dance

A look back at the 2022-23 season

Ovations kickstarted our 92nd season with Garba360, a free-to-the-public lively and immersive community dance party. This unique event invited all to enjoy the spirited Indian Gujarati folk dances of garba and raas.  In October, we welcomed audiences for three performances of the timeless, award-winning musical, CHICAGO. Roxie Hart continues to razzle and dazzle along with … Read more

Staff Picks!

Portland Ovations Staff

Staff picks is a fun time of the season where each staff member at Portland Ovations writes about an upcoming performance they’re most excited about. We work very hard to bring these productions to you throughout the season and often get just as excited as our audiences to see these artists live on stage. Scroll … Read more

A Free Community Dance Party Open To All

Garba360

Portland Ovations kicks off its 92nd season on Saturday, September 17th with Garba360, a lively and immersive community dance party that is free and open to the public. Anchored by live music by Kashyap Jani and Friends, a 5-piece Garba band based out of Connecticut and two guided dance tutorials starting at 4pm and 5:30pm, this unique event invites all to enjoy and learn the essential … Read more

Here’s to a great season!

Ovations’ 91st season is officially wrapped. Wow, we did it. And by “we” – we mean all of us. Because there is no live performance without you. Over the past 10 months, across 11 venues, more than 23,000 experienced 36 live performances. Seven of these performances were free and in public spaces. Five were dedicated … Read more

2021-22 Season Reflection – An Unforgettable Season

 OCTOBER We couldn’t think of a better way to kick off our 91st season than with 5 free public performances of the vertical dance innovators, BANDALOOP, which had people captivated, lying in the streets and watching from nearby rooftops, balconies and windows, as dancers were suspended from the rooftop of the Canopy by Hilton Portland … Read more

Program Notes for Step Afrika! by Aimée M. Petrin

Step Afrika

Dear Friends, Thank you for joining us for Ovations’ performance of Step Afrika!  During the worst of the pandemic when gathering together in person was not possible, one of the bright spots was our ongoing engagement with Step Afrika! Originally slated for our 2020-21 season, Step Afrika! is one of the arts leaders taking full advantage … Read more

Program Notes for BANDALOOP by Aimée M. Petrin

Dear Friends Welcome. We could not think of a better way to kick off Portland Ovations’ 90th season than with five free outdoor public performances by the pioneering vertical dance company BANDALOOP. With unparalleled artistry buoyed by their commitment to nature, community, and the human spirit – BANDALOOP scales new heights in dance and artmaking. … Read more

Our Stories – What We Love About Ovations

Our Stories – What We Love About Ovations

We just passed the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. It seems fitting that this turning point in the universe, at which the sun is at its maximum declination and then begins slowly to subside for those of us in the northern hemisphere, is also the end of Portland Ovations’ organizational year: a … Read more

Our Stories – An Unforgettable Season

Our Stories – An Unforgettable Season

What a season, unlike any other, 2020-2021 was. Thank you for joining us virtually, on demand and outdoors this past year. We couldn’t have done it without you. Daniel Bernard Roumain at Performances in Our Parks, Oct. 2020 OCTOBER 2020 We couldn’t gather in our usual spaces but we could gather outside. Our first in another … Read more