UNION PDX | Dance Festival

We started with the question, “What do we need?” and realized that if we needed it, then others probably did too. #unionpdx #dancefestival . When we started Union PDX in 2019, it came from a belief in claiming the narrative of our careers and building something that directly benefited the people we worked with, danced with, and the community we existed for. . Union PDX came from a desire to build the kind of space we needed as emerging artists: an invited space to perform, a training ground with like-minded people who worked to push dance forward, and a place where every style stood beside each other without flattening what makes us distinct or asked us to prove we belonged. . As artists, we are often siloed by style, geography, training, funding structures, and audience expectations. Many gates exist that ask artists to place themselves into pre-made boxes. But, we know as artists, that our job is to break those boxes. . *We* get to define what contemporary means in our styles, histories, and traditions. For us, “contemporary” dance was something we did: an amalgamation of experiences we molded into choreography and created stories from that shared our histories and ways of thinking about the world. We wanted to create a space that asserted that inherent power for every artist. A place that lets *us* define who we are and how our work should be interpreted. . We sought to create something that brought artists together that invested directly into artists and their careers. We knew this had to be done with our community of artists. . Six years later, that mission still sits at the center of everything we do. . We are incredibly excited for the lineup of Festival:26. A huge shout out to all of the curatorial panelists who make each festival year possible. Thank you to the audiences, donors, volunteers, and collaborators who have helped shape Union PDX over the years. . ​​On Stage @ Union PDX — push/FOLD presents ‘Aviator’ . Register for Classes & Purchase Tickets /unionpdx [Link in Bio] . PC: Samuel Hobbs . Union PDX - Festival of Contemporary Dance (@unionpdx ) Presented by push/FOLD (@push.fold )

🌟 Exciting Announcement! 🌟 Meet Sara Parker & Minh Tran, Festival:26’s Professional Development Workshop Instructors! . FREE for all attendees, these workshops give artists and companies the tools they need to take charge of their careers. Learn what makes strong grants and budgets, and unlock the power of story to promote your craft through your artist statements. Then follow up to learn about how to take your career across the globe. . Friday May 29th: - Deciphering Grants & Budgets @ 12:30pm - Leveraging Artist Statements @ 2:45pm . Sunday May 31 @ 10:00am: - “To Tour or Not to Tour” — Touring & Presenter Strategies for Independent Artists and Small Organizations. . Register for Classes & Purchase Tickets /unionpdx [Link in Bio] . Instructor Bios: Sara Parker (@saraparkerdance ) is a Portland, Oregon-based grant writer, dance and movement artist, embodiment coach, and lifelong lover of language. Her work spans the Education and Nonprofit Arts sectors, where she has led grant writing efforts in support of community-driven organizations. Across her practices, Sara is driven by a deep interest in language, communication, and expression. . Minh Tran (@minhtrandance ) is one of Portland’s greatest luminaries, choreographers, and educators (we added this)! Born in Vietnam, Tran immigrated to the United States in 1980 as a political refugee. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Minh Tran & Company, a contemporary dance company recognized for its fusion of traditional Asian and contemporary Western aesthetics creating over 75 choreographic works. Tran has received numerous grants, fellowships, and commissions from organizations including White Bird, PICA, Northwest Dance Project, BodyVox, Oregon Ballet Theater, On the Boards, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. His work has been presented regionally, nationally, and internationally. He has served as a Guest Lecturer at Lewis & Clark College and as Professor of Dance at Reed College from 2008-2023, where he now continues as a Visiting Professor. . . . #unionpdx #grantsforartists #professionaldevelopment

Meet Groupo Ritual Azteca Huitzilopochtli (@danzahuitzilopochtli )! #xōchitlquetzal #aztecadanza . Choreographers Cihuacoatl Quetzalli and Tlalnantzin Tonalli are members of Groupo Ritual Azteca Huitzilopochtli, a nonprofit danza group based in Woodburn, OR dedicated to preserving and sharing the Indigenous traditions of Anáhuac through dance, music, and cultural practice. Rooted in ceremony, discipline, and community, Huitzilopochtli teaches Aztec culture and traditions through free community gatherings, dance instruction, music, and cultural exchange programs serving families throughout the region. . Under the artistic direction of Aztec Capitan General Jose Carlos, based in Woodburn, Oregon, the group regularly participates in ceremonies, presentations, and cultural exchanges throughout the Pacific Northwest, creating spaces where Indigenous traditions are actively practiced and passed between generations. . Bringing forward their own choreographic voice within the tradition, Tonalli and Quetzalli draw from their ongoing involvement in danza and prior performance experience. Their work reflects danza as both cultural expression and living practice, grounded in rhythm, community, and ancestral continuity. . Train with Groupo Ritual Azteca Huitzilopochtli - Danza Azteca May 30 | 3:15-4:45 PM . This master class is a physically demanding, rhythm-driven practice activated through live drumming, dancers will work with repeated base steps that establish stamina, grounding, and rhythmic clarity, layered with evolving movement phrases (flor) that shift spatial focus, direction, and dynamic intensity. . Designed for experienced movers, this class offers a lineage-based movement system that sharpens rhythmic responsiveness while expanding physical capacity and awareness of communal movement. . On Stage @ Union PDX — ‘Quetzalcoatl ipan Mictlän’ . Register for Classes & Purchase Tickets /unionpdx [Link in Bio] . PC: Stephanie Welgan . Union PDX - Festival of Contemporary Dance (@unionpdx ) Presented by push/FOLD (@push.fold ) . . . #unionpdx #dancefestival #portlanddance

Meet Tarika Nath (@tarikakathak )! #kathak #indiandance . Tarika Nath is a Kathak dancer, performing artist, and dance educator based in Houston, TX. She trained for 15 years under Guru Smt. Shiva Mathur before continuing advanced study at Kalashram Delhi under the late Birju Maharaj and Vidushi Saswati Sen. Tarika currently serves as Assistant Director of Shivangini Academy of Arts, where she leads choreography at one of the largest Kathak institutions in Houston. . Tarika’s work draws from the intricacies of the Lucknow Gharana with her solo and ensemble works having been presented across North America, including the inaugural New York Kathak Festival at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She has also performed at Madison Square Garden and Wortham Theater Center with Kalashram Delhi’s touring production of Romeo and Juliet. . Tarika was a 2024 Artist-in-Residence with Dance Source Houston, the recipient of the 2024 Youth Leadership Award from Disha USA, and an alumna of the 2023 YUVA Cohort curated by Silambam Houstonis. Tarika has choreographed multiple works at Native Earth Performing Arts in Toronto for the Sadhana and Tarana Emerging Artist Series in 2022. In 2023, Tarika produced Avikathita, an original full-length production exploring the untold stories of seven female figures in South Asian literature. She currently serves as a 2026 Lotus Fellow with Arts India US, a national fellowship supporting the growth and sustainability of Indian classical performing arts in the United States. . Train with Tarika Nath - Kathak May 30 | 11:45-1:15 PM . Drawing from the Kathak concept of ang—the body’s structural and expressive posture— dancers refine efficiency and presence in their movement. This workshop centers Kathak as a precise, grounded movement practice driven by intentional shaping of the body to generate form, rhythm, and expressive individuality in motion. . On Stage @ Union PDX — ‘Sampark’ . Register for Classes & Purchase Tickets /unionpdx [Link in Bio] . PC: Lynn Lane (@lynnlanephotography ) . Union PDX - Festival of Contemporary Dance (@unionpdx ) Presented by push/FOLD (@push.fold ) . . . #unionpdx #dancefestival #portlanddance

Meet Rosanna Tavarez (@rosannatavarezdance )! #contemporarydance #countertechnique . Rosanna Tavarez received an MFA in Choreography from The Ohio State University as a University and Teaching Fellow, and a BFA in Choreography from University of Michigan. Her work as a performer and entertainer includes working with Marina Abramović, Ryan Heffington, Travis Payne, and Rosanna Gamson. She toured internationally with NSYNC and Jessica Simpson as a member of Eden’s Crush, and worked as an on-air host for FOX, E!, TV Guide Network, and Telemundo/NBC. . Tavarez has studied Countertechnique since 2011 and became a certified teacher in 2016 and named Senior Teacher in 2023 after co-leading with founder Anouk van Dijk at Gibney in New York City. She continues to teach nationally and internationally. . Her choreographic work has been presented at The Broad Museum, ODC Theater, REDCAT, and other venues, with support from the Center for New Performance, the Center for Cultural Innovation, and UCLA. As an educator, she has taught at institutions including USC Kaufman School of Dance, University of Michigan, Loyola Marymount University, and Cal State LA, and currently serves as BFA Program Director at California Institute of the Arts. . Train with Rosanna Taverez - Countertechnique May 30 | 10-11:15 AM . A full-bodied Countertechnique masterclass that reshapes how dancers organize momentum, alignment, and direction within space. Draw on principles of anatomy, spatial awareness, and mental-physical coordination to develop clarity of intention, responsiveness to changing pathways. . On Stage @ Union PDX — ‘Hybrids of Plants and of Ghosts’ . Rosanna Tavarez’s visually striking dance work is inspired by the stamina and spirit of her grandmother, an influential matriarch who was a mother of seven, a street vendor, an immigrant, and a fighter—a beloved figure lost to Alzheimer’s. . Register for Classes & Purchase Tickets /unionpdx [Link in Bio] . PC: Gema Galiana (@gema.galiana ) . Union PDX - Festival of Contemporary Dance (@unionpdx ) Presented by push/FOLD (@push.fold ) . . . #unionpdx #dancefestival #portlanddance

Meet VOLTA (@volta_collective ) #contemporary #partnering . Led by choreographer Mamie Green, VOLTA is an interdisciplinary performance project fusing physical intensity, theatricality, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Recognized by Fjord Review (Best of Dance 2023) and Bachtrack (Young Choreographers to Watch), VOLTA has performed across the US, Europe, and the UK, including MAXXI National Museum, Jeffrey Deitch, Ace Hotel Brooklyn, and the MAK Center at the Schindler House. . Green holds a BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts and has received support from the German Consulate General, the US Embassy, and Community Engagement initiatives. . Train with VOLTA — “Colliding Bodies” Contemporary Partnering May 30 | 1:30–3:00 PM . A highly physical partnering class focused on weight-sharing, rebound, and control, moving through VOLTA’s phrasework and repertory. . On Stage @ Union PDX — THE KID VOLTA’s ‘THE KID’ is a playful, risky, and surreal duet exploring intimacy and isolation as bodies collide and spiral, blurring the line between human relationship and technological substitute. . Register for classes and tickets: /unionpdx . [Link in Bio] . PC: Asato IiDa (@asatoiida ) . Union PDX – Festival of Contemporary Dance (@unionpdx ) Presented by push/FOLD (@push.fold ) . . . #dancefestival #portlanddance #masterclass

Union PDX - Festival:26 | 4 Weeks Away!! May 28-31 | Performances, Masterclasses, Workshops /unionpdx [Link in Bio] . We are thrilled to present Kathak, Danza Azteca, Partnering, and Contemporary dance styles with this year’s incredible festival artists: . ∙ Ritual Azteca Huitzilopochtli (Woodburn, OR | @danzahuitzilopochtli ) ∙ Rosanna Tavarez (Los Angeles, CA | @rosannatavarezdance ) ∙ Tarika Dance Company (Houston, TX | @tarika.kathak ) ∙ VOLTA (Los Angeles, CA | @volta_collective ) ∙ push/FOLD (Portland, OR | @push.fold ) . Purchase tickets and festival schedule: /unionpdx [Link in Bio] . Thanks to our community of supporters this year, our master classes and workshops are free for all students and professional artists. Push your technique with our masterclasses and enhance your career with this year’s grants writing, artist statements, and touring/presenter workshops for professional artists lead by Portland’s own Sara Parker (@saraparkerdance ) and Minh Tran (@minhtrandance ). . Masterclasses: - Countertechnique - Contemporary Partnering - Danza Azteca - Kathak . Workshops: - Demystifying Grants | Sara Parker - Leveraging Artist Statements | Sara Parker - To Tour or Not To Tour | Minh Tran .. ** Each public performance is both in-person and livestreamed across the globe. ** . Union PDX - Festival of Contemporary Dance, presented by @push.fold with support from our partners, including: @fostertheaterpdx , @neaarts , @orculturaltrust , @regionalarts , @orartscomm , @millerfound , @pdxartsculture . . . #pushfold #unionpdx #festival26 #dancefestival #portlandfestival #mayarts #pdxdance #dancemakers #masterclasses #danza #workshops #pdxdanceclass #kathak #countertechnique #ballet #contemporarydance #worldpreimeres #livestream #livetheatre #careergrowth #portlanddancecommunity

Union PDX - Festival:26 Mark your calendars, May 28-31! Performances, Masterclasses, Workshops /unionpdx [Link in Bio] . We are 4 weeks away from our 6th Union PDX, Festival:26! We are thrilled to present Kathak, Danza Azteca, Partnering, and Contemporary dance styles with this year’s incredible festival artists: . ∙ Ritual Azteca Huitzilopochtli (Woodburn, OR | @danzahuitzilopochtli ) ∙ Rosanna Tavarez (Los Angeles, CA | @rosannatavarezdance ) ∙ Tarika Dance Company (Houston, TX | @tarika.kathak ) ∙ VOLTA (Los Angeles, CA | @volta_collective ) ∙ push/FOLD (Portland, OR | @push.fold ) . Register for classes and workshops and grab your tickets! 🎟️ . Masterclasses: - Countertechnique (@countertechnique ) - Contemporary Partnering - Danza Azteca - Kathak . Workshops: - Demystifying Grants | Sara Parker (@saraparkerdance ) - Leveraging Artist Statements | Sara Parker - To Tour or Not To Tour | Minh Tran (@minhtrandance ) . Thanks to our amazing community of supporters, all masterclasses and workshops are FREE for students and professional artists! 🙌 Enhance your career with our grants writing, artist statements and touring workshops. 📝 . Join us for an unforgettable week filled with dance, creativity, and inspiration! 🎶 Save the dates and let's move together: . May 28 @ 8:00pm | Student Outreach May 29 & 30 . - Grants & Writing Workshops . - Masterclasses . - Performances . - Artist Talks May 31 . - Touring Workshop . - Matinee . - Festival:26 Soirée . ** Each public performance is both in-person and livestreamed across the globe. ** . Union PDX - Festival of Contemporary Dance, presented by @push.fold with support from our partners, including: @fostertheaterpdx , @neaarts , @orculturaltrust , @regionalarts , @orartscomm , @millerfound , @pdxartsculture . #pushfold #UnionPDX #Festival26 #DanceTogether #pdx #pdxdance #dancersofinstagram #masterclasses #performancesinportland #fostertheater #danceworkshops #countertechnique #kathak #danzaazteca #contemporarydance #livestream #careergrowth #portlanddancecommunity

Union PDX - Festival:26 | 4 Weeks Away!! May 28-31 | Performances, Masterclasses, Workshops /unionpdx [Link in Bio] . We are 4 weeks away from our 6th Union PDX, Festival:26! We are thrilled to present Kathak, Danza Azteca, Partnering, and Contemporary dance styles with this year’s incredible festival artists: . ∙ Ritual Azteca Huitzilopochtli (Woodburn, OR | @danzahuitzilopochtli ) ∙ Rosanna Tavarez (Los Angeles, CA | @rosannatavarezdance ) ∙ Tarika Dance Company (Houston, TX | @tarika.kathak ) ∙ VOLTA (Los Angeles, CA | @volta_collective ) ∙ push/FOLD (Portland, OR | @push.fold ) . Purchase tickets and festival schedule: /unionpdx [Link in Bio] . Thanks to our community of supporters this year, our master classes and workshops are free for all students and professional artists. Push your technique with our masterclasses and enhance your career with this year’s two-part grants writing and project development workshop for professional artists. . May 28 @ 8:00pm | Student Outreach May 29 & 30 . - Grants & Writing Workshops . - Masterclasses . - Performances . - Artist Talks May 31 . - Touring Workshop . - Matinee . - Festival:26 Soirée . ** Each public performance is both in-person and livestreamed across the globe. ** . Union PDX - Festival of Contemporary Dance, presented by @push.fold with support from our partners, including: @fostertheaterpdx , @neaarts , @orculturaltrust , @regionalarts , @orartscomm , @millerfound . . . #pushfold #unionpdx #festival26 #dancefestival #portlandfestival #mayarts #pdxdance #dancemakers #masterclasses #danza #workshops #pdxdanceclass #kathak #countertechnique #ballet #contemporarydance #worldpreimeres #livestream #livetheatre #careergrowth #portlanddancecommunity

Applications Due: Tonight! Deadline: October 31 @ 11:59pm (PST) [Link in Bio] . Tonight is the night!! The final day to get your applications in for Festival:26 is upon us. Please be sure to check dates, eligibility, and compensation and submit your materials before the deadline. . Presented by push/FOLD (@push.fold ), Union PDX invites professional companies and artists worldwide making contemporary work in ANY dance style, genre, or tradition to present work at the brand-new Foster Theater (@fostertheaterpdx ) in Portland, OR, USA May 2026. . Curated by a panel of local professional artists representing various movement forms and demographics, applicants may submit up to two (2) works. Works up to 24 minutes in length are acceptable. Past festival artists have presented several forms of #Street, #Break, #Afro-Cuban, #Afro-Brazillian, #African, #NatyaKatha, #Bharatnatyam, and #Contemporary, and #Ballet dance styles. We would love to present your voice on this stage. . Selected festival artists perform at the Foster Theater; teach advanced and professional level dancers; engage with audiences through post-show Artist-Talks and facilitated Q&As; network with fellow artists, and regional educators and presenters; and celebrate the craft of dance in this accessible festival format. Artists receive: stipends, high grade professional photo and video documentation of their performance and masterclass; and free access to all festival workshops and masterclasses. . Learn more about eligibility, compensation, and to apply: /unionpdx/apply [Link in Bio] . Pictured: Festival:23 Artist Compagnia Bellanda (@compagnia_bellanda ) 📷 @jingziphotography . . . #unionpdx #pushfold #festival2026 #dancefestival #portlanddance #pdxarts #dancecommunity #contemporaryfestival #deadlinetonight #opencall #dancelife #igdancers #choreography #artistsoninstagram #performingarts #instadance #pdxdancers #dancersofinstagram #fostertheater #dancingopportunities #opencallforartists

Applications Due: 1 Week! Deadline: October 31 @ 11:59pm (PST) [Link in Bio] . One week away from our artist submission deadline!! Artists of all disciplines and styles are eligible to apply. . Union PDX invites professional companies and artists worldwide making contemporary work in ANY dance style, genre, or tradition to present work at the brand-new Foster Theater (@fostertheaterpdx ) in Portland, OR, USA May 2026. . Curated by a panel of local professional artists representing various movement forms and demographics, applicants may submit up to two (2) works. Works up to 24 minutes in length are acceptable. Past festival artists have presented several forms of Street, Break, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazillian, African, Natya Katha, Bharatnatyam, and Contemporary, and Ballet dance styles. We would love to present your voice on this stage. . Selected festival artists perform at the Foster Theater; teach advanced and professional level dancers; engage with audiences through post-show Artist-Talks and facilitated Q&As; network with fellow artists, and regional educators and presenters; and celebrate the craft of dance in this accessible festival format. Artists receive: stipends, high grade professional photo and video documentation of their performance and masterclass; and free access to all festival workshops and masterclasses. . Learn more about eligibility, compensation, and to apply: /unionpdx/apply [Link in Bio] . Pictured: @push.fold dancers performing ‘Ozymandias’ at Festival:23 📷 @jingziphotography . . . #unionpdx #pushfold #festival2026 #dancefestival #portlanddance #pdxarts #dancecommunity #dancelife #artistsoninstagram #performingarts #instadance #pdxdancers #street #hiphop #krump #breaklife #bharatanatyam #african #dancersofinstagram #fostertheater #choreography #movementculture #dancingopportunities #opencallforartists

Festival:26 | Open Call Applications NOW OPEN! Deadline: October 31 @ 11:59pm (PST) [Link in Bio] . Save the Dates: May 28-31, 2026 . Join us for the 6th Union PDX - Festival of Contemporary Dance presented by push/FOLD (@push.fold )! . Union PDX invites professional companies and artists worldwide making contemporary work in ANY dance style, genre, or tradition to present work at the brand-new Foster Theater (@fostertheaterpdx ) in Portland, OR, USA May 2026. . Curated by a panel of local professional artists representing various movement forms and demographics, applicants may submit up to two (2) works. Works up to 24 minutes in length are acceptable. . Selected festival artists perform at the Foster Theater; teach advanced and professional level dancers; engage with audiences through post-show Artist-Talks and facilitated Q&As; network with fellow artists, and regional educators and presenters; and celebrate the craft of dance in this accessible festival format. . Artists receive: stipends, high grade professional photo and video documentation of their performance and masterclass; and free access to all festival workshops and masterclasses. . Learn more about eligibility, compensation, and to apply: /unionpdx/apply [Link in Bio] . Pictured: Festival:23 Artist Sridharini Sridharan (@sridharini ) 📷 @jingziphotography . . #unionpdx #pushfold #festival2026 #dancefestival #portlanddance #pdxarts #dancecommunity #dancelife #artistsoninstagram #performingarts #instadance #pdxdancers #dancersofinstagram #fostertheater #choreography #movementculture #dancingopportunities #opencallforartists