NWPDP } News
Now in our fifth year, the Northwest Professional Dance Project's 2007/08 season is shaping up to be our biggest and best year yet.
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Interesting and insightful post-performances / NWPDP 2008 story in The Oregonian HERE Preview of our 2008 Showing By Dance Makers program in The Oregonian HERE and in the Portland Tribune HERE.
Review of our 2008 Showing By Dance Makers performances in The Oregonian HERE and in the Portland Tribune HERE.
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NWPDP is headed to Seattle!
The PC has been invited to perform at the Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival on Saturday, August 30, 2008. We'll share a dance bill with LAUNCH and perform Sarah Slipper's "A Fine Balance" at the Bagley Wright Theatre (Boeing Performing Arts Stage - 155 Mercer Street) at 1:30 pm. Details here HERE. Ticket info HERE.
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July 2008 press
- The Portland Tribune ran a really nice article about THE PC and our recent The PC at PCPA performance HERE
- Just Out recently ran a great overview of our summer performances. CLICK HERE
- Portland's free weekly, Willamette Week, came to the studio while we were gearing up for our The PC at PCPA show. Read about it HERE
- The Oregonian preview of our The PC at PCPA show HERE
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As a famous flattopped Portlander used to say, "Free is a very good price!" So come see our amazing NWPDP/PC dancers in action, gratis on July 23 in downtown Portland. Details are on the SHOWS page.
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The Northwest Professional Dance Project is thrilled to announce the addition of two remarkable artists to our 2008 season roster. Alejandro Cerrudo, a Madrid-born choreographer on the rise currently working with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, will create a new work on The PC and Paul Vasterling, Artistic Director of Nashville Ballet, will join us for the 2008 Project period to teach our daily Project ballet classes, to conduct a master class open to the community, as well as to observe our pool of 30 talented young dancers.
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TICKETS FOR OUR SUMMER SHOWS ARE NOW ON SALE! Please see the SHOWS page for details.
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NWPDP is delighted to see one of our 2008 PC choreographers, Azsure Barton, gracing the cover of April's issue of Dance Magazine. Named "a choreographer to watch," Azsure is an innovative and captivating dance maker with a long list of accolades and accomplishments. Azsure will create a new work for our The PC at the PCPA shows July 11th and 12th, 2008, and we couldn't be happier that she is joining NWPDP this summer.
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We are both thrilled and proud to announce that the Northwest Professional Dance Project has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation. This three-year capacity building grant represents the largest single gift NWPDP has received and will be used to help support our new, full-time Executive Director position. This generous gift will go a long way towards increasing NWPDP's ability to serve young dancers, innovative choreographers and members of our community, and we extend our appreciative and heartfelt thanks to the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation.
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NWPDP is thrilled to announce our roster of incredible 2008 PC Choreographers.
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NWPDP has announced our 2008 Project Guest Artist roster.
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Congratulations to NWPDP guest artist and teacher, James Canfield, who has been named Interim Artistic Director of Nevada Ballet Theatre. Read about it here. James discusses what he has been up to lately and his work with NWPDP here. James will return to NWPDP 2008 to lead classes and create a new work for the PC which will premiere July 11th and 12th at the Newmark Theater/PCPA.
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NWPDP concluded an extraordinary opportunity to participate in a special intensive weekend workshop with Mary Oslund and Eric Nordstrom focusing on contemporary partnering and improv techniques for the professional dancer - everyone involved had an amazing time.
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NWPDP is proud to have partnered again with the Boys & Girls Club! NWPDP dancers performed new works from NWPDP Artistic Director, Sarah Slipper, to help kick-off the organization's benefit evening at the Benson Hotel on February 21st. NWPDP was honored to take part in this amazing fundraising event for such a wonderful organization serving youth in our community.
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NWPDP is now offering open, Community Ballet Classes at BodyVox Studio and the Northwest Academy Dance Studio in Portland.
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NWPDP has announced and posted our 2008 Project audition schedule and application form. This year, video auditions will not be accepted, so please be sure to make it to one of our sessions in New York, Chicago, Salt Lake City or Portland. See the AUDITIONS page for full details and to download the 2008 Project application.
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In an article about Portland's most notable female artists of 2007, Portland's weekly newspaper, Willamette Week, praised PC dancer Olivia Ancona (pictured), stating she "stood out in an already high-level lineup at August's Northwest Professional Dance Project." The piece goes on to say "Ancona brought liquid lines and a cool dramatic intensity to her roles in Sarah Slipper's "The Nuisance of Being" and Luca Veggetti's "Ensemble for Somnambulists." Go Olivia!
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NWPDP was thrilled to be a part of a Portland holiday tradition, the annual New Year's Eve Festive Concert at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.
PC dancers Viktor Usov, Andrea Parson, Andrew Smart and Carlye Eckert performed two new works by NWPDP's Founder and Artistic Director, Sarah Slipper, during this engaging and entertaining benefit for Sisters of the Road Café and Our House. The whole evening was a smashing success and the gorgeous cathedral was packed tight!
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NWPDP's innovative and successful community outreach program, Dance Moves, continues to make positive differences in the lives of Portland area youth by bringing them our interactive dance exploration and emersion sessions. Following up on a great opportunity and experience with our friends at the Children Healing Art Project held at Doernbecher Children's Hospital, NWPDP dancers and our Dance Moves staff took part in the amazing Dancing For Physical Therapy Month with instructional and fun movement sessions held at the Shute Park and Recreation Center in Hillsboro.
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Watch clips from NWPDP works in our new VIDEO section of the GALLERY page.
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NWPDP is proud to be featured in the December 2007/January 2008 issue of Pointe Magazine. The article features amazing pictures from Blaine T. Covert of NWPDP/PC dancers Andrew Smart, Amanda Phillips-Bosshart, Olivia Ancona, Viktor Usov and Colby Damnon, as well as quotes from Brittain Jarret Jackson, Kelly Ann Barton and NWPDP Artistic Director, Sarah Slipper.
Please see the CHOREOGRAPHERS page for details. Our "The PC at the PCPA" performances will be held July 11 and 12, at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts' Newmark Theatre. Tickets will be available through our website, the PCPA box office, and all TicketMaster locations soon.
Please see the ARTISTS page for details.
Our Ballet Classes are open to area and visiting dancers 15 and older with intermediate to advance technique. These two-hour focused classes featuring live piano accompaniment are being led by NWPDP Artistic Director, Sarah Slipper, founding Oregon Ballet Theatre Director, James Canfield, Master Teacher Jason Davis and our esteemed NWPDP guest artists and dance mentors.
Please see the CLASSES page for all the details.