Mission & History
The mission of Shaun Keylock Company (SKC) is to support the artistic vision of choreographer Shaun Keylock through the creation and presentation of both new and existing works, as well as legacy initiatives that preserve the history of regional dance in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
Founded in 2018, SKC is recognized as one of the Pacific Northwest’s leading contemporary dance companies. The company has performed extensively both locally and nationally, with numerous engagements in Portland, Houston, and San Francisco. SKC has been commissioned by the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Ten Tiny Dances, PDX Jazz, Portland Opera, and White Bird, among others. It currently serves as the resident dance company of Conduit Dance, Inc., a Portland-based arts service organization.
From 2020-2024, SKC operated our creative studio inside the historic Baker Building in North Portland. The studio served as a central hub for our mission, providing a space for connections between dancers, musicians, choreographers, and other artists interested in working with dance. It was both the primary rehearsal venue for the company and a community resource, offering classes and workshops, as well as free and reduced cost creative space and residencies for artists.
In 2022, the board of directors of Conduit Dance, Inc., an arts service organization based in Portland, voted to transfer leadership of the organization to the Shaun Keylock Company, recognizing a shared mission to advance contemporary dance. This acquisition strengthened Conduit’s transformative model, enabling SKC to attain nonprofit status while preserving more than 20 years of Portland’s dance history through Conduit’s programs.
Now as resident company of Conduit, SKC has expanded its performance capacity and regularly presents both the work of Conduit’s founding Core Artists and Keylock’s own innovative choreography.
