Our Story

Formerly Portico Dance Theatre, Oklahoma Movement has over a ten year history of bringing together dance artists to experience the meaning of movement through engaging the audience in thought-provoking works that both challenge and expand the viewer’s experience. With at least one full-length production every year, past works such as “WO”, “Mob Mental.ity”, “Legends of Darkness,” etc, we create original choreography that challenges the audience to ask questions and contemplate current issues.

In 2020, Founding Artistic Director, Jen Alden and Co-Artistic Director, Nina Madsen Puckett, determined that they wanted to shift the artistic direction of the Company from a performance-based company to a focus on outreach, advocacy and education. With the full support of the Board, the Company changed our name, mission and vision towards a reflection of our core values, providing the opportunity to move people both physically and mentally.

Artistic Statement
from the Directors

We believe that to dance is to move with intention. That intention may be subconscious, such as walking to the refrigerator to get a snack, or conscious, such as dancing to choreography from an evening length performance. Whatever the motivation behind the movement, when someone moves, the inner workings of the mind and outer experiences of both the mover and the viewer crystallize.

Our original choreographic works consist of a fusion of our combined artistic voices, and we strive to create works with meaning and purpose, often referencing and examining through our combined choreographic lens the current and past issues affecting our world. 

We believe our movement to be a conduit of engagement through the arts. The repertoire we present and conversations we host range from themes addressing women’s issues, mental health awareness, the mentality of mobs, systemic racism, equality and more.  We endeavor to preserve and respect classical/traditional dance techniques (Balanchine and Bournonville style of Ballet), Postmodern Techniques (Safety-Release Technique), and fundamentals of movement theory and practice (Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals) to create the movement foundations to convey our message.

Our work provides the viewer a chance to explore, challenge and question what is considered “dance,” in real time, by deriving movements and phrase work from a wide range of techniques and theories to move our audiences in a meaningful way. 

We often use movement motifs that consist of simple, gestural type movements that the audience can relate to, so they can leave a performance both understanding and questioning themes of social relevance. Our choreography also intends to harmonize the body with the auditory sense in a seamless way.

Through pushing the boundaries of what is considered dance and using the universal language of movement, something that connects us all as human beings, we believe in the enormous potential for change. We are continually seeking to provide the community with opportunities to both view and experience the many physical and emotional benefits of movement.

Our Team

Company Dancers

Jessica Pierce, Kymber Sage, Linda Davis, Kate Jacobs, Elizabeth Szymanski, Kara Myers, Jennifer Cooper, April Roberston, Karmen GoldenBough and Hilary Cupps.

Board of Directors

Donna Collins | President

Faith Fizer | Secretary

Kasey St. John | Fundraising Chair

Jen Alden | Creative Team

Nina Madsen Puckett | Creative Team

Kaye Brownlee-France | Board Member

Debbi Ashley | Board Member

Calveta Burger | Board Member

Kate Jacobs | Board Member | Dancer Liaison

Danielle Jester | Board Member

Shawntel Lindsey | Board Member

Cari Walden | Board Member

Oklahoma Movement is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Our mission: Oklahoma Movement is a collective of artists that empowers and inspires our community through movement.

Oklahoma Movement aims to bring current issues surrounding mental health, addiction, and social inequality facing our community to light. It is our belief that movement is something in which we can all relate to and seek to enable the community to experience the many benefits of movement and dance.