Boora Architects

Bodyvox Dance Company is a self-described “freewheeling, multi-media, boundary-bending movement troupe that assimilates all possibilities for movement” However, their previous home in an obscure, 2nd floor location did nothing to enhance their mission or announce their identity to the city.

Envisioning their new home in a former industrial building on Portland’s Streetcar line, Bodyvox wanted to maximize visibility and accessibility. They also wanted the new dance center to convey the company’s effervescent personality and expansive aspirations within the confines of a limited budget.

The Boora team focused on creating a spacious, straightforward and welcoming home for the company. In the process, they transformed a 90-year-old former print manufacturing facility that had sat empty for several years into a vital community asset.

The center's new lobby serves as a transition between the street and dance spaces. White plaster and concrete walls and a solid reception desk support social functions, art openings and board meetings. The lobby’s hand-carved desk, accent tables, and shelves were made by a local craftsman from wood reclaimed from the building demolition.

A flexible teaching studio supports community dance education and small performances. An operable glass garage door broadcasts internal activities to passersby and when opened, allows performances onto the street.

In the studio, the raw character of the existing building has been preserved. The long-span steel trusses and painted masonry walls remind users to the neighborhood's industrial heritage.

A double-height rehearsal / performance space fills the remainder of the ground floor. With seats for up to 150, the hall can support a variety of performances with live music.

A series of windows and skylights can allow daylight to fill the space when desired for rehearsals. For performances, shades are lowered to allow theater lighting to dramatically bathe the space.

The new Bodyvox Dance Center now plays an integral part in the company's productions. The flexible spaces and quirks of the historic building facilitate Bodyvox's mission to "embellish movement with humor, wit and whimsy to create refined dancing that knows no boundaries.”