Portland’s NW Dance Project Produces Original Work
Housed in a red brick building in the middle of North Portland's Mississippi neighborhood, the internationally renowned NW Dance Project has a surprisingly neighborhood feel, surrounded by local shops, restaurants and music studios.
In fact, the NW Dance Project, which is committed to performing innovative, contemporary new dance works, regularly opens its doors to local community members, inviting neighbors to catch rehearsals. Often, passers-by on the street will stop by the studio and watch for a moment, entranced by the dancers' talent. The Project even has a neighborhood cat named Parker, who comes and goes as he pleases. While Artistic Director Sarah Slipper and Executive Director Scott Lewis were welcoming guests to a recent opening night performance, the cat jumped into the audience from an open window.
Founded in 2004, NW Dance Project has become the "it" company for producing amazing dancers and choreographers. In April, the NW Dance Project was the only American dance company to be invited to participate in the Hannover Choreographic Festival Competition where they were honored to win the "Audience Award." In 2010, Andrea Parson, one of NW Dance Project's featured dancers, won the prestigious "Princess Grace Award," which recognizes talent in theater, dance and film. And recently Mayor Sam Adams of Portland proclaimed June 15th as a "Day of Recognition for NW Dance Project."
The company has built its growing reputation for innovation in part through its commitment to presenting new and original work created through collaboration between choreographers and the company's dancers. In the dance world, after choreographing a piece for a company, choreographers usually have to wait three years to "claim back" their own choreography. The NW Dance Project has chosen not to enforce this restriction on the choreographers they work with, according to Executive Director Scott Lewis, giving "choreographers full access to their own work."
For the dancers, the arrangement provides opportunities to have dances specifically choreographed for their own personal styles. Dancer Andrea Parson loves the repertoire that Artistic Director Sarah Slipper brings to this company, adding, “There are no limitations on creations.”
This weekend the company will be wrapping up their latest two-weekend performance, "Summer Splendors," featuring four dances and four choreographers, including Slipper herself. With the simple performance space and the subtle but powerful music, the audience does not have any glitzy distractions to take away from what is truly happening on stage... beautifully choreographed dances performed by brilliant dancers.
© 2011 OPB
