FLOCK Dance Center

- 2516 NW 29th Ave STE 60, Portland, OR 97210

In the vibrant arts scene of Portland, Oregon, a unique and essential institution for the contemporary dance community is the FLOCK Dance Center. More than just a studio, FLOCK is defined as an "Art center" and a dynamic hub for movement exploration, creation, and sustained artistic practice. Stewarded by dance artists themselves, this non-profit space (established as a 501(c)(3) public charity) is deeply committed to supporting the region’s most innovative and driven contemporary dance makers.

FLOCK’s mission extends beyond simply providing rehearsal space; it is dedicated to the practice of justice and collective liberation, emphasizing a community that is adaptive, responsive, and deeply caring. It provides an accessible creative home for artists who view dance as an essential vehicle for engaging with and grappling with the world around them. This philosophy has made FLOCK an incubator for risky creative endeavors, radically impacting the ecology of the Portland dance and broader art communities.

Unlike the product-oriented model often prevalent in the region, FLOCK presents an alternative framework that allows artists the time and freedom to re-imagine their creative process. It fosters an environment of healthy experimentation, unencumbered by obligations to produce a final product. The center is a space in perpetual motion, shaped by the artists involved and the projects it supports, continually seeking to rethink ways of being together while remaining committed to multiple identities within the community.

While one customer review mentions an enjoyable experience near the center during a local festival, it speaks more to the exciting, creative neighborhood FLOCK inhabits. The true core of FLOCK is its internal community, which is lauded for nurturing autonomy, sharing space, and fostering artistic exchange among professionals who are passionate about advancing the art of dance in Oregon.

FLOCK Dance Center is conveniently situated in a key area of Northwest Portland, Oregon, making it a critical part of the local artistic landscape. The center's physical address is:

2516 NW 29th Ave STE 60, Portland, OR 97210, USA

Located within the NW 29th Avenue area, the studio is part of a dynamic, industrially-flavored neighborhood that is home to numerous other creative enterprises and cultural institutions. This Portland location offers relatively easy access for artists traveling from different parts of the city and surrounding areas, including those in Beaverton, Gresham, and Vancouver, Washington who commute into the metropolitan core.

Crucially for the dance community, the facility features essential physical accessibility components:

• The studio space itself is ADA accessible.
• It is equipped with heating/cooling for comfortable year-round use.
• The studio boasts a 1400 sq. foot sprung hardwood floor, which is vital for the safety and practice of professional dancers.
• The space is equipped with a basic sound system and has mirrors that can be covered by curtains, allowing for flexible use for both rehearsal and showing.
• The center has also invested in two air purifiers, demonstrating a commitment to a healthy rehearsal environment.

These features ensure that the studio is both an accessible and high-quality environment tailored specifically for movement-based practices in the heart of Oregon's largest city.

FLOCK Dance Center provides a structured yet flexible set of services designed to nurture the entire spectrum of a professional dance artist’s needs, from daily practice to community engagement. These offerings are carefully curated to ensure affordability and promote artistic growth:

• Resident Artist Program: Provides a committed studio home for a select number of Portland's contemporary dance makers, offering set and flex rehearsal times for a flat monthly fee, an essential alternative to expensive hourly rentals.
• Subsidized Resident Artist Program: An equity-focused initiative offering free rehearsal space to low-income artists who identify with historically marginalized communities (e.g., Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Disabled, Queer, Trans, etc.), ensuring greater access to resources.
• Classes and Workshops: A variety of movement-based classes are offered on a drop-in or series basis, often featuring somatic techniques, floorwork, authentic movement, and other contemporary dance forms.
• Community Jams and Affinity Spaces: FLOCK hosts specialized sessions like the Queer Affinity Contact Improvisation Jam, creating dedicated, safe spaces for exploration and community building within specific identity groups.
• Critical Engagement Series + Showings: Programs designed to bring together audiences and choreographers to engage in dialogue and critical thinking about dance, fostering a deeper public understanding and appreciation for experimental work.
• Affordable Rehearsal Space: The foundational service of providing a dependable, low-cost home for long-term deepening practices, enabling continuous choreographic research.
• Artistic Exchange and Collaboration: Creating an environment that encourages artists to share space, information, and inspiration, bolstering the autonomy of individual practices while collectively strengthening the Portland dance community.

FLOCK is highly distinguished within the Pacific Northwest art community due to its unique operational and philosophical characteristics:

• Artist-Stewarded Model: The center is managed and guided by active dance artists, ensuring that all policies and programs are directly responsive to the real-world needs of professional choreographers and movers in Oregon.
• Commitment to Justice: A stated core commitment to "the practice of justice and collective liberation" sets a progressive tone for the community, which is reflected in its equity-focused Subsidized Residency Program.
• Focus on Process over Product: The Resident Artist model intentionally breaks from the pressure of the "project-by-project" production cycle, offering a financial and scheduling framework that supports sustained research and experimentation.
• High-Quality Studio Infrastructure: The facility includes a professional-grade 1400 sq. foot sprung hardwood floor, crucial for reducing injury and supporting high-level movement practice.
• Community-Driven Education: Classes and workshops are curated by various community artists and focus on deepening practice (e.g., Axis Syllabus, Contact Improvisation), rather than strictly pre-professional technique, aligning with the center's focus on exploration.
• Dynamic Incubator: Recognized as a space that inspires experimentation in both the making of art and the making of sustainable artistic communities, radically impacting the local cultural ecosystem.
• Foundational Role in Portland Dance: Founded by Tahni Holt, a decades-long choreographer and educator, FLOCK is a well-established and essential institution that has been serving the Portland dance community since 2014.

For Portland and Oregon artists looking to learn more about residency, rental space, classes, or community events, the FLOCK Dance Center can be contacted using the following information:

• Address: 2516 NW 29th Ave STE 60, Portland, OR 97210, USA
• Phone: (503) 708-5801

For any artist or Oregon resident involved in or interested in contemporary movement, choosing FLOCK Dance Center is an investment in the cutting-edge of the local arts community. What makes FLOCK worth choosing is its unwavering commitment to the artist's process and its foundation in social equity.

Unlike many commercial dance studios, FLOCK functions as a true creative laboratory—a place where professional choreographers can affordably sustain a long-term practice free from the constant financial and logistical pressures of short-term space rental. This subsidized approach is not merely a convenience; it is a vital intervention that strengthens the core of Portland's experimental art scene, allowing artists to take the "risky creative endeavors" that lead to groundbreaking work.

Furthermore, FLOCK's dedication to justice, exemplified by the Subsidized Residency Program, ensures that it is actively working to address historic inequities in the arts. By prioritizing resources for artists from marginalized communities, FLOCK is fostering a more diverse, inclusive, and representative body of work within Oregon's cultural offerings. When you support FLOCK, either by taking a class, attending a showing, or becoming a resident, you are contributing to a resilient and ethically-minded hub that elevates the quality and conscience of dance in the Pacific Northwest.

FLOCK Dance Center

2516 NW 29th Ave STE 60, Portland, OR 97210, USA