About
Personal (artist statement): I am interested in researching the body as architectural and cultural identity. As a choreographer and performer, I am drawn to space; the space between two points, space as a locator, an identifier, shaped by momentum in its presence or absence.
Much of my work is created with collaborators and contributors. I collaborate with other performance makers and video artists and musicians and architects and visual artists and object makers. I am interested in the space these dialogues create. Moments of choreography are everywhere, choreography as the map of ideas exchanged back and forth and how those ideas land and take shape in our bodies.
There are many different ways one can move through the world. There are many different ways the world moves through us. I try and pay attention to these things. My good friend Eugenie Frerichs always says “change your angle“. I take this to heart and want to trigger that within others.
I am constantly trying to devise other ways of experiencing a moment. Sometimes this means I have to trick myself into believing something is possible when I know that it is not. The trying becomes the choreography.
Less personal (artist bio): From 2001-2006 Tahni Holt worked under the moniker of Monster Squad. Since 2006 Tahni’s varied collaborations and solo performances have been housed under her own name. As a soloist and with her past company she has performed throughout the Western United States. Her work has been seen at On The Boards and Bumbershoot in Seattle and PICA’s International TBA Festival. As well as far off places in France, Idaho, Austin, TX. and Atlanta GA. Tahni’s work continues to be supported through numerous grants and private donors and is a recipient of a 2007 Oregon Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship. She has been artist in residence through SOWA, in Portland (2008), at Caldera, in Sisters (2006) and at Performance Art Forum in St. Erme France. Her work has been sponsored in one way or another by local Galleries, Colleges and cafes. One can experience her work in theaters, warehouses, loading docks, galleries, vacant store fronts, through ear phones and in inflatable icebergs/airplanes. She has worked with Dance Luminary Deborah Hay and most reciently spent time in Europe where she performed in Vienna through Eszter Salamon and Christine De Smedt in TRANSFORMERS. Along with Choreographing Tahni has been known to teach at different institutions. This includes, but is not limited to, Lewis and Clark College, Conduit studios, Reed College and The University of Oregon.
Impersonal (artist cv)
TAHNI HOLT
hello@tahniholt.com
tahniholt.com
EDUCATION:
1997: BFA from Tisch School of the Arts, New York, NY.
GRANTS, AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES:
2010
- Dancer’s Core and Dance truck two week residency in Atlanta, GA
2009
- Performing Art Forum Residcncy in St. Erme, France
- Oregon Arts Commission Professional Development Grant
- Individual Project Grant (RACC)
2008
- One of 10 artists to be selected for PSU Residency.
2007:
- One of 12 artists awarded South Waterfront residency.
- Austin, TX. Critics Table Award for performance of Room.
- Oregon Individual Artist Fellowship.
- Individual Project Grant (RACC) w/ collaborator Andrew Kudless.
2006:
- Individual Project Grant (RACC) w/ collaborator Emily Bulfin.
- Caldera Art Residency in Eastern Oregon.
2005:
- Selected to participate in Deborah Hay’s SPCP, Scotland.
- Professional Development grant awarded through worksystems, Inc.
- Individual Project Grant (RACC) with collaborator Marty Schnapf.
- Space Grant through Conduit studio’s Charged program.
2004:
- Selected for the first dance lab through NDP and NEFA, Seattle
- Individual Project Grant (RACC)
2003:
- Individual Project Grant (RACC)
- Professional Development Grant awarded through worksystems, Inc.
2002:
- Individual Project Grant (RACC).
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS:
2010:
- Dance Truck, Atlanta, GA. / The Gravediggers w/ Elizabeth Ward
- Performance Art Center, Astoria, OR. / Improv. Festival w/ Linda Austin
- Through the lens, Portland, OR. / CULTURE MACHINE cell w/ Thomas Thorson
2009:
- ImPulstanz, Vienna, Austria / Transformers by Eszter Salamon
- Ace Hotel event space, Portland, OR. /.event.space.
- Pa-f, St. Erme, France. / The Gravediggers w/ Elizabeth Ward
2008:
- Performance Works Northwest, Portland, OR. / Freedom of information
- PSU Residency, Portland, OR. / Information Studio
- Fusebox Festival, Austin, TX. / endless ocean w/Andrew Kudless
2007:
- SOWA Residency, Portland/The Party Project (ongoing research)
- PNCA, Portland/endless ocean w/Andrew Kudless
- RAKE Gallery, Portland/I am a bomb
- Stumptown Café, Portland/The Swallows w/Marty Schnapf
- Fusebox Festival, Austin, TX./Room
- RAW Art Week, Portland/Room
- RAW Art Week, Portland/passing out heart game w/Emily Bulfin
- PDX Film Fest., Portland/passing out heart game w/Emily Bulfin
- Lewis and Clark College, Portland/25 dances that saved my life
- Plazm mag. at Disjecta, Portland/25 dances that saved my life
- Drop Collective, Boise, ID./25 dances lecture
- Performance Works Northwest Benefit, Portland/25 dances lecture
2006
- PICA’s TBA Festival, Portland/Room
- Reed College RAW Art Week, Portland/The Swells w/Marty Schnapf
- On The Boards, Seattle/Island Desk w/Marty Schnapf
- Disjecta Art Center, Portland/Island Desk w/Marty Schnapf
2005
- WW University Ving Theater, Bellingham, WA./Island Desk solo
- Drop Collective, Boise, ID./Island Desk solo
- Charged through Conduit Dance, Portland/Island Desk solo
- Ten Tiny Dances at Bernies Bistro, Portland/Island Desk duet
- Ten Tiny Dances at Crow Bar, Seattle/Island Desk Duet
2004:
- PICA’s TBA Festival, Portland/Under an hour w/Marty Schnapf
- On The Board’s NWNW’s, Seattle/Under an hour w/Marty Schnapf
- Bumbershoot, Seattle/Under an hour w/Marty Schnapf
- PDX Cont. Gallery, Portland/The events preceding w/Marty Schnapf
- Seaplane, Portland/The events preceding w/Marty Schnapf
- Switchboard, Portland/The events preceding w/Marty Schnapf
2003:
- Performance Works Northwest Cabaret, Portland/She finds light
- Water St. Project, Portland/Here is the map
- Oregon Coalition of Dance Concert, Portland/Here is the map
2002:
- Conduit Studio, Portland/18 watchout situations
- PICA Event, Portland/18 watchout situations
- Rockhopper Dance, Seattle/18 watchout situations
- Conduit Benefit, Portland/excerpts of 18 watchout situations