About Conduit Dance, Inc.

Conduit Dance is a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization that serves as an incubator for independent contemporary dance artists in the Portland region, and as a site where audience and artists engage with contemporary dance.

Conduit Dance believes that art is a dynamic social force that inspires individuals and defines cultures. Conduit seeks to create an environment where creative risk, independent career paths, collaborative relationships, diverse practices and presentation of innovative dance can flourish. We do this through three main thrusts of activity: training, affordable work space and performance. Conduit additionally provides crucial links to artists and organisations throughout the region and nationally.

Conduit fosters regional dance by providing the community with affordable space and the support necessary to promote experimentation and excellence, offering a central hub for interaction with the performing arts. Conduit presents, hosts, and sponsors performances through its Dance+ Festival, Guest Artists Performances, and curated group showings. Conduits’ intimate and versatile venue invites audiences to experience dance in new ways serving over 55 artists and 1500 audience members each year. This network of artists and audiences not only perpetuates contemporary dance but it also contributes to the health, dynamism, and vitality of Portland and its environs.

Organization Background

Conduit Dance was co-founded in 1995 by Linda K. Johnson and Mary Oslund as a place where contemporary dance artists could rehearse, teach, explore new ideas, and perform their work. By 1997, Conduit was collectively run by six artist/administrators and offered a full schedule of classes in contemporary movement and body awareness forms, and an array of ground-breaking contemporary dance performances. Conduit's reputation as a dance center was initially based in the success of these six core artists: Keith V. Goodman, Michael Menger, Gregg Bielemeier, Tere Mathern, Linda K. Johnson and Mary Oslund.

In 2001, Tere Mathern and Mary Oslund became co-directors and began to reshape Conduit as a nonprofit organization in order to expand its community role and to serve a broader base.

About Conduit