“Dance is the only art of which we ourselves are the stuff of which it is made,” choreographer Ted Shawn once said.
It’s a quote that my first dance teacher had on a poster in her studio, and it’s an idea that carries to the dancer, the dance company, even to the community itself.
Welcome to Eugene Weekly’s 3rd annual Dance issue.
Here is where we shine a light on some wonderful dance happening in our local and regional community — contemporary, modern, tap, swing. (But, just as you have a closet full of clothes and can only wear one outfit at a time, there are many more dance activities in Eugene than we could ever feature at one time. Have ideas? Email me at eugeneweeklydance@gmail.com.)
That’s why I launched EW’s first-ever monthly dance column, “The Spin,” one year ago.
My goal was to reach out to the dance community, to catch the upcoming dance performances, classes, workshops and fundraisers in order to give recognition and legitimacy to this most ephemeral art form.
Eugene Ballet Company dancer and #instaballet co-creator Antonio Anacan says, “If dance is the heartbeat, ‘The Spin’ is the vein that circulates the art form to the community.”
Aw, shucks.
For artists and audiences alike, dance makes this a nicer place to call home. — Rachael Carnes
Swing Kid
Nick davis shares a lindy hop legacy in track town
Demystifying Dance
Dance in Dialogue creates a community for experimental dance
Center Stage
Head to Portland’s White Bird for national and international dance companies
Tapped Out
Is tap — one of dance’s most accessible and affordable forms — fading out?
Dance Listings
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519