Open Flight Studio (OFS) is a space for performance-based artists to research, experiment, develop, teach, dialog and perform. OFS strives to maintain a neutral space that is affordable and accessible to enable the goals, pursuits and interests of individual artists, groups and art advocates.
Previously the space was the home for the Martha Nishitani Modern Dance School, which opened in 1954. In 2002, Nishitani retired, and in January 2003, the space re-opened under the stewardship of OFS, a partnership of dance/movement artists formed by original members Cheronne Wong, Paige Barnes, Pablo Cornejo, BetterBiscuitDance, and Rockhopper Dance.
OFS is located at 4205 University Way NE, in Seattle’s University District, on “the Ave” at 42nd, across the street from Bulldog News. Click here for map and driving directions.
The studio is currently managed by Seattle dance/movement artists Paige Barnes and Aiko Kinoshita (acornDance).
OPEN FLIGHT STUDIO PARTNERS
PAIGE BARNES is a Seattle-based contemporary choreographer, movement artist and GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® instructor. She co-founded Open Flight Studio (2002-present) and Locate Performance Group (1998-2004). In Autumn 2008, she teamed up with Christopher Hydinger to form PB _ TMOG. Together, they have co-created the MovementFilmMusic and Ayudapii series. Since 1996, she choreographed and performed in projects internationally in Ecuador, Mexico, Cuba and nationally in Minneapolis, Philadelphia and extensively throughout Seattle and is currently the co-creative director and co-curator of the quarterly improvisational Dance and Music series HERE/NOW. She has received awards from The Bossak/Heilbron Charitable Foundation ’02, ’04 & ’09, City of Seattle Arts and Cultural Affairs ’05 & ’09, Artist Trust 02 & ’11, danceWEB (Vienna, Austria), WA State Arts Commission and Pacific Northwest Dance Lab. She received a BA in Dance from the University of Washington.
For more information, email Paige Barnes.
AIKO KINOSHITA has been involved in contemporary dance for the last 20 years as a choreographer, performer, teacher, and arts administrator. Her choreography, which utilizes both set and improvisational material, has been presented nationally and in Canada, Korea and Japan and has received support from the Bossak-Heilbron Charitable Foundation, 4Culture, City of Issaquah, City of Bellevue, and Allied Arts, among others. Since moving to the Pacific Northwest in 1998, Aiko has danced with numerous regional choreographers, toured nationally and internationally as a member of Lingo Dancetheatre (2002-2007). She currently collaborates with Aaron Swartzman as Umami Performance. Aiko teaches modern dance classes at Open Flight, at Velocity Dance Center where she was Managing Director until 2005 and has taught at Cornish College of the Arts, University of Washington, University of Illinois and Beloit College among others.
She is the director of acornDance whose mission is to encourage networking between independent artists through collaborative events, often featuring both local and visiting artists. These productions include performances, classes and lectures in Seattle and the home communities of visiting artists. Recent collaborators have come from Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Wisconsin, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. The company produces the SITE SERIES/Dance on Common Ground, an annual summer site specific performance series.
For more information, e-mail acornDance/Aiko Kinoshita.
OPEN FLIGHT STUDIO PARTNER EMERITUS
Former partners at Open Flight include:
Pablo Cornejo
Cheronne Wong
BetterBiscuitDance – Alex Martin & Freya Wormus
Rockhopper Dance
Crispin Spaeth Dance Group
Violette Tucker
