Linda K. Johnson In Conversation with Joan Findlay
Sunday, Sept. 22
11:00 AM – 1:00PM
Performance Works NorthWest | 4625 SE 67th Avenue
FREE
Mycelium Dreams is an ongoing, durational dance cartography, interview and embodied archiving project initiated in 2021 by Portland dance and transdisciplinary artist Linda K. Johnson. Archival in nature, the PASTfuture interview component of the project is intent on creating an inclusive, nonhierarchical oral record of the stories of artists in the Portland community who have committed their life’s work to the field of dance. The interviews will begin with Portland’s dance elders and continue through the generations. It is multiyear and potentially unending, suggesting a community-based method of remembering our history. This conversation with Joan Findlay is the fourth interview as part of TBA:2024. Previous interviews include Chisao Hata, Susan Banyas, and Robin Lane. Each interview will be recorded and made available to the public through the PSU Portland Dance Archive and Spotify podcast, link forthcoming.
Conversations will be approximately 80-90 minutes long, followed by a short, all-level movement, composition, or somatic opportunity derived from the practice of each artist. Coffee and light refreshments will be served.
For complete list and details of the other PASTfuture conversations during TBA:2024, you can go here.
Supported in part by RACC
PASTfuture image design by Jeff Smith
About lifelong neurodivergent dancer and artist Joan Findlay
As a contemporary modern dancer I have created and performed my own, mostly solo performance work. Also worked extensively for many years with these choreographers:
Studied visual art and dance in the 1970’s at Portland State University with instructors who were creative working artists. In addition to modern dance have studied tap, ballet, African, improvisation, jazz, flamenco, as well as piano and drums. Influential teachers include Gregg Bielemeier, modern dance; Ruby Burns, African dance; Jann Dryer, modern dance; Cathy Evleshin, modern and jazz dance; Fred Heidel painting; Jim Hibbard drawing; Michi Kosuge sculpture; and Vincent Martinez-Grieco, modern jazz dance; Bonnie Merrill modern improvisation and tap dance; Judy Patton modern dance and performance collaboration; Barbara Remington ballet; and Claire Roche, tap dance.
Beginning in 1980 with Jann McCauley Dryer in CIRQUE (formerly Portland Dance Theater), Gregg Bielemeier and Gregg Bielemeier Dance Project, Catherine Egan and Eggshell Productions, and Bonnie Merrill, who, in addition to the many works I danced over the years, choreographed a solo for me that I performed while heavily pregnant.
Helen Buckingham, Kiken Chin, Linda K Johnson, Kimi Okada, Mary Oslund, Sara Padilla, Judy Patton, Ray Terrill.
Collaborated with artists in performance: Alva Bradford, costumer/puppet maker, Cristina DeGennaro, visual/performance artist, Van Findlay, singer/violinist, Daniel Storto, fashion/costume designer, Tyrrell Sweetman cellist, Phil Sylvester, composer/musician, and painter/set designer.
Designed and constructed sets, costumes, props, and hair designs for many choreographers/directors, including Gregg Bielemeier, Jann Dryer, Catherine Egan, and Randee Paufve.
Performance Works NW || Linda Austin Dance 