NW Dance Project to Premier 'Summer Splendors'

High off their recent competition win in Germany, The Northwest Dance Project will present their "Summer Splendors" show featuring premiers from choreographers Sarah Slipper, Carla Mann, Loni Landon and Lauren Edson at their studio and performance center.

Unlike many of their big scale performances, Summer Splendors will take place in their intimate studio/performance space at 833 N. Shaver St. (at Mississippi Avenue) in Portland. The contemporary ballet show runs June 9 through June 18. Tickets are $30 in advance or $30 at the door. Tickets are available through the project's box office at www.nwdanceproject.org or boxoffice@nwdanceproject.org or 503-828-8285.

"Our in-studio shows have been an incredible success," says Sarah Slipper, founding artistic director of the Northwest Dance Project. "There is just something so special about seeing the company perform in such an intimate setting and really getting to see how physically demanding dance is and experiencing the emotional and theatrical nuisances of the works."

Executive Director Scott Lewis says that a performance in their studio space is much different from one of the likes they performed in Germany at the 25th annual Hannover Choreographic Festival in April.

"Some seats are literally one foot away from the dancers," he said.

Each performance has space for only 70 seats.

In Hannover, the Northwest Dance Company competed against 15 other pieces to bring home the Audience Award – taken by ballot from the sold-out performances. While in Europe, Lewis said the company was able to secure an agent to represent them overseas.

The trip nearly didn't happen, says Lewis. While they had been accepted into the competition, the competition said they would not pay for their plane fare because Ihsan Rustem, the company member who had applied in the firstplace, was in the European Union.

Within three weeks, Lewis raised enough money through donations to buy nine airfares.

"I felt it was an opportunity we couldn't pass up," he said.

Lewis is currently looking to find other opportunities to perform in Europe. Next January, the company plans to attend the prestigious APAP presenters conference in New York, the largest performing arts industry event in the nation.