2023 - 2024 SEASON
December 16 // 2:00pm & 7:30pm
December 17 // 3:30pm
Newmark Theatre
Open Space presents an unconventional Winter dance show called The NOT-Cracker. Get it? We invite you to experience Portlands very own holiday show with a fresh perspective: A tale of Ted, an unfortunate friend who thinks they can't dance--until they are swept up by a cast of wilding characters. Join Ted as they enter The NOT-Cracker's fantastical world where dance finds us all! Choreographed by Open Space Founders Franco Nieto, Charlene Hannibal and Maeve Dougal, with Special guests. This show has something for the entire family.
Open Ended// Empress Archer
May 3 - 5 // 7:30pm
Bodyvox Dance Center
Empress Archer digests the input of 12 choreographers, 10 years, 8 cities, 4 global upheavals, 3 weddings, 2 pregnancies, and an infinite grasping for humanity into a dance show about one relationship. Ariel Freedman and Meredith Webster join forces from opposite corners of the world (Israel/Palestine and San Francisco, respectively) to witness each other, survive motherhood and loss, goof around, and achieve something together that can't be done alone..
Open Space will open the performance with a world premiere by New York-based choreographer, Elijah Labay.
ever change.
June 13 - 15// 8:00pm
June 19 - 21// 8:00pm
Open Space Creative Container
ever change. will feature world premieres by Artistic Director, Franco Nieto and Chicago based choreographer, Noelle Kayser utilizing the entire Open Space company and members of our trainee program, Open Space Too.
Summer Soup
August 15 - 17// 8:00pm
Open Space Creative Container
What is Summer Soup? It's a dance show that brings different FLAVORS together to make one delish dish! Open Space and Lauren Edson's Boise-based company LED, reunite for their annual collaborative show!
Season Subscriptions
General Admission Season Subscription
(Reg. $125)
Primo Seat Season Subscription
(Reg. $210)
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Artistic Director // Franco Nieto
Princess Grace Award winner Franco Nieto was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. He made the unconventional switch from football to ballet in his teenage years and has now taught and danced in over 10 different countries and performed with the likes of Lady Gaga and Sir Elton John. He spent 10 years as a principal dancer with NW Dance Project in Portland, Oregon, where he toured the world and worked hand in hand with the leading minds in choreography to create and bring to life countless original works. His early training came from the Vancouver School of Arts & Academics and Columbia Dance, and his formative line of choreography was born from his mentorship with Tracey Durbin. He graduated with his BFA in Jazz from Point Park University. Franco brings his big heart to every class at Open Space.
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COMPANY ARTISTS
From a young age, Sophia Mladineo has held a deep curiosity towards life, leading her to various timelines. Raised in Southern California, Los Angeles became a mecca for much of her training. She is currently located in Portland, Oregon, dancing with Open Space and simultaneously involving herself within its dance community. Along the way, she has had the opportunity to work with different choreographers and artists from several walks of life. With human nature, culture and conversation being pillars of inspiration, she is always delighted to exchange.
Sophia Mladineo
Elise Gonsalves is an artist originally from Portland Oregon, after she graduated high school, Elise studied dance in LA for 5 years but recently returned to Portland. Elise has been dancing with Openspace now since 2021. When she is not dancing with Openspace she dances with a company LED, performing works like“Kid Lighting” and “Over the Moon” choreographed by Lauren Edson. Elise has also worked with choreographers such as Keelan Whitemore, Elijah Labay, Noelle Kayser and recently traveled to the Palm Desert Choreography Festival and the Union PDX Festival performing “Confetti Head” choreographed by Franco Nieto.
Elise Gonsalves
Annie is originally from Seattle, Washington where she trained at Pacific Northwest Ballet School and went on to receive her BFA in Dance at the University of Arizona. After graduating she moved to Portland and freelanced with artists such as, Katie Scherman, Bodyvox Dance, Meredith Wilde, Kristalyn Gill, Greg Bielemeir, Josie Mosley and Shaun Keylock. This is Annie’s first season with Open Space and she is thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful group of dancers and choreographers such as Noelle Kayser and Elijah Labay. Annie is also the Programs Manager at Open Space. She is looking forward to this next season and is excited to bring joy and light to Portland through dance!
Annie Borden
Audrey is originally from Portland, where she trained at the Westside Dance Academy. She has danced with SALT Contemporary Dance and Oquirrh West Project and performed the works of choreographers including Lauren Edson, Micaela Taylor, Ihsan Rustem, Olivier Wevers, Garrett Smith, Robert Battle, and Courtney Mazeika. Audrey received her BFA in dance from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. In her training, Audrey spent summers at various programs including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, San Francisco Conservatory, NW Dance Project, Vim Vigor Dance Company, and Parsons Dance.
Audrey Wells
Born in Saint Louis, adopted at age 4 and raised in Boise Idaho, Tony started their dance training in 2009 on a full tuition scholarship with Ballet Idaho’s Boy’s Dance Advance Program. They continued at Ballet Idaho and received further training from Nutmeg Conservatory Of The Arts, Burklyn Ballet Theater, Oregon Ballet Theater and Northwest Dance Project. Their professional career began as a soloist with Idaho Dance Theater. They also performed and taught with the local contemporary company Project Flux. In 2019, Tony was offered an apprenticeship with Ballet Idaho under Garrett Anderson. In 2020 they began performing with LED Boise, helping create, in collaboration with KIN Boise, an outdoor socially distanced performance experience with diverse artists from across the country. They also choreographed “REaDy Set" for Ballet Idaho. In 2021 Tony was nominated for a Princess Grace Award. Carnell has been dancing with Open Space in Portland, Oregon since its inception in 2021.
Tony Carnell
An Oregon native, Bryaunna Kostelnik began studying dance, developing choreography, and observing pedagogy at a young age. In the coming years, they continued to train and perform with Quickstyle Studios in Oslo, Norway, b12 in Berlin, Germany, and Deltebre Dansa outside Barcelona, Spain. Post-graduation from Oregon State University in June of 2021, Kostelnik has continued to work professionally throughout the Pacific Northwest with OPENSPACE, push/FOLD, ProLAB Dance, and Southern Oregon Dance Collective, performing work both nationally and globally by Franco Nieto, Victor Quijada (RUBBERBANDance), Noelle Kayser, Samuel Hobbs, Jaci Royal, Wes Veldink, Greg Russell, and Tessandra Chavez as well as collaborated in choreographic work by Akram Khan, Leo Leorus, Anton Lachky (Puzzlework), Jasmin Vardimon, and Elijah Labay. Currently, Kostelnik continues their work with OPENSPACE as company artist for their 2023-2024 season.
Bree Kostelnik
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Ariel Clarke is a dancer, educator, model, and most recently a member of Open Space and a 2023
Ballare Carmel Inaugural Fellow and dancer under the direction of Lillian Barbeito. Through an
unconventional path, she has accumulated a wide range of educational and performative experiences through national and international programs, most predominantly Springboard Danse Montreal’s 20th edition in 2022, alongside her own creative endeavors both in live performances and films. She finds great joy in sharing her passions for dance and has taught for many years to a variety of different ages and levels at numerous institutions. Drawing inspiration from all aspects of her life, her hunger and curiosity for new information and understanding propel her to constantly question and step beyond her own boundaries within her pursuits and explorations.