Projects  }  Artists

Loni Landon
Loni Landon was born and raised in New York City. She received her training from the NYC High School of Performing Arts, Dance Theater of Harlem, The School at Jacob's Pillow and The Scholarship Program at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. She received her BFA from The Juilliard School, under the direction of the late Benjamin Harkarvy and Larry Rhodes. After graduation she worked with Aszure Barton on the opening of the Baryshnikov Arts Center before joining Ballet Theater Munich, under the direction of Phillip Taylor. In 2007, the company changed to Tanz Theater Munich, under the direction of Henning Paar. During her time in Munich, she was exposed to a variety of European choreographers such as, Jirí Kylián, Stephan Thoss, Rui Horta, Robert North, Tony Rizzi, Cayetano Soto, Mirko Hektor and Marco Goerke. Under Phillip Taylor's guidance she began exploring choreography. In 2009, she was a finalist in the Hannover International Choreography Competition. Her work has been shown in The State Theater of Munich, HT CHEN'S Newsteps Choreography Series and at the Edinburgh International Fringe Festival.

James Gregg
James Gregg was raised in Oklahoma and started dancing at the age of nine with Ballet Oklahoma. He continued his training with Cece Farha, Houston Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Lou Conte's, and The Edge Performing Arts Center. Gregg later danced with River North Dance Company and is currently a member of Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal. He has performed the works of many renowned choreographers including Aszure Barton, Crystal Pite, Rodrigo Pedernieras, Frank Chauves, Danny Ezralow, Harrison Maceldowny, Mauro Bigonzetti, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Edgar Zendejas Mia Michaels. James found his choreographic passion when he arrived in Chicago, creating works on River North Dance Company, Impetus Dance Company, Instruments of Movement, Elements Contemporary Ballet, Les Ballet Jazz Workshop, Domain Forget and for Springboard Danse Montréal.

Both will be coming to Portland in July to work with our amazing LAUNCH: 4 dancers and their creative time will culminate with an in-studio presentation on July 17.
You can see some of their stunning work below.

LAUNCH: 4 Guest Artists

Hélène Blackburn: Artistic Director / Cas Public

Since 1983, Hélène Blackburn has made her daring choreographic voice heard in the contemporary dance world, both in Canada and abroad. She was trained in the Linda Rabin studios and at the Université du Québec à Montréal and has performed with the Fondation Jean-Pierre Perreault. She founded Cas Public in Montréal in 1989. A sought-after choreographer and recognized teacher, Hélène has received commissions from LADMMI, Concordia University, UQÀM, the École Supérieure de Danse du Québec, the Laban Centre in London and the Accademia di Danza in Venice. In 1990, she captured the Canada Council for the Arts' Jacqueline Lemieux Prize in recognition of the originality and quality of her approach. In 1999, Hélène received the Bonnie Bird Award for North America, presented by the prestigious Laban Centre in London.

James Canfield: Artistic Director / Nevada Ballet Theatre

James Canfield, founding Artistic Director of Oregon Ballet Theatre from 1989 to 2003, was born in Corning, New York, and received his early dance training at the acclaimed Academy of the Washington School of Ballet under the direction of Mary Day. James Canfield was a member of the Washington Ballet in Washington D.C., the Joffrey II Dancers in New York City and the Joffrey Ballet under the direction of Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino, where he danced an extensive repertoire of works by Jiri Kylian, Agnes de Mille, John Cranko and William Forsythe among others. In 1986, he left the Joffrey Ballet to become the Artistic Director of Pacific Ballet Theatre, and once the company combined with Ballet Oregon, James Canfield was appointed Artistic Director of the new Oregon Ballet Theatre (OBT) in 1989. There, he choreographed numerous ballets for the year-round company and established the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre in order to provide the best classical training to dancers throughout the Northwest. James Canfield travels the country consulting, choreographing, teaching and staging his choreographic works for companies across the nation. He was named Artistic Director of Nevada Ballet Theatre in January 2009. James Canfield has created four works for the Northwest Dance Project and regularly teaches for NWDP.

Robert Moses: Artistic Director / Robert Moses' Kin Dance Company

Choreographer Robert Moses danced with Twyla Tharp Dance, ODC/San Francisco, Long Beach Ballet, Walt Disney World Productions, and Gloria Newman Dance Theater, among others. In 1995, he founded Robert Moses' Kin and has created commissioned works for Oakland Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Lawrence Pech Dance Company, Robert Henry Johnson Dance Company, Savage Jazz Dance Company and England's Transitions Dance Company of the Laban Centre. He has performed with his company at many nationally esteemed venues such as Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Colorado Dance Festival, and the Bates Dance Festival. A much sought-after master teacher, Moses has been a lecturer at Stanford University since 1995 and teaches ongoing technique classes at San Francisco Dance Center.

Sarah Slipper: Artistic Director / Northwest Dance Project

An award winning independent choreographer, Sarah Slipper studied at the Royal Ballet School, was a principal dancer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and appeared as a guest artist worldwide. She has worked with internationally renowned directors and choreographers such as Arnold Spohr, Rudi van Dantzig, Hans van Manen, Jirí Kylián and Agnes de Mille. Sarah Slipper served as Ballet Mistress of Alberta Ballet and Oregon Ballet Theatre, and teaches master classes throughout North America. She was awarded the Grand Prize for Choreography at the International Choreographic Competition at Saint Sauveur in 2000. Sarah has created over 20 works for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Nashville Ballet, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Ballet Jorgen, Louisville Ballet, Alberta Ballet, Ballet New York, Ballet Pacifica and The Jefferson Dancers. "A Fine Balance," her pas de deux created during the inaugural Northwest Dance Project, was nominated for the prestigious Benois de la Danse award in 2006 and was performed at the Bolshoi Theatre as part of the award's gala celebration. Sarah Slipper is currently working on several new creations and serves as the Artistic Director of the Northwest Dance Project.

Paul Vasterling: Artistic Director / Nashville Ballet

Paul Vasterling was appointed Artistic Director of Nashville Ballet in June of 1998 after ten years as a professional dancer, School of Nashville Ballet faculty member, Ballet Master and resident choreographer. Paul Vasterling graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor's degree in theater and dance from Loyola University. In 1996 he was named Resident Choreographer of Nashville Ballet and two years later he was named the Artistic Director. He has seen more than 30 of his works performed in three continents. The National Endowment for the Arts appointed him to serve on their 2001-2002 dance panel and he was awarded the elite Fulbright Scholar grant in 2004. Paul Vasterling spearheaded the ongoing creative collaboration, "Emergence!", with Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music in 2003. Paul has created two works for the Northwest Dance Project and has led numerous master classes and workshops.

(Guest artists subject to change)

PREVIOUS Northwest Dance Project ARTISTS:

John Alleyne / Artistic Director / Ballet British Columbia
Gioconda Barbuto / Choreographer + Nederlands Dans Theater III
Aszure Barton / Artistic Director / Aszure & Artists
Robert Battle / Artistic Director / Battleworks Dance Company
Cristina Betts / BodyVox
Gregg Bielemeier / Choreographer
Hélène Blackburn / Artistic Director / Cas Public
Donald Byrd / Artistic Director / Spectrum Dance Theater
James Canfield / Artistic Director / Nevada Ballet Theatre
Alejandro Cerrudo / Choreographer / Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Lucas Crandall / Associate Artistic Director / Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Paul De Strooper / Artistic Director / Ballet Victoria
Madeleine Denko-Carter / Dance Mentor
Mariecella Devine / Director / Devine Funk
Noam Gagnon: Artistic Director / The Holy Body Tattoo
Susan Gaudreau / Rehearsal Director / bjm_danse Montréal
Dana Gingras / Artistic Director / The Holy Body Tattoo
Mark Goldweber / Ballet Master / Joffrey Ballet + Ballet West
Mark Godden / Choreographer
Jamey Hampton / Co-Artistic Director / BodyVox
Shawn Hounsell / Choreographer
Lane Hunter / Artistic Director / BodyVox 2
Alonzo King / Artistic Director / LINES Ballet
Ronen Koresh / Artistic Director / Koresh Dance Company
Donald McKayle / Choreographer + Artistic Mentor / Limón Dance + Professor, UC Irvine
Stephen Mills / Artistic Director / Ballet Austin
Josie Moseley / Choreographer / Teacher, Oregon Ballet Theatre
Robert Moses: Artistic Director / Robert Moses' Kin Dance Company
Eric Nordstrom / Oslund + Company
Davis Robertson / Choreographer
Louis Robitaille / Artistic Director / bjm_danse Montréal
Ashley Roland / Co-Artistic Director + Choreographer / BodyVox
Alison Roper / Oregon Ballet Theatre
Jonathan Sadony / Choreographer
Cayetano Soto / Choreographer
Lauri Stallings / Choreographer
Christopher Stowell / Artistic Director / Oregon Ballet Theatre
Benoit-Swan Pouffer / Artistic Director / Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet
Gérard Théorêt / Artistic Director / Cirque du Soleil
Paul Vasterling / Artistic Director / Nashville Ballet
Luca Veggetti / Choreographer
Eduardo Vilaro / Artistic Director / Luna Negra Dance Theater
Septime Webre / Artistic Director / Washington Ballet
Meredith Webster / LINES Ballet
Edgar Zendejas: Artistic Director / ezdanza