sinai Academy, where she teaches all of the students Israeli dance, is the only one of its scope in Western Massachusetts. She also teaches at Knesset Israel in Pittsfield, and last winter held adult classes at Sinai Academy as well. Most of what Cameron does she does with kids. At a recent Albany Israeli Dance Festival her kids shone, from kindergardeners doing traditional folk dances to her older 4th and 5th graders adding a more modern folk piece. In fact the costumes started as long silk tunics and loose fitting pants that tied at the ankle, but after their first piece, the kids pulled their tunics off over their heads and untied their pants to become a modern group in bell bottoms and tie dye shirts. They moved to Yemeni inspired rhythms. The first Israeli dance came from the pioneer period just before and after Israeli statehood. People were coming to the kibbutzim and brought with them rhythms and dance from all over the world that would influence the folk tradition in Israel. She explains that this is still happening since Israel continues to be a melting pot. Spanish and Moroccan rhythms are as likely as the Eastern European or middle Eastern ones, and they all form what she calls folk. “Folk dancing is of the folk, so whatever the folk are doing, that’s folk dancing,” At a recent panel on Israeli dance at Hofstra University the question was raised, “Is it really Israeli if it sounds like it’s from Mexico?” to which a panel ethnologist answered that this form will always be changing and transforming. In fact, Cameron’s name will go on some of the newer dances, since she has choreographed, including a piece recently performed by the graduating class at Sinai. She says this has no less value than the dances of which she has notes from 1945 and 1957. What makes Israeli folk dance special, she says, is that it’s not just from a particular country, but rather from a culture and a religion. She thinks it also connects people to their national homeland. Parents who came to the graduation yesterday and saw the dance were pleased to see that their children have learned to connect religion not just with books and praying, but with their whole bodies, she says. It’s like art in that way, she says: It’s another wonderful way to feel and to express.
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Friday Front Porch Feature: A Charming House Like New

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

The home prior to renovations.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Are you looking for a newly renovated home with great space? Then this might be the perfect fit for you!

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 100 Autumn Drive.

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom split level was built in 1965 and is 1,396 square feet on 0.32 acres.

The house was completely renovated recently. It includes a one-car garage, and comes with appliances including a dishwasher and stove/oven, and other major appliances.

The house is listed for $359,500.

We spoke with owners Michael Zeppieri and Chris Andrews, who did the renovations. Zeppieri is an agent with Alton and Westall Real Estate Agency.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

Zeppieri: I purchased this home to do a full renovation flip and saw tremendous potential in this mid-century split level home that had not been updated since it was built in the 1960s, in a great North Adams neighborhood.

 

Andrews: The house was a much different house when we first purchased it in 2022 (photo attached is from about 2010.)  The interior was painted all in dark colors and we brightened it up with neutral colors. The transformation makes you feel like you are in a totally different house.  

 

 

What were the recent renovations, any standout design features?

 

Zeppieri: The house has had a complete reconfiguration including new kitchen with high-end appliances, ceramic tiled baths, hardwood floors, new windows and roof ... just to name a few.  All a buyer has to do is move in and enjoy.

 

Andrews: Yes, we renovated the entire house.  New windows, new roof, all new custom black gutter system, new blacktop driveway, hardwood floors were installed through out the house. New kitchen and bathrooms as well as painting the exterior and interior of the house.  New paver patio in the back yard.

 

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

 

Zeppieri: The buyer for this home could be a first-time homebuyer or a retiree ... the location is close to attractions in North Adams ... and the property is located in Autumn Heights, which is a very small residential development with several long-term owners.

 

Andrews: This home is truly ideal for a variety of buyers. Whether a first-time homebuyer, a small family or even someone looking to downsize from a larger home.

 

 

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

 

Zeppieri: The location, price and move-in condition of this home make it a true market leader in the North Adams Market.

 

Andrews: This house is completely renovated and in a desirable location of North Adams. The natural light in the home really makes the interior pop. And with all the upgrades the home stays quite cool in the summer months.

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history?

Zeppieri: This home was built for the Gould family in 1969 and they lived there till 2010. It was always a family home during that time in which the Goulds had two children ... and Virgina Gould managed Mohawk Forest Apartments and was a very active resident of North Adams.

 

Andrews: Built in about 1965.

 

What do the current owners love about this home?

 

Zeppieri: As the current owner it was a fun project to transform this home and get it ready for its next adventure with a new family to enjoy for many years.

 

Andrews: No one has lived in the house since we purchased the home. The new owners would be the first to live in the house since the renovations have been completed.

 

 

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

 

Andrews: I would suggest seeing the house either on a sunny day or at twilight to really get a vision of how special the home feels.  

 

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

 

 

 

 

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