Noel Staples-Freeman
Springfield College, CATA, Berkshire Pulse, and Jacob’s Pillow
Noel Staples-Freeman
Springfield College, CATA, Berkshire Pulse, and Jacob’s Pillow
Noel Staples-Freeman teaches dance to learners across all ages and abilities, bringing inclusive, culturally rich movement practices into schools and communities throughout Berkshire County. She teaches African Dance Theory and Technique at Springfield College and is a teaching artist with CATA, Berkshire Pulse, and Jacob’s Pillow, creating accessible, intergenerational spaces for dance and storytelling. Rooted in the land, Noel draws inspiration from Common Good Urban Farm in her hometown of Dorchester, MA, to Mumbet’s Freedom Farm in Sheffield, MA—honoring the connection between environment, heritage, and cultural expression. Her “teacher’s heart” centers on cultural affirmation, joy, and accessibility, inviting students of all backgrounds and abilities to experience movement as a powerful form of connection. With rhythm, story, and shared traditions, she strengthens identity and builds meaningful community ties across generations.
Banner Photo: Springfield College Field Day – African Dance Theory and Technique Class – Photo by Mackenzie Dunn
Photo: Berkshire Pulse
Raised in Dorchester and now a resident of Pittsfield, MA, Noel Staples-Freeman has dedicated over five decades to the performing arts as a teacher, performer, and cultural leader both locally and internationally.
She is a graduate of Emerson College, holding a B.S. in Children’s Theatre/Performing Arts and Dance.
Her performance career includes notable appearances such as dancing in honor of Nelson Mandela’s historic visit to Boston in 1990, and with DanceAfrica at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. She has also graced the
stage of Jacob’s Pillow and performed for the President of Senegal at the Sorano Theatre in 1995 with the Koumpo West African Dance Company, under the direction of Ibrahima Camara.
A two-time recipient of the Massachusetts Commonwealth Award, Noel has been recognized for her work with the Art of Black Dance and Music, directed by DeAma Battle, and for her contributions to Aashka Dance
School in Hyde Park. As Founder and Director of Uprising Dance Theatre since 1983, Noel leads a vibrant intergenerational ensemble celebrating the traditional and contemporary dance, music, and theater of the African Diaspora. Uprising has performed at Boston’s Harborfest, the Wandering Dance Festival, and numerous community celebrations including Juneteenth (NAACP) and Kwanzaa (Women of Color Giving Circle and
ROPE).
In addition to her performance and choreography work, Noel is deeply committed to arts education and community engagement. She offers African-rooted dance classes through organizations including Community Access to the Arts (CATA), Berkshire Pulse, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. She is also a 2023 graduate of Tufts University School of Medicine’s COHERE program (Community Health Workers Engaging in Integrated Care), and a 2024 graduate of the DEL Institute Teacher Certificate Program.
In 2025, Noel was appointed Adjunct Professor of African Dance Theory and Technique at Springfield College, continuing her lifelong mission to honor, teach, and evolve the rich traditions of the African Diaspora through
dance.
Photo at Left: CATA Community Access to the Arts; Photo by David Dashiel
Photo Below: Springfield College Performance – African Dance Theory and Technique Class – Photo by Christopher Evans
