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oint Forces Dance Com
pany presents the Port
land Community Dance
Festival on May 18 and 19.
The mission is to bring
members of the community
together to celebrate diversity
through artistic movement
exploration. Joint Forces is a
pioneer in the field of dance
and disability, leading work
shops and festivals all over
the world.
Everyone is welcome at
festival workshops— young
and old, people of all abilities
and disabilities, experienced
artists and curious beginners.
Cost is $8-$20 sliding scale,
and scholarships are available.
Conduit Studio plays host
to classes Saturday, starting off
at 10 a.m. with “Contact
Improvisation” taught by Karen
Nelson, which explores essen
tial images of contact, includ
ing the small dance, accessing
center, vibrant relaxation and
falling in all directions. “Con
tact has been developed by the
people who practice it,” Nelson
says, “so my teachers include
every partner for 25 years from T he Portland Com m unity Dance Festival is for every body
all over the world, from all
ner, she notes, because it’s an election year.
walks and some wheelchairs of life."
“We believe in what they are doing and pray
A t 4 p.m. Heidi Carlsen teaches “Perform
that this event will raise a good amount of
ance Presence,” which develops “clarity in
money to help them in their fight for the insti
v(x:al and physical actions through small-group
tution of ‘anti-hate’ legislation— something
improvisation and tightly structured exercises,”
[that] is good for everyone.”
she explains. “Ironically, through precision we
Tickets are $40 and can he purchased at
will find freedom.”
Dingo’s, 4612 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., or at
Alito Alessi, founder of Joint Forces, leads
www.dingosonline.com.
“ DanceAbility,” a movement workshop for
people of all abilities and all ages, 2 p.m. Satur
day at Wilson High School.
Lesbian rugby
Sundays schedule at Conduit includes a
players? Really?
noon “Contemporary Technique” class for
hez What? will play host to a women’s rugby
intermediate/advanced dancers and a 1:45 p.m.
reunion May 26. The Portland Zephyrs
West African Dance workshop. A “DanceAhil-
played competitively against other Northwest
ity” class for kids of all abilities between the
teams for a few years starting in 1979.
ages of 5 and 11 takes place at nixin at Pacific
“It was a very special time in all of our lives,”
Artists Dance Center, and a Sunday night C el
says Chez W hat? owner Keri
ebration Party closes out the festival at Mult
Salim. “We were the very
nomah Arts Center. The party features the
first women’s nighy team in
world funk of Lazoo and performances
Portland."
by Joint Forces and friends.
In an absolute shocking
T he dance festival moves to
revelation, she reveals that
Eugene on June 1 and 2. For further
fully half of the players were
information or tickets, call
“hutch, little hahy dykes.” T hen
541-342-3273 or visit
she hesitates and corrects herself. “Well,
www.conduit-pdx.org.
maybe I was the only baby dyke.”
Many of the players still live in Oregon, hut
Dance for basic rights
Salim hopes the out-of-staters will attend, too.
The gals will start arriving at 5 p.m. and will go
ingo’s R estau ran t & B ar has team ed
until the bar closes down at 2 a.m. if need he,
up with Basic R ights O regon to pre
although, she notes, “We’re all a little older now.”
sent the first-ever Q-Ball 7 p.m. June 8
at the historic Am egards Ballroom,
1510 S.E. N in th Ave.
Dyke Night update
The “casual-formal” event includes a dance
and silent auction. DJ Gregarious of Lolas
ometimes these things can go either way.
Room fame will spin all night long, and all of
Fortunately for gay girls in Portland, D yke
N ight is sizzling rather than fizzling.
the auction proceeds benefit BRO.
‘T h ere’s been a couple of nights,” the anony
Lesbian-owned Dingos spearheaded the event,
mous listserv moderator exclaims, "where it real
which it hopes to make annual with proceeds
ly did just seem like you were in a lesbian bar.”
going to a different nonprofit every year. Spokes
Particularly successful was the evening spent at
person Michelle Hadden of Siren Media says the
restaurant hiipes to “inspire community spirit” and
the Horse Brass Pub, where one man was over
to “build a solid foundation this year to enable us
heard asking if the place was in fact a dyke bar.
to continue doing this for years to come.”
However, some improvements can be made.
“The nights would be more exciting if people
Dingo’s chose BRO for the first year’s part-
com
S