In-Person Event

Hosted annually for seven years, this event brought together hundreds of dancers, teachers, directors, and collaborators from across the region.

Challenge

Portland’s dance community is rich with talent but often fragmented across styles, studios, and organizations. Dancers need opportunities to meet collaborators, practice auditioning, and connect with those who hire. Simultaneously, independent choreographers, artistic directors, and talent agencies need ways to discover the breadth of local talent.

Idea

Create an annual citywide gathering that combines the structure of an audition with the energy of a dance festival and the openness of a networking event. Over the course of a full day, dancers took classes in multiple styles, learned choreography in an audition-style format, connected with directors and collaborators, and celebrated together in a high-energy community atmosphere.

Outcome

Hosted annually for seven years, the event became a key meeting point for Portland’s dance ecosystem helping dancers build confidence, expand networks, and discover opportunities while bringing the community together across disciplines.

Focus

• Connecting dancers with employment and collaboration opportunities

• Building confidence through accessible audition practice

• Strengthening the local dance ecosystem through community gathering