ADAMS, Mass. — Choreographer and director Fern Katz and her dance company, Fern Katz & Co., will be in residence at the Adams Theater in August, culminating in a ticketed performance on Sept. 2 and a community dance workshop, free and open to the public, on Aug. 31. 

 

Katz, a renowned contemporary dancer and choreographer originally from the Berkshires who has worked with choreographers such as Olga Rabetskaya and Sharon Fridman, will be re-staging her past works and developing new ones, including "September 2nd, 2023," an immersive contemporary dance theater piece created for the space at Adams Theater. "September 2nd, 2023" will also feature live original music by Portuguese musician Miguel Sobral Curado.

 

"It is both performing arts and a collective ritual for reflection upon death, grief, and the search for joy after the fog has lifted," she said. "Centered on the feelings of what we are left with when we lose something or someone integral to our existence and the gift of emptiness; the space that can be filled up again and again only after everything is completely broken, so we can rebuild anew."

 

"Lucky Star," a solo choreographed and performed by Sierra Hendrix, will also be part of the show. Sierra Hendrix is a dance artist from Oregon currently based in New York City. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in dance from Cornish College of the Arts in May 2017. She is a founding member of Club Shamoun and a former apprentice for GALLIM Dance.

 

In preparation for the Sept. 2 show, Katz will also use her time in residency to workshop new scenes in a dance theatre work she is developing. She will bring along six dancers and Curado; they will work together to create "a shared movement language" and plan to hold at least one open rehearsal while in residency. 

 

On Aug. 31, community members are invited to "Improvisation, Dance, Connection, and Party!" a two-hour movement exploration led by Katz. The intention behind this movement process is to offer space for each participant to connect with and expand their inner worlds, to connect with other participants, and to find each individual physical capacity. The workshop is open to all ages and abilities and is free to attend. 

 

Katz grew up in West Stockbridge and currently splits her time between the Berkshires and Portugal. 

 

"When I want to perform in other people's work, I'm always leaving," she said. "When I feel like I need to choreograph something and create, I always come home to the Berkshires. This is my creative home, somewhere I can hunker down and find support." 

 

Katz has been dancing since the age of two. Starting with the Albany Berkshire Ballet Company, she went on to perform and present work at Jacob's Pillow, The Foundry, Bard College at Simon's Rock, to various theaters in New York City, Portugal, and beyond. She is currently a company member of physical dance theater company, Ordem do O (Lisbon, Portugal). She has been performing professionally since 2014. As an dance educator, Katz has taught at both Jacob's Pillow, Northfield Mount Hermon, and most frequently, Berkshire Pulse. She will enlist her years of knowledge as an educator and various techniques of movement such as Gaga, Feldenkrais, contemporary, classical dance, and more to create a safe, enriching, and fun environment for workshop participants. 

 

Tickets for the Sept. 2 performance are on sale now at www.adamstheater.org and range from $10-$30. 

 

In-person box office hours: The theater is holding new in-person box office hours for community members who would like to buy tickets! Box office hours will take place Wednesdays and Thursdays from noon to 6 p.m. at 27 Park Street.

 

Buy a ticket, give a ticket: All local students 17 and under can attend at least one Adams Theater show for free with pre-registration (email info@adamstheater.org). Theater patrons can help pay it forward by purchasing a Community Ticket in addition to their own. 

 

The Adams Theater's programming season is supported by grants from the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Mass Cultural Council, Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire, and 1Berkshire, and sponsorship from local businesses including Adams Community Bank, Berkshire Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Adams Plumbing & Heating, and SBM.