In 2022, after more than six years of dormancy, Conduit’s board of directors—Michael Griggs, Chisao Hata, and former artistic director Tere Mathern—enthusiastically and unanimously voted to transfer Conduit Dance, Inc. to the Shaun Keylock Company, recognizing a shared mission to advance contemporary dance. This acquisition strengthened Conduit’s transformative model, enabling SKC to attain nonprofit status while preserving more than 20 years of Portland’s dance history through Conduit’s programs.

Mathern and Shaun Keylock first connected when Keylock began taking classes at Conduit. In 2010, he participated in Conduit’s work exchange program, supporting its programs in exchange for dance classes and creative space. Over time, Keylock and Mathern developed a mentor-mentee relationship that evolved into a lasting friendship and professional collaboration. It was at Conduit that Keylock began shaping his vision for a future in dance—one that led him to earn his degree in Art History from Pacific University and establish his own dance company.

Under Keylock’s leadership, Conduit has expanded its performance capacity, presenting both the work of our founding Core Artists and Keylock’s own innovative choreography. His company is known for its distinctive visual style, at once both technically sound and radically subversive, frequently exploring the complexities of LGBTQ+ identity.

Keylock is currently developing several new projects with the company and most recently was commissioned to create a new world premiere for the 2024 Portland Jazz Festival.