OtB's 2009-2010 season has included my favorite work from PICA's 2009 TBA Festival( (www.pica.org), Young Jean Lee's "The Shipment" (www.youngjeanlee.org) and just featured Bruno Beltrao's Grupo de Rua, which opened last night at the Bison Building in NE Portland.  Not only do I think OtB has great taste (and a nice blog www.ontheboards.org/blog), but I know that without their partnership, it would be that much more difficult (maybe impossible) to get such great works to Portland.  Thank you OtB! 

And congratulations on the big NYTimes article about www.ontheboards.tv.  I'm very curious to see where that leads and think you couldn't have started with better content! Here's a link to the article, if anyone is interested:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/arts/dance/24boards.html?partner=rss&e...

Last time I blogged, I basically said "thank you Misha and Twyla for paving the way - now let's make room for the next generation" - like Hofesh Shechter! 

The rest of the world has recognized the likes of Tero Saarinen and Hofesh Shechter.  This week, Portland has the chance to find out for ourselves what all the fuss is about.  Turn off the TV.  Step away from your computer.  Put the iPhone down.  Allow yourself to experience live music and live contemporary dance.  Then tell me what you think. 

White Bird Words will precede (and provide some context for) the show, and a "question and answer" will follow.  I'm interested in your take on the performance itself.  I've heard it said that people like what they know  (more than they know what they like).  How would you know, if you don't go?  Let me know.

Mikhail Baryshnikov (Misha) and Twyla Tharp are my heroes.  Both successful "cross over" artists, they have brought contemporary dance to a broad audience - from balletomanes to Broadway to couch potatos everywhere.  More importantly, they have fueled the careers of a generation of artists who will succeed them.  Their legacy is large.  I think of Lucy Guerin and Jodi Melnick, in particular.

Check out Tero's own photos from the 2008 Lyon Dance Biennial, "one of the most ambitious and important dance festivals in the world" (NYTimes) http://www.flickr.com/photos/terosaarinen/ where he performed Carolyn Carlson's 1983 solo "Blue Lady".  For the NYTimes review of the festival, go to http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/arts/dance/01bien.html?ref=dance .