Related Features
IMPRESSIONS: Sarah Panayiotou Leñador's "am I real?" at Abron's Arts Center
IMPRESSIONS: Rachel Gill's "The Eight Positions or Could This Go On Forever?" at Arts On Site
DANCE NEWS: push/FOLD Celebrates Fifth Anniversary of Union PDX
The Annual Festival of Contemporary Dance Highlights the Pacific Northwest as an Epicenter of Adventurous Dance
"a potluck of dance… brought together to be shared at the same table. Each piece; reminiscent of the hands that kneaded it together and fragrant with the aromas from the places they were crafted.”
— Oregon ArtsWatch
Portland, OR: push/FOLD proudly celebrates the fifth anniversary of Union PDX, its annual festival of contemporary dance that brings cutting-edge choreography from around the world to Portland, and shares the work of local dance artists on the global stage. Established as a cultural highlight of the region’s autumnal event patchwork, Union PDX remains mission-driven in its dual approach that combines the presentation of far-reaching talent with countless performance and educational opportunities for local artists. The festival’s unique model is “an antidote to the roadblocks in an artists’ path,” (Oregon ArtsWatch) and is especially impactful for mid-career dance professionals, offering platforms for success and inroads for community building.
Open to the public, this year’s Festival:23 features two World Premieres and two Portland premieres in addition to other new dance works by local, national, and international contemporary artists in the genres of Street, Bharatanatyam, Contemporary Break, and more. Full festival offerings also include a student outreach performance, six professional-level masterclasses taught by the festival artists, and two professional development workshops. Facilitated Artist Talks follow the performances on November 17th and 18th in which topics of conversation include process, artistic development, work features, and artist experiences navigating their communities and the world today. A closing Festival Soirée takes place post-performance November 19th; mingle with the artists and celebrate the vitality of dance in Portland!
With over 127 choreographer applications this year from around the world, and live-streamed performances that have reached 49 different countries, Union PDX connects Portlanders and Oregon’s rising artists to the global dance scene. Creating opportunities for exposure and interchange, push/FOLD and Union PDX raise up the region’s diverse and vibrant talent, “turning Portland into a national hub for dance and bringing the work of Portland choreographers to the world stage.” (Oregon ArtsWatch) With its commitment to excellence, inclusion, and access, and support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Union PDX is a galvanizing force for all-encompassing growth within the industry and for individuals.
