Before we begin with this week’s dance calendar, which is full of interesting concerts and events, led by White Bird’s New Israeli Voices and world premieres at the Northwest Dance Project, we bow our heads for a moment in memory of that fabulous 4th floor studio in the Pythian Building, which nurtured 20 years of Portland modern dance. Here’s to many more Conduit years, once a new space is found!
Hillel Kogan and Adi Boutrous in “We Love Arabs”/Gadi Dagon
New Israeli Voices in Dance
March 19-21
White Bird Uncaged
Lincoln Performance Hall, PSU, 1620 S.W. Park Ave.
Much of the most eye-opening dance performances seen in Portland over the past decade have come by way of Israel, where a remarkably fertile choreographic imagination has grown, with a strong conceptual bent and flowerings of sometimes audacious theatricality. Hillel Kogan and Danielle Agami, whose work will be featured here, both have connections to the remarkable Batsheva Dance Company, the movement’s taproot.
Samantha Campbell and Elijah Labay in Sarah Slipper’s “Casual Act.” Photo: Blaine Truitt Covert
Louder Than Words
March 19-21
Northwest Dance Project, Newark Theater, 1111 SW Broadway
Freshly off their tour to Germany, this versatile, high-powered contemporary dance company of eight will be performing the world premiere of State of Matter by newly appointed resident choreographer Ihsan Rustem. Also on the program Casual Act by NW Dance Project Artistic Director Sarah Slipper and Blue by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago rehearsal director Lucas Crandall. Read Bob Hicks’ preview story.
Ilves Strauss
Ilves Strauss
March 22-24
Workshops, Performance
Performance Works NW, 4625 SE 67th Ave.
Seattle-based performance artist, writer, & mover in residence at Performance Works Northwest, Strauss will be working on adapting her solo Manifesto into a full-length work incorporating other performers. Manifesto will explore “topics of womanhood (what it takes to be a woman, what it means to be a woman who does not want children, what to do with those creative energies) and intertidal invertebrates (I have a long standing fascination with marine life) interweave, taking audience members on an engaging, genre blending stroll thru personal ruminations and aspirations.”
Physical Education
March 21
Reading Group Meetup
Flock, Disjecta Contemporary Arts Center, 8371 N Interstate Avenue, Studio 4
A recipient of PICA’s Precipice Fund, PE or Physical Education, is comprised of dance and performance artists keyon gaskin, Allie Hankins, Lucy Lee Yim and Takahiro Yamamoto. “PE’s vision is to offer performance audiences, artists of all mediums, and curious individuals immersive modes through which to engage with dance and performance. They host monthly reading groups, lectures, curated performances, aerobics classes and dance parties in an effort to inspire critical dialogues between artists of varying disciplines and practices while deepening their sense of embodiment.”
Sarah Michelson
March 23
Artist-in-Residence Talk
Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, 415 SW 10th Ave, Suite 300
PICA hosts English-born, NY-based choreographer Sarah Michelson, for a five-day residency focusing on devotion and dance. Michelson, who is an award-winning choreographer interested in interdisciplinary collaborations, architecture and upending audience conceptions, will share the ideas and research surrounding her ongoing multi-year project with PICA Artistic Director Angela Mattox in an artist talk with a reception to follow.