Forkliftdanceworks

Founded in 2001 by Artistic Director Allison Orr, Austin-based Forklift Danceworks creates dances with all kinds of people. Using the movement that people perform in their everyday lives as choreographic material, Forklift Danceworks creates dances with professional dancers and people entirely new to dance. Past company productions have included Venetian gondoliers, City of Austin Solid Waste employees, Elvis impersonators, people who are visually impaired, and women over 65.
Seeking to expand audience’s notions of dancer and performer through its community-based work, Forklift presents dances both in and outside of the theater. By grounding its pieces in a variety of communities, the company engages people who do not commonly attend contemporary dance, thereby expanding the audience for the performing arts. Forklift collects audience surveys at all of its performances, and previous surveys have shown audiences to be 5-15% non-local residents and 25-35% first-time attendees to contemporary dance.
Forklift’s innovative artistic programs have garnered local and national attention. Orr’s choreography has been consistently recognized by The Austin Critics Table, and the company’s work has been listed three times in The Austin Chronicle as one of the year’s Top Ten Dance and Theater events. The Trash Project, the company's large scale-production with the City of Austin Solid Waste Services Department, was named the #1 Arts Event of 2009 by The Austin American Statesman and the #1 Dance Event of 2009 by The Austin Chronicle. The company has been featured in the Washington Post, Bark Magazine, Texas Monthly, on the cover of both The Austin Chronicle and The Austin American Statesman’s XL, KXAN-36’s “On The Porch,” KLRU “InCONTEXT”, KUT/NPR radio, FOX 7 Morning show, BBC radio, and "Dogs With Jobs" on the National Geographic Channel.
The company performs annually in its hometown of Austin, Texas, and it has presented work in Venice, Italy and at Washington, DC’s Kennedy Center, performing as part of the VSA Arts International Festival for Artists with Disabilities.
As part of its goal to foster creativity and serve a diverse audience, Forklift directs Leaps and Bounds, a creative movement program for children at two Austin-area schools. This program has served more than one thousand children and parents since its inception. In addition, since 2004 Forklift has led annual integrated dance workshops for people with and without disabilities through a collaboration with VSA Texas. In the fall of 2010, Forklift launched Body Shift—a weekend intensive in mixed-ability dance. In partnership with VSA Texas with sponsorship from Galaxy Dance Studio, Ballet Austin, and The Austin Chronicle, Body Shift featured three days of inclusive dance and movement classes for people with and without disabilities and was attended by over 50 participants.
By creating dances that engage a diverse audience—both as audience and performer—Forklift Danceworks broadens access to contemporary dance while building community and fostering the creative spirit.
Contact us:
Add:
Forklift Danceworks
PO Box 1304
Austin, TX 78767-1304
Tel./Fax: 512 447-6405
Email:allison@forkliftdanceworks.org