Benefit
for Conduit
Artists
Repertory Theater
1516
SW Alder St., 221-5857
8:30
pm Saturday, July 8
$25
and up
Think trying to survive on a remote island with nothing
but klieg lights and a camera is rough? Try making it as
an independent dancer in the rugged performance climate
of Portland. A roasted rat kebab is a feast compared to
the meager bones that many choreographers have to gnaw on
in order to mount dance productions. Fortunately for the
dance community, for the last five years Conduit has been
dropping a lifeline to struggling artists.
Conduit's collaborative space for contemporary movement
has offered an affordable venue and work space for many
of Portland's more productive (and non-commercial) movement-based
performers. To celebrate its fifth anniversary, Conduit's
core artists--Gregg Bielemeier, Keith V. Goodman, Linda
K. Johnson, Teresa Mathern, Mary Oslund and the Really BIG
Dance Company--will hold a benefit event at the Artists
Repertory Theater. WW sat down recently with the
group to discuss the performance and anniversary.
"We want our event to be only one night," says Bielemeier,
explaining why the crew is celebrating the landmark occasion
outside the confines of Conduit. "And we want to make money."
Dance can be a hard sell to audiences weaned on more voyeuristic
pleasures. While concertgoers are willing to spend cash
on the latest singing sensations, they often balk when it
comes to shelling it out for dance.
"The reason we created the Conduit space was survival,
both artistically and professionally," adds Oslund, one
of Conduit's founders. "Many of us have been in the community
for a long time. We wanted a place we could call home."
Co-founder Johnson agrees. "Conduit came about at the same
time both the Portland State University Dance Program and
Dancer's Workshop were in their final stages," she says.
"There was no place to work."
Johnson also wanted a space to hold classes, rehearse
and create work that could be shown in front of an audience,
a peer-centered space that would give contemporary dance
a larger presence in the local community.
"I'm not sure I would have evolved as an artist without
Conduit," says Johnson, who has danced in many of the works
of her fellow Conduiteers. "Where would I have danced? I
think I speak for everyone when I say [opening Conduit]
was an affirmation of our work."
Affirmations aside, though, five years of working together
in a shared space can test some limits. Asked what is the
hardest thing about keeping the doors open, this group of
six nearly jumps out of its seats to answer the question.
But Bielemeier beats everyone to the punch: "Us!!!"
"It's a business," Mathern says matter-of-factly. "And
there is a lot of business to take care of: budget, paying
the rent, cleaning the toilets. The day-to-day operation
of the space is our biggest challenge."
Oslund agrees, saying, "The fact that we are so different
as artists and individuals, but yet we still maintain this
consortium, is both our strength and our weakness."
Michael Menger of the Really BIG Dance Company, silent
throughout most of our conversation, pipes up when the talk
turns to how conflict is resolved within this divergent
group.
"Really BIG Dance Company is pulling back next year," says
Menger. "Because of that fact, we would like to change our
company's schedule. That means reshuffling Conduit's entire
schedule. That's a difficult challenge. The Really BIG Dance
Company might have to change where we do our work. But,
without these people to connect to, my work would shift
away from dance and become more theater-based. I don't want
to see that happen."
But, as in all group dynamics, what doesn't work for some
is perfect for others.
Conduit provides dancer Goodman with the essential elements
for artistic exploration. "The studio theater is where I
am comfortable," he says. "It is where I need to go for
where I am at in my development. I have the audience I am
looking for here."
And audiences are looking for the dancers, too. While big
touring dance shows will garner much of the attention in
the coming year, Conduit will continue to nourish unique
voices in the world of contemporary movement.
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