Mission
Since 1995, Conduit Dance, Inc. has maintained an open-source archive of modern and contemporary dance in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. We draw from our extensive collection of materials to curate exhibitions, performances, screenings, talks, and lectures, both at our studio in Portland and in partnership with organizations nationwide.
In the progressive and independent spirit of our founders, Linda K. Johnson and Mary Oslund, Conduit's mission is to foster new developments in contemporary dance while deepening our understanding of the art form’s history, practice, and performance. Through modular and accessible programming, Conduit fosters learning, appreciation, and creativity for artists and audiences alike.
History
Conduit began in 1995 when Mary Oslund and Linda K. Johnson discovered an empty studio in the Pythian Building on SW Yamhill in downtown Portland. Conduit Core Artists, Keith Goodman, Gregg Bielemeier, Michael Menger, and Tere Mathern joined Oslund and Johnson, sharing the space for making and performing their work and teaching as independent dance artists. Conduit quickly became a hub for contemporary dance in the region.
For the last 30 years, Conduit has supported hundreds of dancers, choreographers, performers, dance students, and teachers. Conduit’s accomplishments include providing affordable space for ongoing movement investigation, dance-making, and performance, a weekly schedule of classes taught by accomplished dance artists, annual Summer Dance Intensives, work exchange opportunities, artist residencies such as its Charged Commission Project, regional, national, and international artists performing and teaching, and a range of performance platforms over the years, most prominently Dance+ - a festival of curated, fully produced performances from 2011-2015.
In 2022, Conduit Dance’s board of directors, Michael Griggs, Chisao Hata, and Tere Mathern, former artistic director of Conduit, enthusiastically and unanimously voted to transfer Conduit Dance, Inc. to the Shaun Keylock Company who shares Conduit’s mission to advance contemporary dance. Under the direction of award-winning dancer and choreographer, Shaun Keylock, SKC now proudly performs all original creations by Conduit’s founding Core Artists in addition to new commissions from contemporary choreographers.
