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About the Company
Founded in 2000, Pendulum Aerial Arts is a non-profit organization with a mission to strengthen the community by collaborating with diverse artists from around the globe, to expose the public to a unique form of moving art through live performance, and to educate and inspire youth.
Under the Direction of Suzanne Kenney, Pendulum has been an innovator in both performance and education in the Pacific Northwest mixing dance, theatre and storytelling with contemporary circus. Before founding Pendulum, Kenney co-founded the first aerial dance company in Portland, Aero/Betty, in 1996.
Pendulum produces sophisticated and innovative live performances that appeal to all ages. The company collaborates with cross-disciplinary performers to create new works ranging from vaudeville style entertainment to narrative-driven contemporary works. Fresh and fascinating, Pendulum’s work is a window into strength, beauty, joy, and the desire to take risks.
Pendulum’s education program includes general circus classes and after-school programs for youth, workshops, summer camps, an apprentice program, and professional development training for company members. The youth programs engage children in the world of circus arts, providing positive, challenging, and powerful experiences. Pendulum’s Guest Artist program brings top artists to Portland to educate, perform, and collaborate with students and the company.
The company has toured nationally with their shows and appeared at notable venues including the Doudna Fine Arts Center in Charleston, IL, New Orleans Convention Center, San Jose Theatre of the Arts, Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA, the Ritz Carlton in Naples, FL, the Scottsdale Center for the Arts in Scottsdale, AZ, the Hult Center in Eugene, OR, and the Holter Museum of Art in Helena, MT. Click here for the complete Pendulum Performance History.
Pendulum uses the company’s distinctive blend of artistic ambiance to create one of a kind entertainment. Corporate clients include Cirque Du Soleil, Intel, The Nines Hotel, Nike, Web Trends, Viansa Winery, Fuji Film, The Yoshida Group, Asia Entertainment, Twenty Four Seven, Hotel Monaco, Doctor Marten Shoes, Sinju Restaurant, Aura Supper Club, The Seattle Study Club, and Portland Monthly Magazine. Suzanne Kenney also represents artists from around the globe who are available for booking through Pendulum’s Agency.
Pendulum over the last decade has been a huge supporter of the non-profit sector in Portland and has performed for numerous non-profit organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Boys and Girls Aid, Cascade AIDS Project, Albertina Kerr Centers, Girls Inc., The Oregon Zoo, Work For Art, Robotics Championships, Our House, Planned Parenthood, and U.S. First.
Pendulum Aerial Arts is a member of the Western Arts Alliance, APAP, Arts Northwest, Travel Portland, The International Society of Special Events, and the Willamette Valley Development Officers Association. Pendulum has received support for its programs from the Regional Arts and Culture Council, Oregon Arts Commission, Schwabe,Williamson and Wyatt, The Benson Hotel, Wells Fargo, Spirit Mountain Community Fund, the Wolokahn Foundation, the Hoover Foundation, and the Kinder Morgan Foundation. The company is also generously supported by a residency at the French American International School of Portland, providing the company rehearsal and training space since 1999.
