LIQUID. ALLURING. POWERFUL.
AERIAL + BURLESQUE PERFORMER IN PORTLAND, OREGON
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AERIAL
Aerial dance highlights Sara’s graceful, liquid movement, as well as her powerful strength and flexibility. The spinning of the apparatuses allows for viewing from all sides, which makes it suitable for a dynamic stage act or for ambient sets while attendees roam. Sara James is particularly drawn to using the entire vertical field available, creating a visually commanding act and providing depth and interest to a venue. Aerial acts can be quickly and easily adapted to the theme of the show or event. Aerial acts range from contemporary to sultry, frequently merging the two ends of the spectrum to create visually compelling and impressive performances.
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BURLESQUE
Sara James fell in love with the art of tease after seeing a burlesque show in 2015. She was enthralled by the strength, grace, flexibility, and confidence, and she knew she had to try it for herself - and so she did! Drawn to the glitz, glamor, and sensual empowerment, Sara brings a contemporary freshness to her neo-classic burlesque acts. Sara’s burlesque artistry runs the gamut from comedic to sensual; she is proficient at morphing from a classy Hollywood beauty to a fiendishly sexy beast, sometimes in the same act! From stunning costuming to jaw-dropping choreography, Sara crafts and refines each performance to suit the needs of the venue or event.
About the Performer
Sara James is a multifaceted aerial burlesque dancer driven by fluidity and musicality. Her individual style has been described as liquid, alluring, and powerful. Sara is no stranger to the stage, having performed for thousands of people in stadiums as well as more intimate venues. She performs regularly around Portland, Oregon for productions such as Sinferno Cabaret, Lacy Knightly Productions, Jack London Burly Q Revue, Bergamot Burlesque, and more.
Sara was classically trained in ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance for over a decade before branching out into other movement styles, such as hip hop, tap, partner acrobatics, belly dance, and burlesque. Her true passion was found in pole and aerial dance after witnessing the strength, grace, and flexibility it requires - she has devoted the better part of the last decade to refining these aspects of her craft. She went on to win the 2016 Melee on the Bayou Intermediate Pole Championship; she ended her competitive career early after deciding she’d rather create art free of restraints and judgment.
With over 7 years of teaching experience, she has helped develop curriculum to make pole and aerial accessible to students of all fitness abilities and body types. Sara is known for her infusing dance and mobility into her warm-ups, offering progressions and challenges, creative tangents, and silly humor. She teaches all levels group classes at the Pole Palace and Afterglow Aerial Arts and is also available for privates at Echo Theater Company and A-WOL Collective. As the client services coordinator at the Pole Palace, she implemented a sliding scale program to increase access to students in financial need.
Sara finds joy in collaborating with many other artists, including through production of shows. Her first production NINE INCH HEELS was a huge sold out success and gave an independent platform for pole dancers to showcase their art. She has worked with Laura Cannon of ProLab Dance as an ensemble cast member in many productions. Sara has co-choreographed and performed in a multitude of group acts, including the Dark Fates at Metalesque Festival and the Rainbow in Whole Lotta Love . She has co-directed, choreographed, and performed with the Wayward Sisters in several productions, including their dance film “The Swing.”
She is proud to be a 2023 DanceWire PDX ambassador and looks forward to connecting her circle of community with the great Portland dance world.