White Bird

Mission

White Bird strongly believes in making dance exciting, educational, equitable and accessible to everyone, young and old, of all social backgrounds.

Bottom Line for Portland

We make dance exciting, educational, equitable, and accessible by:

Ensuring fair and equitable wages for artists and crew, highlighting our values in excellence in performance and generosity of spirit. 

Continuing our NEST (No Empty Seats Today) program, which invites clients of 14 health and human service organizations to attend performances for free.

White Bird continues to revitalize downtown by championing the Portland metro region as a destination for world-class dance. With recent cuts to local, regional, and federal arts funding, your support makes all the difference!

Quote

“White Bird is a local treasure with national recognition and acclaim. This premier presenting arts organization has put touring dance on the map in Portland. But what many people may not know is that they are also well known as a quality arts presenter outside of Oregon. The White Bird brand is synonymous with quality across the U.S." - Chris Ayzoukian, Executive Director, Patricia Reser Center for the Arts

"You have created something unique with White Bird. There are not many dance-only presenters left in the U.S., and I know that White Bird is the only one in the Western states. White Bird has been leading the way in programming the most adventurous and high-quality dance companies from around the world for many, many years." - Mikhail Baryshnikov, world-renowned dancer, choreographer, and artistic director.

"It was beneficial to me because it helped me stay focused on my recovery by giving me a different outlet to help keep my mind off of drinking. It was always something new and I always enjoyed myself." - S.E., Client of The Resilience Initiative with QUEST Center for Integrative Health.

"With master classes, discount tickets for groups of students and staff, and collaborative workshops for our entire grade 6-12 school, White Bird provides rich experiences to a curious youthful audience, inspiring them to engage in the arts...The quality of artistry White Bird brings to our community is immeasurable, and Vancouver School of Arts and Academics is forever grateful." - Jackie Sacks, Dance Teacher, Vancouver School of Arts & Academics

Incentives

We appreciate all gifts, no matter the size. This year we are working with many of our close partners in the community to offer rewards for giving at various levels. Mark your calendars now for the best chance at winning one of these exciting prizes:

Nov 1-4

The first 5 people to give $25 or more will receive White Bird ticket voucher for a pair of tickets to see Lali Ayguadé Company ($80 value)

Nov 5-10

The first 8 people to give $30 or more will receive (1) 4-class card to use towards open adult classes at Steps PDX. ($55 value) 

Nov 11-18

The first 4 people to give $40 or more will receive a Cielo Home gift card. ($50 value)

All donations received this week will be allocated towards gifting tickets for our NEST partner: P:EAR

Nov 19-24

The first 4 people to give $50 or more receive a pair of tickets to see Open Space: NOT-Cracker. December 5-7, Newmark Theatre. ($100 value)

Nov 25-Dec 1

The first 4 people to give $60 or more will receive a BODYVOX class card for 5 classes. ($80 value) 

Dec 2-9

The first 10 people to give $70 or more will receive a pair of tickets to see Oregon Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker. Dec 7-24, Keller Auditorium ($90 -146 value)

Dec 10-16

The first 4 people to give $80 or more will receive a $100 White Bird gift card.

Dec 17-26

The first 2 people to give $90 or more will receive a Mother's Bistro & Bar gift card ($80 value) AND a voucher for a pair of tickets to see Urban Bush Women ($114 value)

Dec 27-31 | Grand Prize: A Night Out with White Bird!

Help us end 2024 strong. ALL donations over $24 given* from Dec 29 - 31 will be entered into our grand prize drawing. The winner will receive: 

Dinner for two at The Tavern at the Heathman Hotel  ($100 value)

One pair of tickets to see Compagnie Hervé Koubi, January 21, 2026 ($136 value)

Pre-show backstage tour of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (priceless!)

*up to the first $9,900 received.

Partner(s)

White Bird would like to thank our amazing business partners:  

P:EAR, which has been a NEST partner with White Bird since 2015.

Magaurn Video Media, which produced the “Why Give to White Bird” video linked on this page.

Mother's Bistro & Bar, which generously donated two gift cards to our campaign. 

The Tavern at the Heathman Hotel, which generously donated a gift card to our campaign. 

Cielo Home, which donated four gift cards for our campaign.