“ We used to do shows in the studio and people would line up outside
shows that the memories of their lives
together are imprinted within her body .”
often wander into the building to inquire about what was happening . Lewis noted that “ People would just walk into rehearsals , ask what was going on ; there are tons of connections we made that way . We used to do shows in the studio and people would line up outside and look through the windows and that was cool . It was like having a little fishbowl there in a very dynamic and vibrant part of town .” Once the project grew too big to sustain itself at the Mississippi Avenue location , NW Dance Project opened its new Creative Center in the heart of Portland ’ s inner eastside , where it resides today .
“ We used to do shows in the studio and people would line up outside
and look through the windows ”
One of the pillars of NW Dance Project is making dance accessible for the public . In its early years , the organization really loved how people were able to come into the studio as they wished and watch performances . When Lewis was younger , he would go see the Oregon Ballet Theater ’ s “ Exposed ” series , where the dancers would rehearse in the park blocks downtown . “ People would stop in and there were chairs , and they could leave on their own terms , and I always thought that was a great kind of outreach and public engagement activity , so it shouldn ’ t just be in a theater . Dance can happen anywhere , so that ’ s always been our philosophy .”
Once they expanded , they knew it would be slightly more difficult to make that happen , so instead of bringing the public to the performances , NW Dance Project decided to bring the performances to the public .
Since then , NW Dance Project has premiered nearly 300 original contemporary works , but a standout among these is “ MemoryHouse ,” choreographed by Sarah Slipper . Performing this piece are two NW Dance Project shining stars and Princess Grade Award-winning dancers , Andrea Parson and Franco Nieto . Parson dons what can be described as a simple and flowing white apron , displaying an air of domesticity mixed with yearning . In her first position , Parson mimes rolling baking flour on the kitchen counter , and this motif returns throughout the piece . With every move Parson makes with the flour , it becomes clearer to the viewer that she is inviting them into her “ memory house ” and recreating her own experiences . The lighting casts a shadow over Nieto , furthering the question of what is real and what is in Parson ’ s mind . The viewer sees Parson hold him in an embrace and then drop him suddenly , reaching for the air in front of her as though he is a ghost that slipped through her fingers . The “ memory house ” becomes a backdrop for every interaction the couple has as she makes her way through each room in the house . The piece also embodies the theme of muscle memory , as her dance shows that the memories of their lives together are imprinted within her body .
Slipper finished the choreography close to “ MemoryHouse ’ s ” debut , but she wanted to give her dancers some creative freedom with
“ Her dance
shows that the memories of their lives
together are imprinted within her body .”
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