Portland Playhouse Passing Strange Portland Oregon
Jamuna Chiarini
Jamuna Chiarini
Jamuna Chiarini
Jamuna Chiarini is a dance artist, producer, curator, and writer, who produces DanceWatch Weekly for Oregon ArtsWatch. Originally from Berkeley, Calif., she studied dance at The School of The Hartford Ballet and Florida State University. She has also trained in Bharatanatyam and is currently studying Odissi. She has performed professionally throughout the United States as a dancer, singer, and actor for dance companies, operas, and in musical theatre productions. Choreography credits include ballets for operas and Kalamandir Dance Company. She received a Regional Arts & Culture Council project grant to create a 30-minute trio called “The Kitchen Sink,” which was performed in November 2017, and was invited to be part of Shawl-Anderson’s Dance Up Close/East Bay in Berkeley, Calif. Jamuna was a scholarship recipient to the Urban Bush Women’s Summer Leadership Institute, “Undoing Racism,” and was a two-year member of CORPUS, a mentoring program directed by Linda K. Johnson. As a producer, she is the co-founder of Co/Mission in Portland, Ore., with Suzanne Chi, a performance project that shifts the paradigm of who initiates the creation process of new choreography by bringing the artistic vision into the hands of the dance performer. She is also the founder of The Outlet Dance Project in Hamilton, N.J.

DanceWatch Monthly: Back to the future

Jamuna Chiarini looks back on December and January shows and ahead to February’s dance, from BodyVox’s “Flights” to Rejoice!’s “Rites of Passage” to OBT’s “Peter Pan” and more.

January DanceWatch: Moving into a new year

From dancerly Broadway musicals to Éowyn Emerald’s return to a Bantu circus, a mystical being from Buenos Aires, Linda Austin’s birthday bash and more, 2024 kicks off in grand style.

September DanceWatch: Summer’s last tangos

As the fall performance season approaches, there’s still time to catch some of the best dance summer has to offer, including performances by Linda Austin, NW Dance Project, B. Movement Project, and more.

Preview: ‘Break to Build’ at Zidell Yards

The site-specific performance combines dance, music, puppetry, and film in an exploration of the cyclical nature of life and ideas, as well as the evolving identity of the historic shipbuilding location.

June DanceWatch: Unity in Diversity

Jamuna Chiarini takes a deep dive into Indian dance this month with a look at a performance of the epic “Ganga to Kaveri,” plus productions from NW Dance Project, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Danielle Ross, and more.

March DanceWatch: A month of dance from near and far

From the Latin themes of Ballet Hispánico’s “Doña Perón” to a bounty of Indian dance performances to world premieres by international women choreographers at NW Dance Project, there is an abundance of dance riches to enjoy in March.

May DanceWatch: From Harlem to the Moon

In the spirit of International Dance Day, a busy month in Oregon ranges from Dance Theatre of Harlem to a circus moon shot, steampunk Shakespeare, flamenco, contemporary and more.

2021: A year of dance, up in the air

From dance on film at the start of the year to a flurry of Nutcrackers at the end, the ups and downs of Oregon’s Covid-tinged dance year.

Kurtis Blow & The Hip Hop Nutcracker

As the holiday hip hop tour heads to Portland, rap pioneer and show MC Kurtis Blow talks about his career, his faith, and his heart transplant.

November DanceWatch: Onstage at last

From “Hip Hop Nutcracker” to “Cinderella,” Keylock & Bielemeier to Linda Austin’s explorations, dance is live and on the move again.

DanceWatch: Back on stage!

After a long layoff, dance is getting back in performance halls. Celebrate its return – if you’ve been vaccinated.

Jordan Schnitzer speaks on OBT

In the wake of the ballet’s reshuffle, the philanthropist talks about perceptions, funding, and the duties of boards.

June DanceWatch: Back on stage

Oregon Ballet Theatre unveils two world premieres in its first concert since the pandemic. And there’s lots more live performance to cheer on, too.

DanceWatch: March hare edition

Though we long for the Olden Times, when dancers occupied the same rooms we did, we’re still counting our blessings: 1) Spring awaits; 2) Dance online.

Portland Playhouse Passing Strange Portland Oregon
Literary Arts Oregon Book Awards Portland Center Stage at the Armory Portland Oregon
Imago Theatre Carol Triffle Mission Gibbons Portland Oregon
Bonnie Bronson 2024 Fellow Wendy Red Star Reed College Reception Kaul Auditorium Foyer Portland Oregon
Kalakendra Indian Classical Instrumental Music First Congregational Church Portland Oregon
Portland Center Stage at the Armory Nassim Portland Oregon
City of Hillsboro Walters Cultural Arts Center Tony Furtado Hillsboro Oregon
Maryhill Museum of Art Goldendale Washington
Portland State University College of the Arts
Golden Road Arts Grey Raven Gallery Near the Reser Beaverton Oregon
Pacific Maritime Heritage Center Prosperity of the Sea Lincoln County Historical Society Newport Oregon Coast
PassinArt Theatre and Portland Playhouse present Yohen Brunish Theatre Portland Oregon
Northwest Dance Project Sarah Slipper Newmark Theatre Portland Oregon
Newport Performance and Visual Arts Centers Newport Oregon Coast
Portland Art Museum Virtual Sneakers to Cutting Edge Kicks Portland Oregon
High Desert Museum Sasquatch Central Oregon
Oregon Cultural Trust donate
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