Pendulum is firmly committed to instructing students in a positive and safe working environment. Our students' well-being is of the utmost importance to us: we work on industry-standard equipment and mats, use safety-rated rigging, always teach skills progressively and spot students to ensure security where necessary. Students advance at their own pace, and each student is encouraged to work towards their personal goals without judging themselves against the standard of others.

Artists come from all corners of the world to work with Pendulum's students, and they are among the elite of the international performance community. With extensive professional training and experience in the industry, these talented aerialists, acrobats and dancers bring to Pendulum a level of instruction rarely available elsewhere in its depth and variety. Students benefit from this global workforce by being continually exposed to new material and teaching styles – a constant renewal of energy and invention.

With its strong commitment to positive ideals and its high caliber of staff coaches and guest artists, Pendulum has become a highly-reputed company for youth education in the aerial arts, attracting students from all over the Pacific Northwest region and across the U.S. to a unique learning experience.

What's Happening?

• Weekly Aerial Dance Classes, ages 10-18
• Beginning and Intermediate Aerial Dance Camp
• Summer Intensive
• Student Journals from 2007 summer intensive
• Young Audiences
• Apprentice Program
• Workshops
• Custom Programs

:: New! Open Aerial Class ::

Dates: Fall Semester: September 13, 2008 - December 20, 2008 Times: Saturday Mornings, 10am-12pm Where: French American International School 8600 NW Johnson Street, Portland, Oregon, 97229 Cost: $675.00 per semester Note: All checks for summer intensive and camps should be made payable to Pendulum Dance Theatre All ages and levels are welcome for this open-format class! The curriculum will be built around enrolled students to allow personalized development and attention. Students will work on various aerial disciplines, improving strength and flexibility, working new skills, and learning combinations and sequences tailored to their abilities! Fee : $675.00 per semester Note: All checks for summer intensive and camps should be made payable to Pendulum Dance Theatre- not Suzanne Kenney For more information or to register, please contact artistic director, Suzanne Kenney. REGISTER HERE:  Please download this form complete it and have the  student bring to the first day of camp to be able to participate.

:: Beginning and Intermediate Aerial Dance Camp ::

Dates: July 7-10 and July 14-17 Times: 9:00AM-3:00PM, Monday through Thursday Where: The Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, Oregon 97219 Cost: $350/week Note: All checks for summer intensive and camps should be made payable to Pendulum Dance Theatre A camp ideal for beginning to intermediate-level recreational students ages 9-18. Campers will build and expand on a foundation of skills and create short presentation pieces with various disciplines in the air and on the ground. Coordination, flexibility, grace and strength are all developed which providing good fun for everyone in a supportive and safe environment. Attend for one or both weeks! A short presentation will be given each Thursday afternoon for friends and family. Younger ages by Director's approval only! For more information or to register, please contact artistic director, Suzanne Kenney. REGISTER HERE:  Please download this form complete it and have the  student bring to the first day of camp to be able to participate.

Dates: August 4th-8th, 2008 and August 11th-14th, 2008 August 3rd-7th, 2009 and August 11th-14th, 2009 Times: 9:00am - 4:00pm daily Where: The Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, Oregon 97219 Cost: $525.00 per week Note: All checks for summer intensive and camps should be made payable to Pendulum Dance Theatre Deadline to register: July 15th, 2008 - no exceptions No Refunds after July 30th, 2008 Non-Refundable Registration Fee: $100.00 To register: Mail a waiver, a registration form and payment in full to: Suzanne Kenney Pendulum Summer Intensive 2525 SW Patton Road Portland OR, 97201 For more information or to register, please contact artistic director, Suzanne Kenney. REGISTER HERE:  Please download this form complete it and have the  student bring to the first day of camp to be able to participate.

Requirements:
Circus artists - one year of previous aerial expierience
Dancers -  3 years of training with good upper body strength (can do 10 push ups without stopping and 5 pull ups unassisted).
Gymnasts - level 4, or 3 years of training minimum required.

Pendulum’s acclaimed summer intensive is now in its 6th year. This course offers the budding artist two weeks of intensive aerial training (35 hours per week) taught by an acclaimed international coaching staff.  With small classes and individual instruction the student will gain skills, strength and poise in the air while having fun. Comprehensive foundation of skills will be taught in trapeze (still and dance), hoop, rope and silks, along with choreography and character work. Students will also participate in strength training and conditioning classes, stretch/ flexibility/ contortion (depending on the student's ability), acrobatics and adagio. The intensive will culminate in a performance of works created at the end of the two weeks.

Students will ONLY be allowed to attend the first week (August 4th to 8th) if it is not possible to attend both weeks. Students will NOT be allowed to attend the second week only. We strongly recommend that the student attends both weeks in order to gain the full benfits of this intensive.

Special Guest Faculty: Eduardo Dorticos
The intensive for guest instructor, Eduardo Dorticos, will consist of 4 special classes. The first two being circus disciplines, straps and hanadbalance. The others are muscle conditioning, and drawing from Eduardo's Cuban heritage, salsa. Under Eduardo's guidance, students will focus primarily on movement mechanics and technical aspects. They will learn specific conditioning exercises for each discipline to incorporate into their daily training. Students will be encouraged to make their own framework out of Eduardo's training principles to apply to their own chosen area of focus. During his years of formal and rigorous training as an elite level gymnast with Cuba's National Mens Gymnastics Team, Eduardo developed a strong specific mind/body connection. He hopes to instill this connection in the students at the summer intensive, which he believes will help then have dominion over their emotional expression as performers.

Where to stay while in Portland?
There are many great places to stay in our beautiful city, but we recommend the Mark Spencer Hotel for its great location in downtown Portland, just 15 minutes from our training facility.
They offer discounted hotel rooms and also have a number of small apartments at good prices.
www.markspensorhotel.com
409 SW 11th Ave
Portland, Oregon
503 224-3293
Say you're coming to Pendulum’s Summer Intensive to receive your discount

For questions contact  the director at pendulumdance@gmail.com

Click here for the 2008 Faculty

:: Pendulum added to Young Audiences Roster

Pendulum can bring specially designed weeklong programs to your schools
featuring the companies signature work on aerial apparatus.

Performances:
The company will perform excerpts from Dancing on Air and Dancing on Air Take 2. The performance can be anywhere from 30 to 55 minutes in length.

Week Long Residencies:
For Grades 3rd to 12th - "Learn to fly"
Technical requirements:
Ceiling height - minimum of 15 feet.
At least one fixed rigging point.

Students will build strength and grace using a variety of aerial apparatus, including dance trapeze, tissu, ropes, hoops and slings. Each Friday afternoon, the students will give a performance. A uniquely qualified faculty will be led by Pendulum’s founder and Artistic Director, Suzanne Kenney.
The week will include instruction in aerial dance, exploring a variety of ways to suspend yourself in the air, strength training, flexibility and injury prevention related to aerial dance. Acrobatics, unicycle, stilt walking and plate spinning can also be included in this unforgettable program. The residency offers a positive environment for youth to develop many vital life skills while exercising, working with others, learning to accept constructive criticism and performing in shows - all of which build confidence and self-esteem. Through the aerial arts students will learn that their own strength, practice and focus, in harmony with that of their classmates, can create thrilling beauty. These are benefits that will serve these students for a lifetime.

:: Apprentice/Training Programs now available ::

The Apprentice Program is a two-year course of study, designed for someone interested in pursuing a professional career in the aerial arts. This program, open to both adolescents and adults, allows the apprentice to focus on a specialization as well as receiving introductory training in various aerial disciplines, dance styles and acrobatics.

The curriculum will also incorporate public performance opportunities, teacher training, and help with individual artistic creation and development. This course of study is ideal for the student working towards the goal of establishing a beginning portfolio as an artist.

To qualify for this program, a minimum of 2 years training in gymnastics or dance are required, preferably both, or prior training in the circus arts. For further registration and information contact Suzanne Kenney.

» Learn more about our 2006 Apprentices and the Pendulum Flyers

:: Workshops and Training for Ages 16 and up ::

Private Coaching

Private session for the artist to hone their skills on a particular apparatus or for anyone working and developing new choreography for a performance piece. Work with the artistic director or a faculty member. Apparatus available: fabric, hammock, loops, dance trapeze, still trapeze, duo fixed trapeze, triple trapeze, lyra and corde lisse.

Rates: $50.00/hour, 1-2 people

Group Instruction

This is a great workshop for people wanting an introduction of aerial dance
(with the focus on fabric and dance trapeze) and a variety of apparatus
available to work on. Time will be spent on injury prevention, conditioning
and flexibility.

Rates: $50.00/hour for 1-2 people; $65.00/hour for 3-4 people; $75.00/hour for 5-6 people

Contact director for information on dates and times available!!

:: Custom Programs ::

We can provide a variety of programs that offer innovative residencies designed to meet your specific needs. In order for Pendulum to come teach a residency, please see our minimum rigging requirements. Classes are taught in the aerial arts on an ongoing basis to students of the French American School where Pendulum is artist in residence.

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