Forklift Danceworks

05/11/2026

Attention all artists, civic leaders, scholars and cultural workers!

This Fall, Forklift will host a National Convening in Community Based-Practice, here in Austin Texas, September 23-25. Joined by presenters such as Liz Lerman, Allison Orr, Marty Pottenger, Mark Valdez, Stephanie V. McKee-Anderson and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, we’ll host workshops and events that explore the growing national demand for models that bridge arts, civic systems, and community engagement.

The event is free but registration is required. Registration will be open on June 1, 2026 on our website.

Forklift is joined by partners including Wesleyan University’s College of the Environment, the Department of Theatre and Dance at The University of Texas at Austin, the Austin Community College Dance & Drama Departments, and Planet Texas 2050.

05/03/2026

"What sets Allison apart is her focus on community, how she uses something people share — a type of work, a neighborhood, a heritage — as the basis for not just a performance but also a celebration of the people who share that thing," said Robert Faires, former arts editor for the Austin Chronicle. "She shows us how everyday movement is dance and how we're all connected through dancing."

Wonderful piece on Allison Orr, recipient of the 2026 Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Artist Award in Austin American-Statesman by Michael Barnes.

The Austin dance maker behind Forklift Danceworks is among the 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award recipients.

05/01/2026

Congratulations Allison Orr

05/01/2026

We are honored to share that Artistic Director Allison Orr is a 2026 Doris Duke Artist Award recipient! The largest prize in the United States dedicated to individual performing artists, the award recognizes artists shaping the future of their fields. Join us in celebrating Allison and her fellow 2026 Doris Duke Artists!

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04/03/2026

Next up for our 25 Stories for 25 Years, meet Mari Tall, a dancer in The Way of Water — El Paso (2025). Her participation on this project widened the scope for what it truly means to engage with her community with intention. Mari is also apart of the Forklift team - she is one of our Wesleyan University interns. Thank you, Mari for sharing your story with us. ❤️

Do you have a Forklift memory from the past 25 years that’s stuck with you? 🤔 Whether you’ve been in the audience, or on our community stage — we want to hear from you. Visit the link in our bio to submit your Forklift story today!

Image 1-4: The Way of Water — El Paso(2025)
Photos by Veronica Garcia

02/12/2026

⚡️Anyone else catch a familiar scene during the Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show? Here’s a “Throwback Thursday” with an excerpt from PowerUp, a performance featuring the employees and machinery of Austin Energy performed September, 2013 at Decker Power Plant, Austin Texas.

“Hookin’ Made Easy”
Featuring Austin Energy Distributor Lineworks: Eric Brown, Mark Herndon, Johnny Martinez, Ryan Moore, Benny Ray, Kevin Thress.

Choreography: Allison Orr, Krissie Marty. Music Composition: Graham Reynolds.

01/30/2026

Congratulations to our very own AW Change Maker, ALLISON ORR

01/08/2026

Forklift fans are the best ever! Over 100 people contributed to our end-of-year campaign, and we raised over $70,000+! We’re especially grateful to the anonymous donor who matched end-of-year gifts dollar-for-dollar.

THANK YOU for helping to keep Forklift’s mission moving forward! With you, and because of you…We are dancing strongly into 2026.

📸 : The Way of Water — Miami rehearsal. Photo by Jonica Moore.

12/31/2025

If you can pitch in before midnight tonight, a special match will DOUBLE the good you can do for our communities.

This is a year-end gift you can feel GREAT about. Let’s keep dancing.

Link to donate ---> https://www.forkliftdanceworks.org/donate/

Wishing you a happy and healthy new year! 🎉

📸: Austin Water employees featured in The Way of Water – Colorado River: Confluence (photo by Jonica Moore)

12/30/2025

🎆2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣🎆Forklift had QUITE the year! This is what your generosity makes possible. If you have not donated yet, please consider an end-of year donation so Forklift can carry this work into our 25th year. Keep us dancing through 2026! Donations are MATCHED through the end of the year.

Link to donate ----> https://www.forkliftdanceworks.org/donate/

📸 In order: For the Love of My Horse, featuring Alicia Carson & her horses (photo by Damian Flores), Guests at Lift a Fork gala (photo by Jennifer Cubas), Rosemary Candelario in The Way of Water — Colorado River: Source (Photo by Amitava Sarkar), Performers in ‘Quality Monitoring’ in The Way of Water — Miami (Photo by Jonica Moore), scientists in The Way of Water — Miami (photo by Jonica Moore) the finale of 85.755t (photo by Ana Dinis), students in The Way of Water — El Paso (photo by Veronica Garcia), Austin Water employees in The Way of Water — Colorado River: Confluence (photo by Jonica Moore)

12/22/2025

How it started ➡️ How it’s going

From participating in The Trash Project in 2009 to now serving on our Board of Directors, Sam understands that Art + Community sustain us — especially in hard times. And Forklift is facing an unprecedented gap in funding with federal cuts threatening our work.

Sam joins us in asking: Will you give to keep Forklift’s magic alive in 2026? A dollar-for-dollar match will DOUBLE the good you can do, until December 31.

Link to donate ---> https://www.forkliftdanceworks.org/donate/