A Manhattan-based choreographer, performer, graphic designer and filmmaker, Cynthia Berkshire brings her imagination to the surrounding world, investigating the interrelationship and possibilities within these forms through performance and educational platforms.
“Cynthia has a gift of an unusually deep connection to movement”
—Zvi Gotheiner, NYC choreographer, ballet teacher
Tibet House US presents VEIL: Two Sisters
VEIL: Two Sisters | 2min
VEIL: Two Sisters reveals two sisters lured into a link between the earthly and heavenly realms. As one sister calls forth the other from death, VEIL takes the audience through the sisters’ tenacious dream of connection. Inspired in part by the Celtic notion of ‘thin places’, where heaven and earth meet, VEIL invites viewers on an inner journey across realms. VEIL is currently part of the State Department’s Arts Envoy projects, and with various invitation
This July, Tibet House US presented VEIL: Two Sisters in their gallery. An exploration of the project, the performances incorporated a projected video of the 2019 show at University Settlement with live performer entrances. Audiences were invited to walk the path of light created in the ending ritual. Full houses on a summer weekend, the project received a welcome, and excited response. Many audience stayed behind, lingering after participating in the walk. A well received Forgiveness Workshop, based on the project, was held that Saturday. A series of four of these workshops will be offered by Tibet House in 2024.
‘VEIL: Two Sisters’ evokes much beauty and integrity ... It was wonderful to enter Tibet House and have the center’s spirit and depth captured in the VEIL project’ —Myrna Packer, Bridgman|Packer Dance
More thoughts on the VEIL live performance:
“beautiful. your show was fantastic! what a journey” —Melvin McCray, filmmaker, professor at Columbia University
"a poem" —Sally Silvers, NYC choreographer
EXPERIMENT for transformation
‘EXPERIMENT for transformation’ is an installation project in development. Addressing the human and plants worlds, ‘EXPERIMENT’ began as a meditation early in the pandemic and includes community workshops. See Blog, and more to come.
Amazing! the honey bee dance … Plants everywhere celebrate honey bees, because the bees are critical to their growth and health. Bringing food security while maintaining biodiversity for plants, humans and the bees themselves, one-third of food eaten in the US comes from crops pollinated by honey bees, including apples, melons, cranberries, pumpkins, squash, broccoli and almonds.
Karl von Frisch received the NOBEL PRIZE for his discovery of the bee dance, in 1973. He spent many years devoted to its study. The bee’s waggle dance is a phenomenon. The duration and angle of the savant bee’s moves tells the hive where to find food. Apparently for every 1 second, the food is 1 kilometer away, while the direction is discerned by the angle of the dance in relation to the sun. If a food source is nearby, a round dance configuration is performed.
The bee’s figure 8 dance, also called waggle dance, was wonderous to me researching my high school science project. Surprised movement could communicate such a vital source of food for a hive, a few years later, enjoying the magic of expression and improvisation, I received an MA in dance. Now, the bee dance comes full circle, I am a choreographer and dancer exploring the relation of movement and life energy of the human and natural worlds.
Imagine what other secrets are here to be discovered.
Please enjoy the #2 improv video above, 1 min., combining footage from the Thain Family Forest, New York Botanical Garden with photography of a growing seedling.